Government Relations and Permits Snr Manager (UAE National)

We are currently supporting a leading semi-government organisation in the UAE who are looking to recruit a Senior Manager - Government Relations & Permits and Manager - Government Relations & Permits. The role is based in Dubai, but is registered under the Abu Dhabi Pension Fund. Both roles require a valid UAE National Family Book**** These are key roles within the organisation's function, supporting complex projects through effective government engagement, permitting, regulatory approvals and stakeholder management. Senior Manager - Government Relations & Permits The Senior Manager will provide strategic oversight of government relations and permitting across projects, acting as a senior point of contact with government authorities and regulatory bodies. Key responsibilities: - Build and maintain senior-level relationships with government authorities, municipalities and regulatory bodies. - Lead government engagement and resolve complex or escalated regulatory and permitting matters. - Oversee end-to-end permitting and approvals, including building permits, completion certificates, licences, NOCs and other regulatory approvals. - Provide strategic advice to senior leadership on regulatory developments, risks and potential business impacts. - Establish permitting governance frameworks, escalation mechanisms and portfolio-level visibility of regulatory risks and dependencies. - Partner with Engineering, Development, Implementation, Operations, Legal, Commercial and Finance teams to integrate regulatory requirements into project plans. - Lead stakeholder meetings with contractors, consultants and technical advisors. - Drive process improvement, standardisation and greater efficiency across government relations and permitting activities. Requirements: - Bachelor's degree in Business, Law, Engineering or a related discipline. - 10 - 12+ years' experience in government relations, permitting, regulatory affairs or authority engagement within the UAE. - Strong experience managing regulatory and permitting requirements across complex projects. - Proven experience engaging with UAE government authorities and regulatory bodies. - Demonstrated ability to resolve complex and escalated approval matters. - Strong understanding of UAE regulatory frameworks and permitting processes. - Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills. - Existing network and strong relationships across relevant UAE government entities. - Arabic and English language skills are advantageous. - Strong strategic thinking, influencing and problem-solving capabilities. Manager - Government Relations & Permits The Manager will manage government relations and permitting activities across projects, ensuring regulatory requirements are met and all necessary approvals are secured in line with project milestones. Key responsibilities: - Lead the end-to-end permitting process, ensuring timely issuance of building permits and completion certificates. - Liaise with government authorities and local regulatory bodies to secure required approvals. - Coordinate permits, licences, NOCs and other regulatory approvals across projects and business activities. - Monitor regulatory changes and advise stakeholders on potential risks and implications. - Ensure timely submission, renewal and maintenance of regulatory documentation. - Track and report on permit and approval status, risks and critical deadlines. - Build and maintain strong relationships with government stakeholders, consultants, contractors and project partners. - Attend government meetings and industry engagements as a company representative. - Advise project stakeholders on regulatory requirements, risks and best practices. - Maintain regulatory trackers and dashboards to provide visibility across projects. - Support continuous improvement of government relations, permitting processes and systems. Requirements: - Bachelor's degree in Business, Law, Engineering or a related discipline. - 8 - 10+ years' experience in government relations, permitting or regulatory affairs within the UAE. - Strong knowledge of UAE regulatory frameworks and permitting processes. - Proven experience working with UAE local authorities and regulatory bodies. - Strong communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills. - Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously. - Existing network or experience working with UAE government entities is highly desirable. - Arabic and English language skills are advantageous. - Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to work independently and under pressure. - Willingness to travel between sites/offices within the UAE as required.

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