The posting
Job Summary
The Project Director will provide overall leadership for business development, project acquisition, engineering, fabrication, construction, installation, testing, commissioning, and handover of industrial projects, with particular focus on recycling chemical plants and related industrial facilities.
The role will be responsible for developing new business opportunities and securing approximately S$3–4 million in project orders annually, while ensuring successful execution of awarded projects involving structural steel, carbon steel (CS), stainless steel (SS), low-alloy steel and UPVC piping systems.
The Project Director will work closely with the Managing Director, clients, consultants, engineers, suppliers, subcontractors, and project teams to develop business opportunities, prepare competitive tenders, secure contracts, and deliver projects safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with applicable engineering standards and client requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Business Development & Project Acquisition
- Develop and implement business development strategies to generate new opportunities in industrial construction, chemical plants, recycling facilities, process plants, piping, structural steel and mechanical works.
- Identify, develop, and maintain relationships with existing and prospective clients, consultants, EPC contractors, plant owners, and industrial project stakeholders.
- Actively identify upcoming projects and tender opportunities through client networks, industry contacts, consultants, contractors, and other appropriate business channels.
- Develop and maintain a project pipeline with a targeted annual business/project acquisition value of approximately S$3–4 million.
- Lead the preparation, review, and submission of competitive tenders, quotations, technical proposals, and commercial proposals.
- Review tender documents, drawings, specifications, scope of work, BOQ, project schedules, technical requirements, and commercial conditions.
- Conduct site visits and pre-tender inspections to understand project requirements, site constraints, access conditions, construction methodology, manpower requirements, and project risks.
- Prepare preliminary project execution strategies, manpower plans, material requirements, equipment requirements, subcontracting requirements, and project schedules during the tender stage.
- Coordinate with engineering, procurement, estimation, commercial, and operations teams to develop accurate and competitive project proposals.
- Prepare cost estimates and evaluate material, manpower, equipment, subcontractor, logistics, testing, and other project costs.
- Negotiate with clients, contractors, suppliers, and subcontractors on technical, commercial, contractual, and project execution matters.
- Support contract negotiations and ensure that project scope, deliverables, commercial terms, payment terms, variations, exclusions, and responsibilities are clearly established before project commencement.
- Maintain strong client relationships and identify opportunities for repeat orders, additional works, maintenance contracts, and future projects.
- Monitor market developments and identify opportunities within the chemical, recycling, petrochemical, industrial, manufacturing, and process plant sectors.
- Prepare regular business development and sales pipeline reports for the Managing Director and senior management.
Project Execution & Management
- Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for awarded engineering and construction projects.
- Lead projects from tendering and engineering review through procurement, fabrication, site installation, testing, commissioning, and final handover.
- Manage structural steel fabrication and erection, including steel frames, platforms, pipe racks, supports, ladders, handrails, and related structures.
- Manage fabrication and installation of CS, SS and low-alloy steel piping systems, including valves, fittings, flanges, supports, and associated components.
- Manage installation of UPVC piping systems for applicable chemical, process, utility, drainage, and recycling plant services.
- Coordinate piping and structural works with process equipment, tanks, pumps, utilities, electrical and instrumentation systems, and other plant facilities.
- Oversee welding, fabrication, fit-up, alignment, installation, inspection, testing, flushing, pressure testing, reinstatement, and commissioning activities.
- Ensure compliance with approved engineering drawings, specifications, construction methodologies, applicable codes and standards, and client requirements.
- Review and coordinate WPS/PQR/WQT, ITPs, method statements, inspection records, material certificates, test packs, pressure-test documentation, and as-built documentation.
- Ensure piping systems are fabricated and installed in accordance with applicable project specifications, ASME B31.3, relevant material standards, and other applicable codes and standards.
- Coordinate hydrostatic testing, pneumatic testing where applicable, flushing, cleaning, leak testing, reinstatement, and commissioning activities.
- Establish and monitor project schedules, milestones, productivity targets, manpower requirements, equipment requirements, and material delivery schedules.
- Monitor project progress and implement corrective actions for delays, technical issues, productivity problems, material shortages, and construction constraints.
Commercial & Cost Management
- Prepare, review, and control project budgets, cost estimates, cash-flow forecasts, procurement costs, subcontractor costs, and project financial performance.
- Monitor project costs against approved budgets and take corrective action to maintain project profitability.
- Monitor variations, additional works, claims, delays, and commercial issues and ensure proper documentation and timely submission.
- Lead quantity take-off, cost estimation, resource planning, and pricing activities during tendering and project execution.
- Develop procurement and subcontracting strategies to achieve cost-effective project delivery.
- Evaluate suppliers and subcontractors based on technical capability, quality, delivery, capacity, and commercial terms.
- Review progress claims, subcontractor payments, variation orders, and final accounts.
- Support the Managing Director in maintaining healthy project margins and cash flow.
Team Leadership, Safety & Quality
- Lead and supervise project engineers, construction engineers, supervisors, foremen, technicians, skilled workers, subcontractors, and other project personnel.
- Establish manpower requirements and support recruitment, deployment, training, competency development, and performance evaluation.
- Coach and mentor project personnel to improve technical and project management capabilities.
- Establish and monitor KPIs covering business development, project acquisition, safety, quality, schedule, productivity, manpower, material utilisation, cost, and profitability.
- Ensure compliance with applicable Singapore WSH, MOM, SCDF, BCA, environmental and other regulatory requirements.
- Implement appropriate risk assessments, method statements, permit-to-work requirements, lifting plans, work-at-height controls, hot-work controls, confined-space controls, and other construction safety measures.
- Ensure that employees and subcontractors comply with approved safe work procedures and project safety requirements.
- Monitor quality performance and ensure timely resolution of NCRs, inspection findings, punch-list items, and construction deficiencies.
- Lead project meetings and provide regular progress, financial, technical, commercial, safety, and business development reports to senior management and clients.
Required Qualifications & Competencies
- Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil/Structural Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- Strong project management and business development experience in industrial construction, chemical plants, recycling facilities, process plants, petrochemical, manufacturing, or related sectors.
- Strong technical knowledge of structural steel fabrication and erection, CS/SS/low-alloy piping fabrication and installation, and UPVC piping systems.
- Proven experience in tendering, estimating, contract negotiation, project acquisition, and project execution.
- Strong understanding of piping fabrication, welding, fit-up, installation, inspection, pressure testing, flushing, reinstatement, and commissioning.
- Knowledge of ASME B31.3 and relevant piping, welding, structural and material standards.
- Proficiency in MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, AutoCAD, and Microsoft Project or equivalent software.
- Strong commercial awareness with experience in project costing, budgeting, procurement, variations, claims, and cost control.
- Strong client relationship management, negotiation, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Experience & Qualifications
- Minimum 10 years of relevant engineering, construction, project management, and/or business development experience.
- Proven track record in securing and managing multimillion-dollar industrial projects.
- Experience in achieving annual business/project acquisition targets in the range of S$3–4 million or above.
- Established network of clients, EPC contractors, consultants, plant owners, or industrial project stakeholders will be an advantage.
- Experience in chemical, recycling, waste treatment, petrochemical, refinery, process plant, or other industrial facilities.
- Experience managing structural steel fabrication and erection projects.
- Experience managing CS, SS and low-alloy piping fabrication and installation.
- Experience with UPVC/thermoplastic piping systems, particularly for chemical or utility services.
- Experience with tendering, quantity surveying, cost estimation, procurement, contract administration, variations, claims, and commercial negotiations.
- Experience coordinating multidisciplinary construction teams, suppliers, and subcontractors.
- Experience with WPS/PQR/WQT, ITP, QA/QC documentation, material traceability and test packs will be an advantage.
- Experience in greenfield and/or brownfield industrial plant construction will be an advantage.
