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.