By Director of Talent Acquisition – Middle East & India Mohamed Amer

Driven by increasing populations and government efforts to rapidly diversify economies, the Middle East’s construction industry is booming. In this context, especially because construction in the region is characterized by complex, fast-track megaprojects, owners and service providers face the challenge of attracting and retaining top talent to deliver planned projects as envisioned.

To overcome recruitment challenges and better position our firm to help owners deliver their ambitious projects on time and within budget, Hill International’s Talent Acquisition team in the Middle East has implemented a new recruitment approach focused on agility, quality, and partnership.

The Three Pillars

Agility: With smarter digital tools, talent mapping strategies, and specialized recruitment capabilities, we’ve adjusted our workflows to reduce time-to-hire and meet the unique demands of different markets.

Quality: A revamped screening process helps ensure new employees thrive in the roles for which they are hired. We’ve also invested in our onboarding materials to help employees better understand their roles, our clients’ expectations, and Hill’s culture from day one, reducing learning curves.

Partnership: Collaborating closely with country managers, project leaders, and other stakeholders, Talent Acquisition is focused on proactively anticipating regional recruitment needs and continuously improving processes to maintain alignment with our company’s strategy and values. In addition, we strive to welcome new employees as true partners in our business by cultivating a culture of respect and making sure they are aware of career advancement opportunities within Hill. This contributes to retention and stability on our project teams.

Measurable Impact Across the Region

Since implementing the new talent acquisition approach, Hill’s Talent Acquisition team has supported major project wins and rapid project mobilizations with accelerated hiring across multiple markets and countries. Despite fluctuating market conditions and evolving project demands, we have also delivered sustained improvements in time‑to‑fill and candidate quality throughout the region. As a result, Hill’s clients throughout the region have had timely access to the right consultancy staff for managing their projects.

Continuous Improvement

Looking ahead, we aim to strengthen our local talent pipelines, especially in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Collaborating with the GISI Consulting Group’s ignite team, a platform aligning technology and innovation across our sister companies, we plan to leverage new technologies and artificial intelligence capabilities to further improve our hiring processes. In accordance with our partnership pillar, we will also continue working to reinforce our recruitment culture, enhance candidacy and onboarding experiences, and drive retention.

Most important, our Talent Acquisition team is committed to continuous improvement with the big picture in mind. Hill’s program and project managers are responsible for helping clients throughout the Middle East deliver the infrastructure of change. Through our clients’ incredible projects, we help achieve national visions that promote sustainable growth and economic diversification. To do that, Hill needs to continue building exceptional operational teams that consistently exceed our clients’ expectations. That’s our company’s global mission, and it starts with recruitment.

There will continue to be challenges related to market competition, changing client and project needs, and talent scarcity for the most challenging jobs. However, with our new recruitment approach and our outstanding, dedicated talent acquisition professionals, I am confident that we have the tools to succeed.

To speak with Mohamed about a career at Hill or about your organization’s program, project, construction management needs, reach out to him at [email protected]. For more information about Hill, please visit www.hillintl.com.