Project Manager – Succession Planning & Leadership Assessment

Our client is a specialised executive search & talent acquisition firm supporting senior-level appointments across infrastructure, logistics, aviation, real estate, & industrial sectors. They seek an experienced Project Manager – Succession Planning & Leadership Assessment to lead a strategic people transformation initiative for a large, complex organisation based in Dubai. The role will support the design and execution of a structured succession planning framework and leadership capability assessment across senior and critical roles.

This freelance assignment will play a key role in strengthening organisational leadership pipelines and ensuring future-ready talent strategies. The successful candidate will work closely with executive leadership, HR leadership teams, and external assessment partners to deliver a robust leadership review programme aligned with long-term business objectives.

🔹 Key Responsibilities

Succession Planning Framework

• Lead the design and implementation of enterprise-wide succession planning frameworks
• Identify critical leadership roles and map potential internal successors
• Establish governance, timelines, and structured review processes for succession planning
• Develop tools and templates supporting leadership pipeline visibility and readiness

Leadership Assessment & Review

• Manage leadership assessment processes including 360 reviews and competency evaluations
• Coordinate assessment centres, psychometric testing, and leadership capability reviews
• Analyse assessment outcomes to identify leadership gaps and development priorities
• Present leadership review insights to senior HR and executive stakeholders

Project Delivery & Governance

• Define project scope, milestones, timelines, and delivery roadmap
• Monitor project progress and ensure alignment with strategic HR objectives
• Manage cross-functional stakeholder engagement across HR, business units, and consultants
• Prepare executive-level progress reports and leadership dashboards

Stakeholder & Change Management

• Facilitate leadership review workshops and talent calibration sessions
• Advise senior stakeholders on succession readiness and leadership risk areas
• Support communication and change management for leadership development initiatives
• Ensure confidentiality and integrity of leadership assessment data

🔹 Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 10–12 years’ experience in HR transformation, talent management, or organisational development
• Proven track record managing succession planning or leadership assessment programmes
• Experience working with senior leadership teams and executive stakeholders
• Strong background in talent review frameworks, leadership development, and competency models
• Experience managing large-scale HR or organisational transformation projects
• Familiarity with psychometric assessments, leadership evaluation tools, and assessment centres
• Demonstrated project management capability with structured delivery methodologies
• Previous experience within large regional organisations or government-related entities preferred
• Strong stakeholder management, facilitation, and executive communication skills