Project Director Transportation & Mobility

About SYSTRA

SYSTRA is a global engineering and consultancy group specializing in public transport and sustainable mobility. With over 10,300 employees, SYSTRA designs transport solutions and partners with cities and regions to develop, improve, and modernize infrastructure and transport systems. The Group operates in over 80 countries, supporting clients in their digital, ecological, and energy transitions to innovate future mobility solutions.

Project Director, Transportation & Mobility

SYSTRA is seeking an accomplished Project Director with strong construction project management and Transport & Mobility expertise. This full-time role is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and involves leading end-to-end delivery for a high-profile investment program in Makkah. The Project Director will manage the PPP contract for the development of bus stations and Park & Ride (P&R) facilities, guiding multidisciplinary teams and ensuring projects meet contractual requirements, performance targets, and are completed on time and within budget.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end advisory leadership across the project lifecycle, including design review, commercial support, and implementation monitoring for bus and BRT programs.
• Manage PPP contracts, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations, scope of work, risk allocation, performance requirements, key milestones, and deliverables throughout design and construction.
• Direct interface with public authorities, operators, consultants, and community stakeholders; facilitate governance, approvals, and public communications.
• Manage program controls including schedule, cost, risk, and quality; establish PMO structures, KPIs, stage-gates, and reporting dashboards.
• Review and assure designs for road infrastructure (corridors, stations, depots), ITS, fare collection, and priority measures, coordinating across traffic engineering, urban design, utilities, and safety.
• Drive operational readiness planning (ORAT), service change management, and transition to operations, including safety management systems and incident response.
• Champion user experience, accessibility, equity, and reliability through data-driven service performance management.
• Integrate sustainability and resilience outcomes (emissions reduction, energy efficiency, climate adaptation) and align with ESG and client policy targets.
• Mentor teams, build client relationships, and identify business development opportunities, proposals, and thought leadership.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Over 10 years of proven leadership experience delivering large, complex urban mobility programs in advisory or client-side roles, including PMO setup and governance.
• Demonstrated experience in greenfield implementation, bus priority measures, station/stop design interfaces, and ITS/fare systems for bus.
• Proficiency in MS Office, Power BI/Tableau; desirable exposure to GIS and modeling platforms.
• Evidence of leading multidisciplinary teams and delivering outcomes within complex governance environments.

Skills and Knowledge

• Strong stakeholder management skills at senior levels, including elected officials, transport agencies, operators, and community groups.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to synthesize complex technical inputs into clear recommendations and executive reports.
• Understanding of ITS/SCADA, AVL/RTPI, AFC, and data governance.
• Familiarity with safety standards, accessibility guidelines, and design codes relevant to urban bus/BRT systems.

Location

This position is based in Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with project responsibilities focused in Makkah.