Associate Director – Ground & Water

WSP USA; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work-life balance

Health & Wellbeing

Flex your time

Your development

Job summary

WSP, a leading engineering and professional services firm, is seeking an Associate Director to grow and lead the Ground & Water business in the North East. You will drive business development, strengthen client relationships, and ensure successful delivery of multidisciplinary projects.

Role requires senior leadership, chartered status, and a track record of winning work, with focus on contaminated land, remediation, and infrastructure within the UK market.

Qualifications

• Degree (and ideally postgraduate qualification) in environmental science, geology, engineering or related discipline.
• Chartered status with a relevant professional body.
• Significant experience in Ground & Water, contaminated land, or related consultancy services.
• Proven track record in winning work and building client relationships; delivering complex projects.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of consultancy delivery models.

Responsibilities

• Lead business development and growth across the North East and wider UK market, building strong client relationships and engaging in strategic bids.
• Act as Project Director on key projects, responsible for delivery to time, cost and quality, with financial management and risk governance.
• Lead and develop teams within the Newcastle office and wider region, aligning capability with growth.
• Be accountable for project and regional financial performance, revenue generation and profitability with effective margin management.
• Provide senior technical oversight in contaminated land, hydrogeology or remediation and promote knowledge sharing across the business.

Skills

Business development

Client relationships

Project leadership

People leadership

Technical direction

Education

Environmental science/geology/engineering degree

Job description

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?

At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

To find out more about our Ground & Water team part of the Earth and Environment business click on the following link and discover what awaits you at WSP: Ground risk and remediation | WSP (https://www.wsp.com/en-gb/services/ground-risk-and-remediation)

We are seeking an Associate Director to play a key role in growing and leading our Ground & Water business in the North East, with a strong focus on business development, client leadership, and team growth alongside technical and project delivery.

A little more about your role…

As an Associate Director, you will operate as a senior leader within the Ground & Water team, responsible for driving business growth, strengthening client relationships, and ensuring successful delivery of complex, multi-disciplinary projects.

This role requires a balance of:

• Business development leadership

• Client relationship management

• Project and commercial oversight

• People leadership and team development

• Technical direction and assurance

You will be expected to operate as a trusted advisor to clients, a leader of teams, and a key contributor to regional and national growth strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Growth (Primary Focus): Lead the identification, pursuit and conversion of new business opportunities across the North East and wider UK market, while developing and maintaining strong relationships with key clients and acting as a senior point of contact. Drive sector growth across contaminated land and remediation, energy transition and industrial decommissioning, and infrastructure and regeneration. Lead or support strategic bids, including bid strategy development, commercial positioning, and client engagement and negotiation. Contribute to regional and national business development plans and growth targets, while expanding WSP’s market presence and strengthening its reputation within the Ground & Water sector.

Client & Project Leadership: Act as Project Director on key projects, with accountability for delivery to time, cost and quality, alongside full responsibility for commercial performance, financial management, and effective risk management and governance. Provide strategic advice to clients across complex environmental and remediation challenges, while maintaining high standards of technical excellence and client satisfaction, and ensuring the effective coordination and leadership of multi-disciplinary teams.

Leadership & Team Development: Lead, mentor and develop teams within the Newcastle office and wider region, supporting recruitment, retention and capability development aligned to business growth. Build high-performing, collaborative teams and foster a positive working culture, while identifying skills gaps and supporting effective succession planning.

Commercial & Operational Performance: Take accountability for project and regional financial performance, including revenue generation and profitability through effective margin management. Support forecasting, pipeline development and reporting, while ensuring projects are delivered in compliance with WSP governance, quality and health & safety requirements, and contributing to effective operational planning and resource management.

Technical Leadership & Assurance: Provide senior technical oversight and maintain high standards of delivery, acting as a subject matter expert in contaminated land, hydrogeology or remediation (or related disciplines). Support innovation and continuous improvement across the service line, while contributing to technical excellence and promoting knowledge sharing across the wider business.

Your Team

You will be part of WSP’s Ground & Water Service Line, a national team delivering contaminated land, hydrogeology, and remediation services across sectors including infrastructure, energy, property, and industrial development.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• A degree (and ideally postgraduate qualification) in environmental science, geology, engineering, or a related discipline

• Chartered status with a relevant professional body

• Significant experience in Ground & Water, contaminated land, or related consultancy services

• A proven track record in:

• Winning work and building client relationships

• Delivering complex projects

• Leading teams and developing people

• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of consultancy delivery models

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.

Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.

With us, you can.

We are one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Our passionate people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion. With over 11,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, we are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Work-life balance

  At WSP, we understand that work is just one aspect of your life. It’s important to make time for you, your family, friends, interests and your community.

  Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.

• Inclusivity & Belonging

  We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences. We enable rewarding careers by encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work so that our work represents the fullest spectrum of society. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP. We have our employee resource groups bring together employees and allies with different backgrounds to promote a culture of inclusivity.

• Health & Wellbeing

  We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.

  Our Virtual GP service gives you access to an NHS or Irish Medical Council GP at a time and place that suits you – giving you peace of mind and quick access to medical advice when you need it most. We also provide reasonable workplace adjustments for those in need. Additionally, you can benefit from the Gymflex scheme, which offers up to 40% off annual gym memberships through our WSP flexible benefits program, as well as a comprehensive menopause support package.

• Flex your time

  To enhance work-life balance, WSP offers the “WSP My Hour,” allowing you to take one hour each day for personal activities, with the flexibility to make up the time earlier or later that day.

  We also provide part-time and flexible working arrangements, the option to purchase additional leave, and the ability to use your bank holiday entitlement to suit you.

• Your development

  We understand the importance of development and training to you. That’s why we foster a supportive environment that invests in your growth, whether through training, mentoring, or Chartership.

#WeAreWSP

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.