Associate Director of Solution Management

Jacobs; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working policy

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a senior leader to drive the delivery of major transport infrastructure programmes in the UK. You will provide technical leadership across highways, rail, aviation and related sectors, guiding multidisciplinary teams from concept through delivery.

You will act as a trusted adviser to clients and senior stakeholders, shaping safe, buildable and commercially viable solutions. You will own the technical delivery strategy, coordinate interfaces and risks, and ensure alignment with

Qualifications

• Experience leading the delivery of complex multidisciplinary infrastructure projects or programmes.
• Strong understanding of engineering design delivery, programme risks, technical governance and stakeholder management.
• Ability to lead and influence multidisciplinary teams across large and complex environments.
• Experience building trusted relationships with clients, project partners and senior stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, collaboration and decision-making skills.
• A background in transportation, infrastructure, engineering, construction or a related project environment.
• Applicants with Design & Build and/or major asset renewal experience is highly valued.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery strategy for transport projects, coordinating multiple engineering disciplines.
• Manage interfaces, risks and project constraints to keep designs aligned with programme, budget, quality and client expectations.
• Provide leadership and judgement to navigate complex challenges and sustain delivery momentum.
• Influence design management across the wider Jacobs business, promoting innovation and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Delivery leadership

Multidisciplinary teams

Communication skills

Client relationships

Education

Degree in engineering

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

You know that major infrastructure programmes succeed or fail long before construction starts.

In this role, you'll be the person bringing clarity, direction and technical leadership to some of the UK's most complex transport projects. You'll help clients make confident decisions, guide multidisciplinary teams through challenges, and ensure engineering solutions are practical, buildable and deliver real-world value.

Your expertise will influence projects that improve how people travel, connect communities and support economic growth. You'll bring together specialists from across disciplines, challenge assumptions, reduce delivery risk and help shape solutions that stand the test of time.

This is not a role focused on managing processes. It's about applying your judgement, experience and leadership to solve complex problems, unlock project success and help clients navigate difficult decisions with confidence.

If you enjoy influencing outcomes, building trusted relationships and leading talented teams through challenging infrastructure programmes, you'll find genuine scope to make an impact here.

About The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to play a leading role in the delivery of some of the UK's most significant transportation and infrastructure programmes. Working across highways, rail, aviation and related sectors, you'll provide the technical leadership that brings complex multidisciplinary projects from concept through to successful delivery. Acting as a trusted adviser to clients and a senior leader within project teams, you'll help shape solutions that are safe, buildable, commercially viable and aligned with long-term project objectives.

You'll take ownership of the technical delivery strategy, coordinating multiple engineering disciplines, managing interfaces, risks and project constraints, and ensuring designs remain aligned to programme, budget, quality and client expectations. Working closely with Project Managers, technical specialists and key stakeholders, you'll provide the leadership and judgement needed to navigate complex challenges, facilitate decision-making and maintain delivery momentum across major programmes.

Beyond individual projects, you'll have the opportunity to influence how design management is delivered across the wider business. This includes championing innovation, digital delivery, standardisation and continuous improvement, while supporting the development of talent, strengthening client relationships and contributing to the growth of our transportation business. Success will be measured by improved project certainty, reduced delivery risk, strong client outcomes and the delivery of high-performing engineering solutions that create lasting value for communities and infrastructure owners.

Ideally you'll be commutable to our Bristol, Cardiff or Dublin offices - but all locations will be considered.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Experience leading the delivery of complex multidisciplinary infrastructure projects or programmes.
• Strong understanding of engineering design delivery, programme risks, technical governance and stakeholder management.
• Ability to lead and influence multidisciplinary teams across large and complex environments.
• Experience building trusted relationships with clients, project partners and senior stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, collaboration and decision-making skills.
• A background in transportation, infrastructure, engineering, construction or a related project environment.

Applicants with Design & Build and/or major asset renewal experience is highly valued.

Why Join Us?

Work on Projects That Matter

You’ll play a key role in delivering nationally significant infrastructure programmes that improve connectivity, support communities and shape the future of transportation.

Influence at Senior Level

This is a visible leadership position where your judgement, expertise and ideas will genuinely influence both project outcomes and the wider business.

Career Growth

Whether your ambition is to lead larger programmes, expand your sector expertise or progress further into strategic leadership, you’ll have the opportunity and support to do so.

Learn From Outstanding People

You’ll collaborate with recognised experts across engineering, project delivery, digital solutions and programme management, both in the UK and internationally.

Flexibility That Works

We understand high-performing professionals need flexibility to do their best work. We support balanced and sustainable ways of working while maintaining strong project and client outcomes.

Be Part of a Growing Business

Transportation continues to be a major growth area for Jacobs, creating opportunities to shape strategy, win exciting work and build your career alongside the business.

Design

Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.

We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here.

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit https//www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.

As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.