Technical Director

Mott MacDonald; Altrincham; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Financial wellbeing

Employee Ownership

Health and wellbeing

Lifestyle benefits

Family and carers leave

Learning and development

Networks and communities

Job summary

Mott MacDonald is recruiting a Technical Principal / Director for its Nuclear: Defence and Civil division in the UK. You will lead and mentor delivery teams, drive safety-critical design reviews, and build robust client relationships across regulated nuclear facilities.

Your role spans bidding, multi-location leadership, and ensuring projects meet safety, quality, and regulatory standards. You will influence capability delivery, support strategic accounts, and collaborate with sector leaders to

Qualifications

• Degree: Engineering, Science, or related field
• Nuclear Sector: Proven expertise of delivery of capability in a highly regulated nuclear environment within the nuclear sector
• Technical Skills: Experience in a relevant discipline associated with nuclear licenced facilities
• Leadership: Strong ability to guide teams and manage projects
• Client Relations: Excellent at building and maintaining client relationships
• Business Development: Skilled in identifying opportunities and growing key accounts
• Resource Management: Effective collaboration with Resource Managers and Sector Leaders
• Sustainability: Committed to addressing client sustainability goals
• Training: Capable of leading technical guidance and knowledge sharing
• Strategic Thinker: Aligns with organizational strategy
• Innovative: Customer-focused delivery and experience of providing added value and innovative solutions
• Communicator: Excellent at engaging with senior management and wider resource pools
• Problem Solver: Strong skills in managing budgets and delivering excellence

Responsibilities

• Support the management and growth of our Nuclear key locations
• Mentor and upskill delivery teams on design and safety requirements of client operators and maintainers to discharge their operational and regulatory needs of nuclear facilities
• Challenge designs and safety cases from the perspective of the customer and the need to maintain assured delivery and agility to deliver change in a highly regulated environment
• Develop strong and robust client relationships
• Grow and develop key Accounts within Mott MacDonald in response to organisational needs and Mott MacDonald strategy
• Deliver commercially robust projects and quality outcomes for Clients to budget on schedule through project teams
• Work effectively with the Resource Manager and the Sector/Practice Leaders to bring the right resources to deliver projects to the Clients’ satisfaction and meeting Mott MacDonald’s profit or contribution targets
• Work with partners to align delivery to client focussed outcomes
• Address client’s issues and fulfilling their aspirations on capability delivery, resilience, and sustainability
• Support the bidding process, converting prospects into projects ensuring bids are technically and commercially sound
• Lead appropriate account meetings with client and senior level management involvement

Skills

Engineering leadership

Nuclear sector experience

Regulated environments

Client relations

Business development

Resource management

Sustainability

Training

Strategic thinking

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Engineering degree, Science or related field

Science degree

Job description

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices.

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About thebusinessunit

The Energy unit delivers services to clients globally across several sectors including hydropower, nuclear, waste, renewable generation and transmission & distribution networks. Together we provide integrated engineering and project management services across the project lifecycle – from concept and design to construction and operations, to decommissioning or repowering and life extension. Together with our clients, we’re helping to deliver the energy transition globally.

Overview of the role

Our Nuclear: Defence and Civil division is recruiting for a Technical Principal / Director to provide leadership and management to our growing team in UK. You'll bring expertise in operations in highly regulated environments and in particular nuclear facilities.

Experience of both Nuclear Defence and Civil Nuclear portfolios will be of particular value. Combining your expertise of operations in real world environments with your collaboration and communication skills, you will develop the awareness and expertise of our functional teams. This will enable our teams across NDC to deliver capabilities that can be sustained over decades in operational nuclear facilities, whilst managing the inevitable changes due to obsolescence, technology evolution, changes in safety and environmental standards etc.

You will be a key member of the team providing and leading independent reviews and endorsement of designs against the capability required by the client programme through the whole life-cycle.

Your passion for project delivery will enable effective management of projects and bids focussing on customer priorities and compliance with Group directives and policies. You'll work with Client Directors regarding specific projects as well as contributing to the SME skills of the nuclear team.

Key responsibilities and duties may include:

• Support the management and growth of our Nuclear key locations
• Mentor and upskill delivery teams on the design and safety requirements of the client operators and maintainers to discharge their operational and regulatory needs of nuclear facilities
• Challenge designs and safety cases from the perspective of the customer and the need to maintain assured delivery and agility to deliver change in a highly regulated environment
• Develop strong and robust client relationships
• Grow and develop key Accounts within Mott MacDonald in response to organisational needs and Mott MacDonald strategy
• Deliver commercially robust projects and quality outcomes for Clients to budget on schedule through project teams
• Work effectively with the Resource Manager and the Sector/Practice Leaders to bring the right resources to deliver projects to the Clients’ satisfaction and meeting Mott MacDonald’s profit or contribution targets
• Work with partners to align delivery to client focussed outcomes
• Address client’s issues and fulfilling their aspirations on capability delivery, resilience, and sustainability
• Support the bidding process, converting prospects into projects ensuring bids are technically and commercially sound
• Lead appropriate account meetings with client and senior level management involvement

Requirements:

• Degree: Engineering, Science, or related field
• Nuclear Sector: Proven expertise of delivery of capability in a highly regulated nuclear environment within the nuclear sector
• Technical Skills: Experience in a relevant discipline associated with nuclear licenced facilities
• Leadership: Strong ability to guide teams and manage projects
• Client Relations: Excellent at building and maintaining client relationships
• Business Development: Skilled in identifying opportunities and growing key accounts
• Resource Management: Effective collaboration with Resource Managers and Sector Leaders
• Sustainability: Committed to addressing client sustainability goals
• Training: Capable of leading technical guidance and knowledge sharing
• Strategic Thinker: Aligns with organizational strategy
• Innovative: Customer-focused delivery and experience of providing added value and innovative solutions
• Communicator: Excellent at engaging with senior management and wider resource pools
• Problem Solver: Strong skills in managing budgets and delivering excellence

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

Please be advised that offers for this role are conditional upon obtaining the appropriate level of Security Clearance.

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

AI Usage

At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people-first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.

Accessibility

We want you to feel supported and able to perform at your best throughout our recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing with us more accessible, please contact us at [e-mail] and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
• We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.