Project Manager (Retail Fit-Out + Design)

Job Description

About the role
We’re hiring a design-savvy site PM to build Joud Coffee cafés across the UAE. You’ll govern design + project specs, submittals and shop drawings—and lead risk management, crashing/fast-tracking, and recovery to protect time, cost, quality, and brand intent.

Key responsibilities

• Risk & schedule control
  • Maintain a live RAID log; run weekly risk reviews and mitigations.
  • Own CPM programme (MS Project/Primavera), float/slippage tracking, S-curves/EVM basics; issue weekly look-aheads & MoMs.
  • Crash/Fast-track: overlap non-dependent trades, add resources, extend shifts/night works, split workfronts, off-site prefabs, early procurement for long-leads.
  • Recovery: forensic delay checks, resequencing, vendor re-capacity, war-room stand-ups & stoplight dashboards until back on plan.
• Design & specs leadership
  • Own the ID Spec Book/Project Specs: finishes, fixtures, lighting, hardware, sanitary, FFE/OS&E, signage & wayfinding.
  • Build/maintain Finish & FFE schedules, submittal register, and sample/mock-up approvals; guard brand standards.
  • Review/approve shop drawings & material submittals against specs; coordinate joinery details; issue redlines/mark-ups (AutoCAD/Bluebeam).
  • Control revisions: manage design log/VCNs, RFIs, addenda, and IFC updates; ensure all trades work to current revs.
  • Coordinate ID/Arch ↔ MEP/Kitchen to resolve clashes (extraction, grease, gas, power loads) and protect design intent during value engineering.
• Execution, quality & handover
  • Daily site walks, Q/A checklists, first-off approvals; manage HSE with zero major NCs.
  • Cost & change: BOQs/RFQs, VEs, variations, certifications; records (site diary, photos).
  • Commissioning with Operations; as-builts & O&M complete at handover.

What you’ll bring

• 5–8+ years managing retail/F&B fit-outs in the UAE, with a portfolio showing strong design sensibility.
• Fluent reading/marking ID, architectural, MEP & joinery drawings; spec governance experience (spec books/spec sections, submittal workflows).
• Tools: AutoCAD (must), MS Project/Primavera, Excel; SketchUp/Bluebeam/InDesign a plus.
• Proven schedule recovery cases (quantify days regained), authority/landlord approvals (ADCD/DCD/malls), vendor management, UAE driving licence.
• Clear communicator; owner’s mindset; balances time/cost/quality without losing design intent.

Success metrics (first 6 months)

• On-time handover ≥95% vs baseline programme.
• Recovery: regain ≥10–15% lost days on any slipping project within 30 days of plan approval.
• Spec compliance: 100% materials approved with ≤1 re-submittal; ≤2 spec substitutions per project (client-approved).
• Budget: ≤3% net variance (ex client scope); snag closure ≤10 days; zero major HSE NCs.

Location & type
Abu Dhabi (HQ), UAE—multi-site travel. Full-time, on-site.

Apply with
CV + design/fit-out portfolio (drawings, spec pages, shop drawings & site photos), site list (client/location/budget/duration), notice period, expected AED, and a short note on your best schedule recovery.