Managing Director – M&E Contracting

DSF; Leatherhead; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

DSF is seeking a Managing Director to provide strategic and operational leadership for a well-established engineering and M&E contracting business in the UK. The role focuses on sustainable growth, client satisfaction, and maintaining the highest standards of health and safety and quality.

Reporting to the Board, you will drive long-term strategy, oversee commercial performance, and build a high-performing leadership team across multiple UK locations.

Qualifications

• Senior executive with P&L accountability and strategic leadership.
• Experience leading engineering/infrastructure or M&E contracting businesses.
• Proven ability to grow profitable businesses and lead organisational change.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across all functions.
• Develop and deliver long-term growth strategy.
• Identify and secure new market opportunities while strengthening client relationships.
• Lead and develop a high-performing senior leadership team.
• Ensure health and safety, quality, and operational performance.

Skills

Board-level leadership

P&L responsibility

Engineering/infrastructure experience

Strategic growth

Client relationship management

Stakeholder management

Education

MBA or equivalent

Job description

The Opportunity

An exceptional opportunity has arisen for an experienced Managing Director to lead a well-established, independently owned engineering and M&E contracting business through its next phase of growth.

Operating across a range of critical infrastructure and industrial sectors, the business has built an outstanding reputation for delivering complex engineering, construction, and maintenance projects throughout the UK. With a long-established client base, a strong order book, and an enviable reputation for quality, safety, and technical excellence, the company is well positioned for continued growth.

Employing a highly experienced workforce across several UK locations, the organisation is supported by an established senior leadership team, long-standing customer relationships, and a collaborative culture focused on delivering high-quality engineering solutions.

This appointment represents an exciting leadership opportunity to build on an already successful business while helping shape its future direction and long-term growth strategy.

The Role

Reporting to the Board, the Managing Director will have overall responsibility for the strategic and operational leadership of the business. You will drive sustainable growth while maintaining the company\'s reputation for operational excellence, customer service, and industry-leading health and safety standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction across all business functions.
• Develop and deliver the company\'s long-term growth strategy.
• Identify and secure new market opportunities while strengthening existing client relationships.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing senior leadership team.
• Ensure the highest standards of health, safety, quality, and operational performance.
• Oversee commercial performance, financial management, and business planning.
• Review and approve major commercial bids and tender submissions.
• Drive operational excellence across engineering, project delivery, and support functions.
• Build strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and key stakeholders.

About You

We are seeking an accomplished senior executive with a proven track record of leading engineering, infrastructure, or M&E contracting businesses.

You will ideally possess:

• Board-level or Managing Director experience within an engineering, M&E contracting, construction, infrastructure, or industrial services business.
• Strong commercial and operational leadership skills with full P&L responsibility.
• Experience delivering complex engineering or construction projects.
• A proven ability to grow profitable businesses and lead organisational change.
• Outstanding client relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• A collaborative, visible leadership style with the ability to motivate and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience within regulated or critical infrastructure sectors such as utilities, energy, transport, industrial engineering, manufacturing, or similar environments would be advantageous, although candidates from comparable engineering backgrounds will also be considered.

We recognise that exceptional Managing Directors often progress from senior operational or commercial leadership positions. Applications are welcomed from individuals who have successfully led substantial engineering businesses or business units with full commercial, operational and people accountability.

Candidates currently operating in the following roles are encouraged to apply:

• Managing Director
• Regional Director
• Business Unit Director
• Operations Director with full P&L responsibility
• Commercial Director with operational and delivery leadership
• Engineering Director leading a significant business unit or regional operation
• General Manager with responsibility for multi-disciplinary engineering or infrastructure projects

Why Apply?

This is a rare opportunity to lead a respected engineering business with a strong market reputation, an established customer base, and an experienced leadership team. The successful candidate will have genuine autonomy to influence strategy, drive growth, and make a lasting impact on the future success of the organisation.

Applications will be handled in the strictest confidence