Head of Construction - DACHS & Nordics, Construction Director

Overview

PM Group is a leading International engineering, architecture, project and construction management firm. With a network of offices in Europe, Asia and the US and a multi-discipline team of 4000+ people, we deliver complex, capital projects in the life sciences, food and beverages, mission critical/ICT, advanced manufacturing, energy and environmental sectors.

Our Vision is to be a highly valued and creative delivery partner, building a more sustainable world with our clients. To do this our people are key and is where you can play a part.  We wish to appoint a Head of Construction for Benelux. The role will cover all aspects of Construction Service delivery in Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Responsibilities

Regional Construction Leadership

• Provide strategic construction leadership, governance and oversight across multiple concurrent projects throughout the DACHS & Nordics region.
• Act as the senior escalation point for construction performance, safety, quality, schedule, commercial and contractual matters.
• Establish, implement and continuously improve construction standards, best practices and execution strategies aligned with PM Group and client requirements.
• Lead the Construction Services function across the region, ensuring consistency in delivery, governance and performance.
• Manage Construction Services personnel including recruitment, onboarding, workforce planning, coordination, training, mentoring and professional development.
• Maintain the flexibility to assume a site-based construction leadership role when required.
• Provide leadership in Construction Health & Safety, QA/QC, Constructability, Contracts & Commercial Management and Project Controls.
• Work closely with Regional Operations and Group Construction Services to strengthen capability and drive continuous improvement.
• Project Oversight & Risk Management
• Maintain a regular presence on project sites to review progress, identify emerging risks and support project teams.
• Intervene on challenged or high-risk projects, providing leadership and practical solutions to recover schedule and improve performance.
• Support programme-level coordination across projects delivered in phased, fast-track, brownfield or live-operational environments.
• Monitor project performance against safety, quality, schedule and cost objectives.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a trusted advisor to client construction leaders, project directors and senior stakeholders.
• Represent PM Group in senior-level construction meetings, steering committees and commercial discussions.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, EPCM partners, contractors, specialist vendors and regulatory bodies.
• Support business development initiatives and proposal activities.

Health, Safety & Quality Leadership

• Champion a proactive and visible safety culture across all project sites.
• Drive excellence in construction quality and regulatory compliance.
• Lead inspection, testing, punch-list and defect-management processes to support commissioning and handover.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement through lessons learned and audits.

Sector-Specific Delivery Leadership

• Provide construction leadership for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other highly regulated manufacturing facilities.
• Interface effectively with CM, CQV, Validation, Quality and Engineering teams.
• Oversee complex cleanroom, HVAC, clean utilities, process equipment and critical systems installations.
• Ensure construction activities support GMP requirements and operational readiness objectives.

Team Development & Business Growth

• Mentor and develop Construction Managers, Resident Engineers, Site Leads and emerging construction leaders.
• Build a high-performing construction organisation through succession planning and capability development.
• Contribute to strategic business growth through client engagement, market development and proposal support.
• Foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement across the regional construction community.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role you will have:

Qualifications, Experience & Skills

Education & Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Relevant professional memberships or chartership status would be advantageous.
• Formal Health & Safety qualifications are desirable.

Essential Experience

• Minimum 15 years experience in construction, engineering or project delivery environments, including senior leadership positions.
• Extensive experience in a senior construction leadership role within an Engineering Consultancy, EPCM organisation, or similar environment.
• Proven track record of leading construction delivery within Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical, Food & Beverage, Mission Critical, Advanced Manufacturing and/or Energy sectors.
• Demonstrated success managing construction activities across multiple projects, sites and geographic locations simultaneously.
• Ability to operate effectively on site, troubleshoot live construction issues and lead under pressure.
• Strong experience leading multidisciplinary construction teams and developing high-performing organisations.
• Experience supporting business development, client engagement and proposal development.

Technical Knowledge

• Excellent knowledge of Construction Health & Safety legislation, statutory requirements and industry best practices across Europe.
• Strong understanding of construction execution methodologies, constructability, commissioning readiness and project controls.
• Strong knowledge of commercial management, contractual delivery models and contractor management.
• Good understanding of procurement strategies and supply chain management within complex capital projects.
• Excellent understanding of European construction practices, safety legislation and contractor management approaches.

Life Sciences & Regulated Environment Experience

• Proven delivery experience on pharmaceutical, biotechnology or other regulated manufacturing projects.
• Strong GMP knowledge and experience working in regulated environments.
• Experience interfacing with CQV, Validation, Quality and Operational Readiness teams.
• Experience supporting commissioning, qualification and handover activities.

Leadership & Stakeholder Skills

• Proven people management and leadership experience.
• Strong presentation, communication, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and influence stakeholders at executive, management and operational levels.
• Experience working with international clients and multicultural project teams.
• Strong decision-making capability and ability to lead effectively in fast-paced environments.

Highly Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of construction markets across the DACHS & Nordics region.
• Experience operating within programme or portfolio-level construction governance structures.
• English language proficiency is essential.
• German language capability is highly desirable.
• Dutch or French language skills would be advantageous.

Why PM Group?

As an employee-owned company, we are inclusive, committed and driven. Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability are the heart of our new 2025 business strategy. Click here to read more in our Corporate Responsibility and Heath, Safety & Wellbeing Report 2022.

Inclusion and Diversity are core to our culture and values. Wherever we work, we commit to a culture of mutual respect and belonging by building a truly inclusive workplace rich in diverse people, talents and ideas. Valuing the contributions of all our people and respecting individual differences will sustain our growth into the future.

PM Group is committed to ensuring our hiring process is fair and accessible to all and will provide candidates with disabilities with reasonable accommodations required to participate in the recruitment process. If you require any assistance in this regard, please let us know.

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