Head of Construction Benelux - Construction Director

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.

We are seeking a Head of Construction – Benelux to provide regional leadership and technical authority across a diverse portfolio of Life Sciences construction projects. This is a hands‑on leadership role combining strategic oversight with regular site-based engagement, offering direct intervention on complex, high-risk construction challenges.

The role will act as tPM Groups senior construction authority in the region, ensuring safe, compliant, and predictable delivery while supporting clients through critical build, commissioning, and handover phases.

Regional Construction Leadership

• Provide construction leadership and governance across multiple concurrent projects located throughout the Benelux region.
• Act as the senior escalation point for construction performance, safety, quality, schedule, and commercial issues.
• Establish and enforce construction standards, best practices, and execution strategies aligned with consultancy and client expectations.
• Manage of project Construction Services personnel including recruitment, liaison, onboarding, coordination, training, development and mentoring.
• Flexibility to step in and lead construction projects on site as required.
• Provide leadership in the areas of Construction Health & Safety, Construction QA/QC, Constructability, Contracts/Commercial and Project Controls.
• Work closely with WE and Group Construction Services to enhance and develop the overall service delivery.

Project Oversight & Troubleshooting

• Maintain regular on-site presence to review progress, identify risks, and directly support project teams.
• Intervene proactively on challenged or high‑risk projects, providing practical solutions to recover schedule, resolve defects, and manage contractor performance.
• Support programme-level coordination where projects are delivered under phased, fast-track, or live‑operations environments.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a trusted senior advisor to client-side construction leads, project directors, and senior stakeholders.
• Represent the consultancy in high-level construction meetings, steering committees, and commercial discussions.
• Build strong relationships with EPCM partners, main contractors, and specialist trade contractors.

Health, Safety & Quality Leadership

• Champion a strong safety culture across all sites, ensuring compliance with local legislation and client standards.
• Ensure construction quality aligns with design intent, regulatory requirements, and sector-specific standards (e.g. GMP).
• Drive consistent defect management, inspection regimes, and readiness for commissioning and handover.

Sector-Specific Delivery

Pharmaceutical / Life Sciences:

• Lead construction oversight on GMP-regulated facilities including manufacturing, packaging, warehouses, and laboratories.
• Interface effectively with CQV, validation, and quality teams to ensure construction readiness and documentation integrity.
• Manage complex cleanroom, HVAC, clean utilities, and process equipment installation environments.

Team & Business Contribution

• Mentor and develop Construction Managers, Resident Engineers, and Site Leads within the consultancy.
• Support business development activities by contributing construction input to bids and proposals.
• Promote knowledge sharing and continuous improvement across the regional construction community.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• Demonstrated capability and leadership in Construction delivery within specialized industrial sectors (Life Sciences, Food & Mission Critical, Oil and Gas)
• Demonstrated knowledge of the area
• Bachelor or Master degree in Engineering or Construction /Project Management
• 10+ year’s professional experience
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of H&S statutory requirements
• Proven people management experience
• Good understanding of contractual models and supply chain capability
• Strong presentation and written communication skills
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills
• A demonstrated ability to communicate and influence at management and operation level
• Proven Construction Business management track record
• Preferably Dutch speaking

Experience & Skills Required

Essential

• Extensive experience in a senior construction leadership role within an engineering consultancy, EPCM, or similar environment.
• Proven delivery experience across pharmaceutical (life sciences) or simialr
• Strong track record of managing construction execution across multiple sites simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively on-site, troubleshoot live construction issues, and lead under pressure.
• Excellent understanding of European construction practices, safety legislation, and contractor management.

Highly Desirable

• Strong GMP knowledge and experience working in regulated environments.
• Experience working with international clients and multicultural project teams.
• Background in programme or portfolio-level construction governance.

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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