Muhammad Omer Akhtar

Leading multiple NEOM Frameworks, including a very high-profile Coral Reef Restoration Project in Shusha Island
Leading a team of 60 plus engineers and technical specialists (across multiple offices around the globe) on this framework. Accountable for delivery of sustainability strategy, sustainable design and social / environmental assessment to meet Base Economy Regulations, NEOM’s sustainability / environmental goal and IFC Environmental / Social Performance Standards.

Responsibilities:
Drive development and delivery performance so that all milestones are met or exceeded without compromising cost targets, safety, security, or quality
Manage project plans, budgets, performance status, forecast, trends, risks, and key decisions
Secure the required resources to meet project requirements
Issue timely & accurately communicating project performance, issues / concerns, & risks through the required reporting mechanisms
Develop & conduct effective execution strategies & plans in line with the overall project strategies & plans
Facilitate budget monitoring & commercial awareness
Ensure relevant project risks are identified & managed / mitigated as appropriate
Ensure no significant changes are enacted until approved & the required change control is initiated when significant changes to project scope, schedule or cost are identified
Engage & communicate effectively with all stakeholders

I joined Yorkshire Water Services, part of Kelda Group, as a people leader and a member of programme leadership team. I am directly responsible for managing a team of project managers, project coordinators, principal contractors and consultants in delivering a capital programme of value £200m. The programme comprises smaller programme or works and projects. I am responsible for managing all aspects of my programme including commercial, financial, approvals, procurement, health & safety, resourcing, delivery and completion, up to handover.

My key responsibilities include, not limited to:
Plan, develop and implement strategies to deliver companies financial and regulatory targets
Develop and deliver yearly business plan in line with company’s performance target
Manage financial, commercial, delivery and other risks to business plans
Identify and deliver savings/outperformance to meet efficiency targets
Monitor performance of programme against business plan and respond to changing business needs
Manage framework partners as Clients Leader on responsible framework
Provide leadership and line manage a team of project managers, assistant project managers, supervisors and project coordinators
Manage and track performance of consultants (commercial, cost, planning, assurance and design) and contractors (delivery contractors, specialists suppliers)
Monitor performance of partners against key measures
When required, develop and implement improvement plan for
underperforming partners
Liaise with senior stakeholders within Asset Management Function and cross functional leaders to support development of plans and strategies for the future
Chair Programme boards and Framework meetings
Ensure adherence to company’s management procedures
Develop and maintain relationships with senior stakeholders with the business and manage their expectations
Performance management of direct reports and develop capability through coaching and mentoring
Accountable for compliance with company Health & Safety policies and with CDM 2015 Regulations
Accountable for adherence to process safety steps throughout project life cycle (HAZID, HAZOP, HAZCOMM)

I was responsible for managing delivery of non-infrastructure and infrastructure clean / waste water projects and programme. The programme included complex and regulatory outputs.

My key responsibilities were as below:
Provide leadership to the project team in achieving project objectives
Produce, own and update Project Management Plan throughout the project life cycle
Responsible for compliance with CDM 2015 Regulations as a Principal Designer and ensuring that other duty holders are complying with their duties
Manage internal/external stakeholders and seek agreement upon solution to enable timely delivery of project
Ensure that requirements and acceptance criteria have been agreed and that the project outputs will achieve the benefits as per the business case
Manage conflicts within the different teams/stakeholders and resolve them in a timely manner to avoid any delays on the project
Lead preparation of tender packages, tender evaluations and tender awards
Input into preparation and presentation of business case to governance board and seek approval/validation as the project progresses through different phases
Manage engineering/non-engineering activities, resources and outputs
Monitor and report project performance, i.e. budget, finance, milestones etc., in monthly verification meetings
Managed design, health & safety, HAZID, HAZOPs and HAZCOMM reviews
Manage, escalate risks, as required
Develop and update risk register throughout the project’s life cycle
Ensure that the changes/key decisions are agreed and implemented in accordance with company’s change control process
Attend project audits and ensure that an audit trial is created to records changes and key decisions
Ensure that all the project documentation is recorded on the shared drive and is uploaded following the company’s quality standards
Ensure that an appropriate technical governance to suit project complexity has been identified, agreed and implemented
Communicate effectively at all levels
Coach, mentor and develop junior members of the team

Graduate up to Senior Project Engineer:

Worked as a ‘Solutions Engineer’ on AMP5 Feasibility Framework with Severn Trent Water. Gained excellent experience of working in a client facing role without supervision through long secondments to client’s office. I was responsible for design management, scope development, coordination between client’s teams and D&B contractor and business case submission for funding approval

Worked on AMP4 Design & Build Framework with Costain as a ‘Lead Designer’. Responsible for delivery of the schemes from inception through to handover. Responsible for coordinating design activities of a multi-disciplinary design team on AMP4 UID Programme

Responsible for ensuring communication between design and construction teams, agreement of key deliverables, optioneering, detailed design, preparation of solution / report / drawings / specifications and handover documents

Excellent experience gained in feasibility and detailed design of sewers, hydraulic structures, pumping station, treatment works and storm drainage

Worked as a site agent on British Petroleum Pakistan and Shell Petroleum Pakistan sites.
Managed a team of 25 skilled labours on British Petroleum and Shell Petroleum sites
Led site operations on collection of petroleum waste
Liaise with the receiving organisations and assured that the waste was disposed off in accordance with British Petroleum guidelines
Developed task risk assessments
Responsible for site safety
Responsible for safety training of site work force
Assessment of sub contractor and reviewing tenders
Supported senior managers in business development such as presenting at open events, preparation of company's presentation and project portfolio

I started as a junior engineer after graduation and worked on feasibility, investigation of 100 million gallons per day raw water supply to Karachi, Pakistan.
I was responsible for:
Supervise site surveys and teams
CAD technicians in production design drawings
Interpretation of survey data
Developed different route option under the supervision of design manager
Developed triangulation network to create ground profile which I used to calculate different options for supply route and cut-fill volumes
Drafted contracts
Collated contractors submissions and prepared evaluation summary to assist in tender selection process