Technical Director - Civil Water Engineering

slihrms; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis is seeking a Technical Director for Civil Water Engineering to lead technical delivery across the national D&AT Practice in the UK. The role requires chartered status and extensive senior-level civil water experience, with responsibilities spanning technical leadership, client engagement, and cross-functional bid leadership.

The role involves UK-wide travel and hybrid working across multiple locations, with accountability for delivering complex projects and developing the national

Qualifications

• A degree in Civil Water Engineering or equivalent.
• Chartered Civil Water Engineer.
• Extensive experience in progressively senior technical roles.

Responsibilities

• Provide Technical Leadership within the national D&AT practice.
• Serve as a technical authority in Civil Water Engineering.
• Represent AtkinsRéalis' Civil Water Engineering to clients.
• Lead bid proposals and delivery strategies with cross-functional teams.
• Identify opportunities for cross-selling and client relationship growth.
• Develop and manage the Civil Water engineering capability within the national practice.
• Anticipate regulatory and technology challenges and advise leadership.
• Ensure technical excellence and safe delivery across multi-project initiatives.

Skills

Technical Leadership

Civil Water Engineering

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Degree in Civil Water Engineering

Chartered Civil Water Engineer

Job description

Job Description

Overview

Shape the Future of our cities and environments. The Design & Advanced Technology (D&AT) Practice of AtkinsRéalis is seeking a Technical Director for Civil Water Engineering to join our team in the UK. We are looking for an energetic and experienced Civil Water Engineer that can both lead as technical expert in civil water design and driving forward business results.

AtkinsRéalis specialise in all aspects of civil water engineering within the Water Sector in the UK and internationally. Civil Water Engineering project opportunities also stretch to other sectors such as nuclear and defence. We're committed to providing industry-leading engineering solutions right through the project lifecycle from feasibility to commissioning, with value added through client-side support as well as construction phases.

As a key member of our technical leadership team, you'll play a vital role in shaping and delivering transformational programmes for critical UK infrastructure, with opportunities to work on landmark engineering projects for our Water market clients - clients like Thames Water, Anglian Water, Environment Agency, Welsh Water, United Utilities, Scottish Water, and more. We're committed to providing industry-leading solutions throughout the project lifecycle, adding value through client-side and construction-phase support.

By providing technical leadership across the organisation you'll drive results, by contributing to functional strategy, influencing senior stakeholders, and leading within the civil water group and multidisciplinary project teams, to deliver measurable outcomes. In this role, you will set direction for complex, high-impact projects and initiatives, anticipate business and regulatory challenges or changes, and develop innovative solutions and offerings that move the business forward.

Become part of a team where every voice matters, and together we can tackle our clients' toughest challenges. We foster a diverse and inclusive environment where world-class talent thrives without boundaries. For us, collaboration isn't a buzzword. We value the different perspectives our people bring and recognise everyone for their contributions equally. We also know that different people have different priorities, which is why we're here to support you with whatever you need.

Being a Technical Director with us involves UK wide travel. We offer hybrid working which involves 3 days per week travel/office based. This position can be based at any of our main locations: Epsom, London, Bristol, Exeter, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, or Glasgow. It can also be based in our other offices but may require additional travel to main locations as needed: Peterborough, Cambridge, Cardiff, Swansea, Derby, Leeds, Belfast, Edinburgh.

Your role

• Provide Technical Leadership within discipline for the national D&AT practice and influence D&AT Practice wide initiatives and recommend best practices to improve internal process and services.
• Serve as a recognised expert and technical authority in Civil Water Engineering across the D&AT Practice and wider AtkinsRéalis business.
• Provide visible representation of your and AtkinsRéalis' Civil Water Engineering technical expertise to our current and prospective clients.
• Collaborate with stakeholders at all levels, including internal and external clients, operational staff, project teams, or external stakeholders.
• Recommend and drive improvements to processes, services, and technical practices while ensuring robust engineering governance is consistently upheld.
• Oversee technical input into bid proposals, defining the delivery strategy and working with cross-functional teams to prepare high-quality, compliant, competitive submissions.
• Proactively identify opportunities for cross-selling and business growth, using commercial insight to strengthen and expand client relationships and selling our value proposition to clients.
• Grow, develop, and manage the Civil Water engineering capability within the national practice, supporting talent development and succession planning.
• Anticipate emerging business, regulatory, and technology challenges, identifying risks and opportunities early and advising senior leadership.
• Provide strategic oversight across multiple complex, multidisciplinary projects, ensuring technical excellence, safe delivery, and alignment with client and practice objectives.
• Work independently even in the most challenging situations. Act as the point of escalation for the most complex technical matters and exercise personal judgement to find solutions.

About you

The ideal candidate would be a well-rounded and versatile individual who exemplifies the following key skills and attributes:

• A degree in Civil Water Engineering or equivalent.
• Chartered Civil Water Engineer.
• Extensive experience in progressively senior technical roles, i