Associate Director Land

WSP; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP Land is seeking an Associate Director to provide leadership and direction on WSP Land projects, delivering land identification, access and acquisition in complex infrastructure programmes across the UK and Ireland.

You will lead bid management, foster senior client relationships, manage risk, and champion health, safety and quality standards while developing teams and driving growth across Energy, Rail and Water sectors.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in delivering land services at a strategic level.
• Extensive experience with land consents, consultation and landowner engagement.
• Experience with multi-disciplinary teams across infrastructure sectors.
• Strong ability to mitigate land risk and advise on lifecycle decisions.
• Experience representing clients at public inquiries and hearings.
• Track record of securing repeat business and expanding client relationships.
• Ability to lead bid management from bid writing to approval.
• Experience building resource strategies including talent retention and recruitment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction on WSP Land projects.
• Oversee land identification, access, and acquisition using powers and agreements.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to identify strategic opportunities.
• Drive business development and secure new projects across sectors.
• Lead bid submissions and ensure high-quality proposals.
• Manage risks, governance, and client satisfaction throughout delivery.
• Promote health, safety, quality, and data protection standards.
• Develop and retain high-performing teams with clear succession plans.

Skills

Leadership

Land rights

Stakeholder mgmt

Negotiation

Client relationships

Bid management

Team leadership

Commercial acumen

Risk management

Education

Geography degree

Estate management

Chartered status desirable

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.

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 celebratesnew ideasand diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

WSP’s Land team is seekingtalentedLand professionals to join what is already the largest and most successful team in our industry. This is an exciting opportunity to develop or begin a career with a team that enjoys a successful reputation for the successful delivery of major strategic infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland through the support provided by land referencing,urban and rural landowner engagement,consultation management,land access, formal consents, statutory orders,compensationagreementsand land acquisition.

In today’s worldit’simportant to work for a company that has clear purpose, giving back to communities and supporting what istruly importantin the world.

When considering a career moveit’svital to work for a business that is aligned to your values and goals, a place where you can belong. See what WSP stands for in 2026and beyond…

We offer flexible working patterns, competitive salaries and other benefits.

Land referencing and land assembly | WSP

We are the largest and most successful Land business supporting infrastructure development in the UKand Ireland, with300+ specialist professional colleagues consisting of land consultants, property specialists, project managers and utility and topographical surveyors.We have the widest portfolio of projects available in our industry, offering unrivalled opportunities to both develop and diversify careers, working on some of the most exciting and challenging projects across the whole of the UK and Ireland.

Our clients rely on us to deliver the essential land elements of their infrastructure projects and we enjoy a hard-earned reputation of success. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of this success, delivering land referencing, land acquisition, land access, formal consents, statutoryordersand landownerengagement across all infrastructure sectors and make a positive impact on economy and communities these projects serve.

Our land referencing professionals, identify land and legal interest in land and use this data to secure powers and/or negotiate land acquisition and land access to support infrastructure development. We provide clients with all the land-related statutory documentation the need to comply with planning processes as they develop, plan, securing and exercise powers to construct, operate and maintain their infrastructure assets.

Alongside our land referencing capabilities, our team of surveyors secures powers and/or negotiates land acquisition and land access to support infrastructure development. We provide clients with Property Cost Estimates, agree Heads of Terms and compensations, manage disposals, payments and client accounts, and offer the full range of property-related services to assist our clients in the planning, securing and exercise of powers to construction, operation and maintenance of their infrastructure assets.

WSP Land supportsthe highest-profileinfrastructureprojectsacross the Energy, Highways, Water, Rail, Local Government and Aviation sectors.

Our Energy projectsare critical for the deployment of renewable energy and helpingthe economyto achieve net zero carbon emissions. We support a range of energy generation (nuclear and renewable) and transmission and distribution projects across the UK and Ireland, including distribution and carbon capture.

WSP Land’s history started in the Highway sector in the 1980s and we have been supporting road schemes throughout the UK and Ireland ever since, including the M4 Smart Motorway project, the A5 in Ireland and the A9 in Scotland.

WSP Land has a 30+ year history of supporting major Rail projects including the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL or HS1); Central Railway; the Thameslink Programme, the first major Transport & Works Act project; West Coast Mainline Four Tracking; HS2 Phases 1, 2a and 2b; TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU) and East West Rail (EWR). Our track record also includes successes in light rail and metro schemes including Manchester Metrolink, Nottingham Express Transit, Edinburgh Tram, Luton Translink and the current Dublin MetroLink project, Ireland’s largest ever infrastructure project.

Assisting with the UK’s and Ireland’s Water resilience and distribution needs, WSP Land supports a number of projects promoted by water companies. We were the only land referencing service provider appointed to support the 25km Tideway Tunnel, the first major DCO project, supporting the project from planning, submission and examination to implementation, delivery and operation.

Mirroring WSP’s support of many Local Government authorities across the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland, WSP Land provides support to local government clients in the management of their land and property assets.

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.

Associate Director

• Provide leadership and direction on WSP Land projects.
• Provide excellent stakeholder engagement to ensure successful land identification, securing of land rights and land acquisition using landowner agreements / statutory powers.
• Champion a collaborative and high-performance team culture, driving collective purpose and alignment with project and organisational goals, and fostering excellent partnership with senior leadership across WSP Land.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to both external and internal clients, proactively engaging with client capture teams and Key Client Managers (KCMs) to enhance client relationships and secure business opportunities.
• Oversee the successful delivery of major projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to exemplary quality standards.
• Lead business development initiatives for WSP Land within the Energy, Water, and Rail sectors, securing new projects, project extensions, and cultivating new client relationships.
• Work in close partnership with WSP’s Engineering, Engagement, Environmental, and Planning disciplines to identify and capitalise on multidisciplinary and strategic opportunities, supporting the growth of our business.
• Enhance the reputation and visibility of WSP Land across the public sphere, target business sectors, and academic settings through thought leadership and sector engagement.
• Direct and oversee the preparation of compelling bids and tenders, ensuring the highest quality submissions to secure new business opportunities.
• Implement effective resource strategies, including talent retention, succession planning, and recruitment, ensuring the team’s capabilities align with project requirements.
• Lead regular reviews to identify and manage risks and opportunities, ensuring robust project governance and proactive issue resolution.
• Maintain rigorous oversight of project delivery, ensuring alignment with client objectives, actively seeking and integrating client feedback to drive continuous improvement and client satisfaction.
• Promote our WSP culture of health, safety & wellbeing (HS&W)
• Promote our adherence to Quality Assurance and development of our processes
• Promote our adherence to Data Protection and development of our processes
• Promote one of our core pillars - grow key markets, expand delivery and quality culture and pursue digital innovation and excellence.
• Ireland and UK travel

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate…

• Proven leadership in managing and directing the delivery of comprehensive Land services, including land identification, access, and acquisition, at a strategic level.
• Extensive and demonstrable expertise in navigating land consents, consultation processes, and landowner engagement for major infrastructure development projects.
• Experience collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams across various sectors and locations, guiding projects through all stages of scheme development.
• Advanced capability in mitigating land risk for clients and providing strategic advice on land-related matters throughout the entire project lifecycle.
• Experience representing clients at Public Inquiries and Oral Hearings, including the effective management of objections.
• Strong record of fostering repeat business and expanding services with established clients.
• Proven success in securing and cultivating new business opportunities and client relationships.
• Demonstrable expertise in leading bid management, including bid writing, review, and approval, ensuring high-quality submissions.
• Experience in developing and implementing resource strategies, including talent retention, succession planning, and recruitment for high-performing teams.
• Exceptional skills in engaging with landowners and the public, underpinned by robust stakeholder management and communication capabilities.
• Outstanding communication, influencing, and negotiation skills, with the ability to drive consensus and deliver positive outcomes.
• Highly effective collaborator, able to work seamlessly within teams at all organisational levels.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with senior clients and management colleagues.
• Resilient under pressure, consistently delivering high-quality outputs in demanding environments.
• Excellent commercial acumen and proficiency with IT systems relevant to business operations.
• Rigorous commitment to quality assurance, data protection, and Health and Safety standards.
• Educated to degree level in Geography, Agriculture, Land and Estate Management, or a related discipline.
• Chartered status or membership of a recognised professional body is highly desirable.