Manager - Roads & Highways, South East Asia

SJ is a diverse collective of problem solvers for the built environment, continually reimagining ways to create a smart and sustainable future.

Headquartered in Singapore, the group has a global talent pool of 16,000 in its member companies AETOS, Atelier Ten, B+H, CHIL, KTP, Prostruct, Robert Bird Group, SAA, SMEC and Surbana Jurong, based in more than 120 offices in over 40 countries.

Its technical experts deliver sustainable solutions that cover the entire project life cycle from planning and design, through to delivery and management, as well as a full suite of multidisciplinary consultancy services across a diverse range of sectors including transportation, water, aviation, healthcare, hospitality and renewables.

A global urban, infrastructure and managed services consulting firm with over 70 years of track record in successful project delivery, SJ has built more than a million homes in Singapore, created master plans in more than 60 countries and developed over 100 industrial parks globally.

Purpose / Role:

The Manager – Roads & Highways, South East Asia provides leadership, operational direction, and technical oversight across the Roads & Highways sub‑sector within the South East Asia sub‑region. The role contributes to the national Roads & Highways strategy while ensuring service excellence and strong client engagement across the region.

This position is accountable for performance, business development, people management, and operational outcomes, supporting the growth of SJ’s Infrastructure function. The incumbent is expected to role‑model SJ Group values, ethics and code of conduct at all times.

Key Accountabilities

1. Operational, Technical & Business Development Leadership

• Lead operational, technical and business development activities for the South East Asia Roads & Highways sub‑sector.
• Develop and implement operating plans aligned with SJ’s strategic goals.
• Ensure high-quality project delivery, governance and technical standards.
• Guide staff performance and provide clarity in structure, expectations and communication.
• Resolve project and technical issues effectively.

2. Financial & Commercial Management

• Manage budget, utilisation, and financial performance of the sub‑sector.
• Oversee monthly financial reporting and commercial governance.
• Ensure timely invoicing, risk management and adherence to financial controls.

3. Capability Development & Resource Mobilisation

• Partner with P&C and leadership to plan workforce capability and resourcing.
• Coordinate resource deployment across South East Asia and national teams.
• Support succession planning, development programs, mentoring and cultural initiatives.
• Participate in recruitment and retention activities

4. Client Relationship Management & Business Development

• Build and maintain strong client relationships across South East Asia + Pacific.
• Lead business development, opportunity pursuit and pipeline management.
• Oversee proposal and tender development.
• Drive consistent CRM and client engagement activities.

5. Transition to National Service Model

• Support transition from regional to national service delivery.
• Coordinate alignment of structures, processes and reporting.
• Lead or contribute to national consistency initiatives and reform activities.

6. People Leadership

• Lead and develop direct reports to build a high-performing team.
• Forecast workloads, allocate resources and maintain communication.
• Conduct performance reviews, probation reviews and manage behaviour/performance issues.
• Ensure compliance with policies, governance, and organisational procedures.

Requirements:

• Tertiary qualification in a relevant engineering discipline (essential)
• Post‑graduate qualification (advantageous)
• Project Management certification (desirable)

• 10–15+ years’ experience in Roads & Highways or related infrastructure
• Proven success delivering multi‑disciplinary projects for multinational clients
• Experience in major roads/structures projects in South East Asia (CAPEX > S$500M)
• Strong track record in tender/proposal leadership
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage high‑performing teams
• Experience leading multi‑discipline bids/projects > S$10M
• Qualified Person (Civil & Environment or Structures) in SE Asia + Pacific (preferred)

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong understanding of South East Asia engineering standards
• Knowledge of local government and private sector markets
• Excellent communication, negotiation and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to manage multi‑disciplinary teams across multiple locations
• Strong commercial, analytical and strategic capability
• Active engagement in industry forums (desirable)

Personal Attributes

• Client‑focused, with a drive for excellence
• Strong leadership presence and people‑development mindset
• Collaborative, professional, and aligned with SJ values
• Committed to continuous improvement and team capability building

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any reasonable adjustments or additional support—such as receiving the application form in an alternative format—please don’t hesitate to contact our recruitment team.

Your experience throughout the application process is important to us. We welcome feedback on how we can improve and are happy to provide any further information you may need to help you make an informed decision about joining us.

If there’s anything more we can do to support you, please let us know, we’re here to help.

Agency

Please note that any unsolicited resumes or CVs submitted through our website or directly to SJ Group employees’ personal email accounts will be considered the property of Robert Bird Group. As such, we will not be liable for any agency fees associated with these submissions.

To be recognized as an authorized recruitment agency or search firm for SJ Group, a formal written agreement must be in place. Additionally, agencies must be invited by our Recruitment Team to submit candidates for specific roles.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

At Surbana Jurong, we put talent, hard work, teamwork and a fun workplace together to approach problems and solve them creatively and collaboratively. Join us in making a positive impact on the world!