Technical Office Director

Job Overview:

Lead the HQ-based central Technical Office — an independent function responsible for providing technical transparency, data consolidation, reporting, and design challenge across a diverse portfolio of development and construction projects. Work closely with design, development,

construction, and project teams to strengthen cost control, schedule discipline, and design quality, while controlling projects for alignment with business objectives, customer expectations, and long-term asset value.

The role has direct access to the CIO and all top management and is expected to influence project direction through fact-based challenge and formal technical recommendations.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Portfolio Transparency & Insight

• Provide senior management with a consolidated, fact-based view of budget, schedule, quality, and design risks across all projects
• Translate technical analysis into clear, actionable insights for the CIO
• Highlight priority projects requiring attention, including early warning of potential overruns, delays, and delivery issues

2. Early Warning & Forecasting

• Identify and communicate potential cost overruns and schedule delays before materialization
• Develop forward-looking views on each project:
• Expected cost deviation (%)
• Expected delay (time impact)
• Ensure risks are clearly visible and escalated early to senior management

3. Project Challenge (Cost / Schedule / Design)

• Challenge project assumptions, budgets, schedules, and forecasts using internal cost data, benchmarks, and comparable projects
• Review and challenge concept and detailed design, cost plans, and key project assumptions from an architectural and functional perspective, including layout efficiency, usability, serviceability, maintainability, and overall design intent
• Provide view on major design changes and value-engineering proposals for their impact on cost, schedule, quality, functionality, and long-term asset value
• Review and challenge tender outcomes and variations
• Provide alternative scenarios and trade-offs (cost / time / quality) with balanced technical recommendations — without owning decisions

4. Stage-Gate Review & Governance

• Provide formal, independent Technical Office input at all key project stages:
• Project Brief
• Concept Design
• Detailed Design
• Execution
• Handover
• Issue independent assessments: Agree / Concerns / Disagree
• Ensure no project progresses without a transparent technical assessment on record

5. Data, Standards & Systems Ownership

• Own and continuously improve:
• Corporate price database (unit rates and benchmarks)
• CBS / WBS standards and structure
• Reporting templates and definitions (baseline / current / forecast)
• Cost, schedule, and quality standards
• Technical governance tools
• Ensure consistency and comparability across all projects
• Act as the single source of truth for technical data

6. Construction Monitoring (Non-Execution)

• Review ongoing project reports and portfolio data:
• Cost vs budget
• Schedule vs plan
• Forecast vs actuals
• Validate completeness and consistency; highlight deviations, unrealistic assumptions, and emerging risks
• Consolidate portfolio-level insights, trends, and lessons learned
• Drive continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned, updating benchmarks and standards, and strengthening cost awareness, schedule discipline, and design quality across the portfolio

Qualifications:

Technical:

• Degree in Architecture is strongly preferred; candidates from Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related technical disciplines may be considered where they demonstrate strong design-management and development-side experience.
• 20+ years of experience in real estate development, design management, project delivery, or project controls
• Proven background in leading design coordination and overseeing execution in international, complex, high-end real estate projects
• Strong understanding across:
• Architectural design and planning
• Cost planning and benchmarking
• Scheduling and critical path logic
• Strong cost control and scheduling background is essential; quality control management experience is a plus
• Ability to assess projects from design, financial, and operational perspectives
• Experience with a leading real estate developer and construction is preferred
• Experience in cost and scheduling tools such as COINS ERP, Primavera

Leadership & Mindset:

• Strong leadership and communication skills, especially with senior stakeholders
• Strong judgment and ability to operate under uncertainty
• Ability to create constructive tension — challenge teams without taking ownership of decisions
• Clear, concise communicator with a data-driven and fact-based approach
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability