Head of Engineering

Company Description

Doka is a global leader in innovative formwork solutions and services across all areas of construction, and a worldwide supplier of comprehensive scaffolding systems for a broad range of applications. With more than 150 sales and logistics facilities in over 54 countries, Doka provides a high‑performing distribution network that ensures expert advice, customer service and technical support on site, with equipment delivered quickly regardless of project size or complexity. Employing 8,400 people worldwide, Doka is part of the Umdasch Group, a company that has stood for reliability, experience and trustworthiness for more than 150 years and serves as the parent organization for its directly affiliated divisions, including Doka, umdasch The Store Makers and umdasch Industrial Solutions.

Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East, covering most of the Arabian Peninsula and home to Islam’s two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina. With some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, the Kingdom plays a central role in global energy markets while actively diversifying its economy through ambitious large‑scale development initiatives.

The country continues to drive one of the world’s most dynamic construction markets, fueled by landmark giga‑projects such as the Red Sea developments, Qiddiya, and Diriyah Gate. These projects are setting new standards in scale, engineering complexity, sustainability, and digital construction, creating strong demand for advanced formwork, engineering expertise, and innovative on‑site solutions. This environment offers highly attractive opportunities for talent, with Saudi Arabia recently recognised as one of the region’s most attractive employers due to its long‑term investment in infrastructure, innovation, and workforce development.

Job Description

As the Head of Engineering, you are an important member of the country management team, representing your function and collaborating closely with all departments and stakeholders to ensure successful implementation of the country strategy.

You will be fully accountable for all topics related to Engineering and Product Management. You develop and manage your team ensuring that they are given the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. You enable them to provide the most suitable formwork designs for the challenging projects of our clients and to collaborate successfully within their team, with other departments and external parties.

If you are passionate about formwork and keen to develop your career as part of a high-performing team we are looking forward to hearing from you.

Engineering Leadership & Strategy

• Lead and manage the Engineering department, including workforce planning, structure, and performance management

• Define and drive engineering strategies aligned with country business objectives

• Ensure delivery of efficient, safe, and cost-effective engineering solutions

• Monitor and drive departmental KPIs (e.g. design efficiency, project execution, resource utilization)

• Drive adoption of BIM for formwork design to improve efficiency, coordination, and reduce rework

• Strengthening engineering capabilities in high-rise and complex projects, positioning the organization as a leading solution provider

Business Partnering & Commercial Support

• Act as a key business partner to the Country Manager on strategic and operational decisions

• Support project costing, technical-commercial proposals, and risk assessment

• Drive engineering contributions towards improving project margins and overall business performance

• Ensure engineering solutions are aligned with commercial and contractual requirements

• Support execution of product strategy in alignment with regional direction and market needs

Project & Technical Oversight

Promote and enforce strong project management practices across the Engineering function

• Coordinate Group Leaders and engineering activities across projects to ensure alignment, efficiency, and timely delivery

• Oversee engineering execution across all projects to ensure quality, safety, and compliance

• Provide technical leadership for complex projects, claims, and site challenges

• Ensure optimal balance between technical feasibility, cost efficiency, and customer expectations

• Ensure all structural calculations and technical designs are reviewed and approved by qualified personnel

• Ensure quality assurance standards are consistently applied for local production and engineering deliverables

• Ensure full technical compliance with applicable local regulations and statutory requirements

• Support resolution of internal and external technical issues, including claims and change requests

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing engineering team

• Strengthening leadership capabilities among Team Leaders and senior engineers

• Drive succession planning and talent development within the department

• Foster a culture of accountability, feedback and performance

• Act as a role model in line with our company culture, values and code of conduct

• Promote a mindset of continuous improvement, encouraging adoption of new methods, products, and emerging technologies, including AI

Cross-Functional & Regional Collaboration

• Work closely with Sales, Operations, and other departments as part of the Country Management Team

• Collaborate closely with the Regional Engineering team to align standards, leverage best practices, and optimize synergies

• Act as the key interface between country operations and regional engineering functions

• Leverage regional resources to balance workload, optimize capacity, and support complex project execution

Governance, Standards & Safety

• Ensure compliance with Doka Group standards, local regulations, and engineering best practices

• Maintain strong focus on safety across all engineering and site-related activities

• Establish and enforce engineering processes and standards

Financial & Operational Management

• Manage Engineering department budget and cost control

• Optimize resource allocation to improve productivity and efficiency

• Support planning, forecasting, and capacity management

• Ensure alignment between engineering output and business demand

Site Engagement & Market Awareness

• Maintain visibility on site activities, project execution, and customer requirements

• Capture site feedback to enhance engineering solutions and product application

• Monitor competitor solutions and industry trends

Qualifications

Professional Requirements:

• Degree in Civil / Structural Engineering or equivalent

• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in engineering, preferably in construction or formwork industry

• Strong technical knowledge in formwork systems, construction methodologies, and project execution

• Good understanding of commercial aspects, including costing, contracts and project profitability

Leadership & Personal Competencies:

• Proven leadership experience in managing and developing teams

• Strong business acumen with ability to balance technical and commercial considerations

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across all levels

• Ability to operate effectively in a cross-functional and multinational environment

• Proactive, solution-oriented, and results-driven mindset

• High level of accountability, ownership, and decision-making capability

• Demonstrated leadership skills, adept at managing diverse and partly remote teams and delivering results

• Innovative mindset with a natural curiosity for new technologies and tools

Added Advantages (Good to have, not necessary):

• Experience working with regional or international teams

• Knowledge of Doka systems and tools (e.g. DokaCalc, AutoCAD, Revit, Time Cockpit)

• Familiarity with the Formwork engineering Industry in Saudi Arabia and Middle East construction markets

• Proficiency in spoken Arabic

Why Join Doka?

Join a global leader where you will be empowered to grow your career, work on impactful projects, and be part of a high-performing, collaborative team.