Project Director

AtkinsRéalis UK Limited; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working culture

Flexible holiday allowances

Training & professional development

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis UK Limited seeks a Project Director in Defence Infrastructure to lead major, complex projects across the UK and internationally. You will drive safety, quality, schedule and commercial success while shaping growth and client relationships.

The role requires senior leadership, extensive defence delivery experience, chartered status, and strong stakeholder engagement in regulated environments. Hybrid work and career progression are offered.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering major, complex engineering projects at Project Director level.
• Strong Defence sector experience.
• Extensive experience leading client relationships and stakeholders in safety-critical environments.
• Strong commercial awareness including budgeting, forecasting & contract administration.
• Demonstrated leadership building and mentoring high-performing teams.
• Degree in engineering, construction or related discipline.
• Chartered status (APM, ICE, RICS or equivalent).
• Strong health, safety and environmental management understanding.
• Excellent communication skills with senior-level influence.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of major Defence projects, ensuring safety, quality, schedule and commercial success.
• Provide strategic governance as Project Director and deliver high-quality, on-time outcomes.
• Build and sustain trusted client relationships and influence executive decisions.
• Oversee cost, schedule, risk and reporting; resolve complex commercial and delivery challenges.
• Mentor inclusive teams and drive continuous improvement.
• Support bid leadership and development of future opportunities.

Job description

Job Description Overview

AtkinsRéalis is at the forefront of delivering Defence Infrastructure projects and is on an ambitious journey to significantly grow its presence within the Defence Infrastructure sector. This is a unique opportunity to join at a pivotal moment and play a leading role in shaping that growth from the outset. As a Project Director within the Project Delivery Practice (PDP), this role offers the chance to lead high-profile, complex defence projects across the UK and internationally, while building lasting client relationships, driving business growth, and strengthening delivery capability. Operating at the heart of the defence industry, the position combines strategic leadership with hands-on impact—guiding high-performing teams, influencing major programmes, and helping to deliver some of the most important defence infrastructure projects of today and tomorrow, all within a collaborative environment that supports flexibility, innovation and career progression.

Your role

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of major, complex Defence projects, ensuring safety, quality, schedule and commercial success.
• Lead the successful delivery of major and complex Defence projects across the full lifecycle, from feasibility through to close‑out.
• Provide strategic leadership and governance as Project Director, ensuring safe, high-quality, on‑time and commercially successful outcomes.
• Build and sustain strong, trusted client relationships, acting as a senior advisor and influencing decision‑making at executive level.
• Oversee project performance, ensuring effective management of cost, schedule, risk and reporting.
• Resolve complex commercial, contractual and delivery challenges while protecting business outcomes.
• Apply sector knowledge amd experience across Defence projects.
• Maintain accountability for commercial performance, including contract strategy, financial management and key negotiations.
• Lead, mentor and support inclusive, high-performing teams, encouraging collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to business growth through bid leadership, client development and securing future opportunities.
• Support the ongoing development of best practice and capability within the Defence Project Delivery community.

About you

This role would suit an experienced senior project delivery professional with a strong background in Defence Infrastructure, typically bringing:

• Proven experience delivering major, complex, multidisciplinary engineering projects at Project Director level.
• Strong Defence sector experience.
• Extensive experience leading client relationships and engaging stakeholders in regulated, safety-critical environments.
• Strong commercial awareness, including budget management, forecasting, risk and contract administration.
• Demonstrated leadership capability, with experience building, leading and mentoring high-performing teams.
• A degree in engineering, construction or a related discipline.
• Chartered status (e.g. APM, ICE, RICS or equivalent).
• Strong understanding of health, safety and environmental management.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career.

• Enjoy competitive salaries, employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices.
• Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise.
• Combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.
• Be rewarded.

About AtkinsRéalis

We’re AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We’re committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Security clearance

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary, it will be discussed with you at interview. The vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer. If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance. We are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they belong - a place where we can all be ourselves, thrive and develop to be the best we can be. So, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee resource groups to support all employees.

As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to offering an interview to all applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria.

Worker Type

Worker Type Employee Job Type Regular