Overview
Associate Director – Analytics & Crowd Dynamics Jobs in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at Buro Happold Engineering
Your experience of working on complex Transport Projects in the Middle East might just make you our new Crowd Specialist in Transport & Mobility.
Your key duties
- Lead multidisciplinary crowd movement and people-flow work streams as Project Director or discipline lead, taking overall responsibility for programme, commercial performance, risk management and client liaison on major projects in Jeddah and across the Middle East region.
- Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching and mentoring to junior and mid-level team members, supporting their technical development, line management needs and long-term progression as part of building a high-performing regional crowd team.
- Actively contribute to work winning across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, including identifying opportunities, shaping technical approaches, preparing and reviewing proposals, and participating in client interviews and presentations with public and private sector stakeholders.
- Provide technical expertise in crowd movement, pedestrian dynamics and people-flow planning, including crowd strategy development, pedestrian modelling, egress and emergency analysis, operational planning inputs, and design advice for complex developments and major event environments.
- Provide strategic advice to clients and stakeholders on crowd-related solutions, ensuring integration with master planning, transport strategy, architecture, venue planning, public realm design and operational requirements.
- Ensure the quality of projects and deliverables is best-in-class, with robust internal review processes, clear technical accountability, and consistent application of regional and global best-practice methodologies.
- Develop and maintain positive relationships with clients and stakeholders across Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, acting as a trusted adviser and key point of contact on priority crowd and people-movement commissions.
- Work closely with Buro Happold global crowd specialists and wider regional teams to share knowledge, align technical standards, strengthen delivery capability and embed international best practice across Middle East projects.
- Review, direct and compile high-quality technical reports, modelling outputs and presentations, and present clear, risk-based recommendations to clients, design teams, operators, authorities and other senior stakeholders.
- Support the growth of the regional crowd dynamics offer by helping define service lines, strengthen capability, recruit key talent and position the team for long-term success in Jeddah and across the wider Middle East market.
Your skills and experience
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, transport planning, urban planning, architecture or a related field, with strong exposure to people movement, crowd safety or complex buildings and public realm environments.
- 15+ years of experience in crowd dynamics, pedestrian movement or related fields, with a proven track record of leading and directing complex crowd and people flow projects in the Middle East, including major events, strategic masterplans, station and venue studies, and advisory commissions.
- Demonstrable experience acting as Project Director or equivalent on multidisciplinary crowd, mobility and master planning projects, including responsibility for commercial performance, programme, risk and senior client relationships.
- Deep knowledge and hands on experience with advanced crowd and pedestrian simulation software and tools (such as Mass Motion, Legion, Pathfinder, STEPS, Pedestrian Dynamics or similar), and the ability to interpret model outputs into clear design and operational guidance.
- Recognised crowd and people movement thought leader, able to shape technical approaches, challenge conventional practice and deliver innovative, human centred solutions in high density, complex or high risk environments.
- Strong understanding of crowd psychology, behaviour under normal and emergency conditions, and contemporary crowd management and event safety principles, with insight into how these can be applied across KSA and the wider Middle East region.
- Proven record in work winning; identifying opportunities, contributing to bid strategy, leading proposal preparation, and participating in client presentations and interviews for major crowd, venue and people movement commissions.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships with clients, authorities, operators and partners, and to present complex technical material in a clear and compelling way.
- Strong critical thinking, analytical and problem solving skills, including experience working with large data sets, observational studies and operational inputs to support robust crowd assessments and movement strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, manage and mentor teams, developing junior staff and fostering a high performance, collaborative culture across Jeddah and the wider Middle East region.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a multi…
Title: Associate Director – Analytics & Crowd Dynamics
Company: Buro Happold Engineering
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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