Associate Director /Technical Director – Water Quality

WSP; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working policy

Flexible working hours

Health and wellbeing support

Mentoring and chartership support

Training and development opportunities

Job summary

WSP is seeking an Associate / Technical Director to lead the Catchment Science team within Sustainable Water Management Consulting, focused on major infrastructure. You will deliver technically, direct projects, mentor juniors and develop training programmes while promoting a safety-first culture.

The role involves scoping services, leading bid proposals and supervising delivery across water quality projects, with UK regulatory context and national infrastructure experience preferred.

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification in geography, geology, geochemistry, earth/environmental science, civil engineering or similar.
• Progress towards chartership with a relevant professional body is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery of water quality projects.
• Provide project direction including financial and change control and QA.
• Mentor and supervise junior colleagues with potential for people management.
• Develop training programmes with Water Quality Service Lead.
• Develop scopes of services with the team and Water Quality Service Lead.
• Generate high-quality bid proposals and innovative client solutions.
• Produce and review client-facing deliverables with clear data visualisation and interpretation.
• Collaborate across disciplines to deliver water quality aspects of projects.
• Promote a safety-first culture in line with policy.

Skills

Water quality

Project management

Communication & report writing

Business development

Stakeholder engagement

Team mentoring

Education

Geography / Geology / Environmental Science degree

Higher degree in water quality or environmental science

Chartered status progression

Tools

Catchment modelling tools

Job description

Your new role, what's involved?

We are seeking an Associate / Technical Director to lead a range of projects undertak­ed by the Catchment Science team within our Sustainable Water Management Consulting group, with a major infrastructure focus. The role will involve technical delivery, project direction, mentoring junior colleagues, developing training programmes, agreeing scopes of services, generating high‑quality bid proposals, supervising deliverables, collaborating across disciplines and promoting a safety‑first culture.

• Leading the technical delivery of projects covering all aspects of water quality
• Project direction, including financial and change control and quality assurance through checking and reviewing
• Mentoring, developing and supervising junior colleagues with opportunities for formal people management
• Working with the Water Quality Service Lead to develop a programme of water quality training
• Working closely with the team and the Water Quality Service Lead to develop and agree scopes of services
• Generating high‑quality bid proposals and developing innovative solutions to meet clients' needs
• Undertaking and supervising the production of high‑quality client‑ and public‑facing deliverables, demonstrated through excellence in communication and an ability to present the visualisation and interpretation of complex data
• Collaborating with other sectors/disciplines to deliver the water quality aspects of a wide range of challenging and engaging projects
• Displaying and promoting a safety‑first attitude in line with WSP's health and safety policy and procedures

Your Team

The Catchment Science team provides high‑quality technical services and advice across a wide spectrum of services, including water resources, hydrology, water quality, flood risk management, environmental impact assessments and hydroecology. Projects support government departments, water industry, and key industrial sectors.

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate

• Understanding of how river, lake and TraCs water quality is protected through UK regulations and EU related policy
• Working knowledge of surface water quality and catchment modelling tools, EIA scoping and assessments for water/hydrology chapters
• Strong understanding of UK water quality and the environmental and regulatory framework of UK water management
• Experience working on national‑level infrastructure projects such as DCOs, RAPID schemes or National Highways projects
• Strong project management and direction skills, with experience managing projects from start to finish; framework management experience desirable
• Clear understanding of client needs, opportunities and challenges, with a track record of leading and winning work
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the potential to engage and influence at all levels, especially in technical development of junior staff
• Strong commercial awareness, with experience identifying and developing business opportunities and preparing winning proposals
• Excellent report‑writing, technical review, numerical and analytical skills, with an eye for detail and enjoyment solving challenging water quality problems

Qualifications

• Degree‑level qualifications in a relevant subject such as geography, geology, geochemistry, earth/environmental science, civil engineering or similar
• Higher degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. water quality, hydrogeochemistry, environmental science) desirable but not essential
• Progress towards chartership with a relevant professional body preferred

Benefits

• Hybrid working policy: up to two days a week from home with office collaboration
• Flexible working arrangements including part‑time and flexible hours
• Health and wellbeing support: virtual GP service, gymflex scheme, menopause support package
• Development and training opportunities, including mentoring and chartership support
• Flexible time: WSP My Hour, additional leave options, bank holiday entitlement usage

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.