Associate Director – Mission Critical & Data Centres (Electrical)

WSP in the Middle East is seeking an experienced Associate Director - Mission Critical & Data Centres (Electrical), based in Dubai, UAE, supporting the continued growth of our Building Services Data Centre discipline.

You will be responsible for the end-to-end design, delivery, and technical leadership of mission-critical data centre facilities. You will act as the single technical authority, interfacing directly with clients, vendors, and internal teams to ensure projects meet performance, reliability, and compliance targets from design inception through to delivery.

• Serve as the single point of contact for all technical aspects of assigned data center projects, leading client discussions and negotiating technical scopes.

• Lead and approve concept, schematic, and detailed designs across electrical and mechanical disciplines, including UPS, generators, switchgear, HVAC, cooling, public health systems, Building Management Systems, fire protection and fire/life safety.

• Develop and standardize scalable, repeatable data center solutions to drive consistency and efficiencies across UAE and KSA.

• Conduct site assessments, capacity planning, and feasibility studies aligned with Uptime Institute Tier requirements.

• Ensure compliance with international standards (Uptime Institute, TIA-942, NFPA, ASHRAE) and local regulations.

• Mentor and coach engineering teams, drive knowledge transfer, and capture lessons learned for continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with the supervision team and other stakeholders to control costs, manage vendors, and mitigate technical risks.

• Drive business growth by contributing to technical proposals, client presentations, and by identifying opportunities for service enhancements

• Champion Engineering Standards Lead cross-regional collaboration to ensure consistency, innovation, and technical excellence in design methodologies and delivery practices across all data center projects.

• Cultivate Strategic Technical Partnerships Serve as a senior liaison among internal engineering teams, regional centers of excellence, external consultants, construction leads, and key stakeholders to align technical vision and drive successful execution.

• Oversee End-to-End Engineering Lifecycle Direct all phases of engineering and design, including site feasibility analysis, conceptual development, basis of design formulation, scope definition, and construction documentation-ensuring alignment with business objectives and performance targets.

• Provide Visionary Project Leadership Act as the technical authority across engineering initiatives, accountable for team outcomes related to design integrity, budget adherence, schedule management, and stakeholder coordination.

• Stay Ahead of Industry Evolution Maintain active engagement with the global data center engineering community to identify emerging technologies, evolving standards, and best practices that can be leveraged for continuous improvement.

• Demonstrate Mastery in CSA & MEP Disciplines Bring expert-level knowledge in civil, structural, architectural (CSA) and mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) systems, with a proven track record of delivering complex, mission-critical infrastructure.

• Apply Advanced Engineering Analysis Tools Utilize sophisticated modeling and simulation platforms such as ETAP, 6Sigma CFD, AmpCalc, and other analytical tools to validate design decisions and optimize system performance.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Building Services Engineering.

• 15+ years of progressive experience in planning, designing, and delivering large-scale data centers, including multiple Uptime Tier III/IV projects.

• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate stakeholders in complex, matrixed environments.

• Professional certifications such as Uptime Tier Certified Professional, PMP, LEED AP, or BICSI RCDD are highly desirable.

• In-depth knowledge of MV/LV power distribution, UPS, emergency generators, CRAC units, economizers, chilled-water systems, VFDs, fire detection/suppression, BMS, and DCIM platforms.

• Strong understanding of latest Data Centre system trends and technologies such as liquid-cooling are highly desirable

• Preferred experience with fast track design/build projects and or multiple significant upgrade project for large-scale technical operations or large-scale compute farms

• Familiarity with local and international codes and standards, including NEC, IEC, ISO 50001, ISO 27001, PDPL, and ESMA.

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