Technical Director/Director Civil Engineering (Development)

WSP in the UK & Ireland; Southampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP in the UK & Ireland is seeking a senior leader for their Southampton office. This role focuses on client-facing activities and business growth within the civil engineering sector. Responsibilities include providing strategic direction, engaging with key decision makers, and driving business development. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership, stakeholder management skills, and a degree in civil engineering. WSP values diversity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates.

Qualifications

• Commercial track record in delivering new business opportunities.
• Ability to motivate and encourage change within the workplace.
• Proven experience in project management across civil design.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and leadership for major projects.
• Engage with Technical Leadership Group to promote innovation.
• Drive business development through local networking.

Skills

Inter‑personal skills

Leadership and management abilities

Commercial capability

Expert stakeholder management

Excellent communication skills

Education

Degree level qualification in civil engineering

Job description

Specifically supporting the Development part, you will play a key role in the growth aspirations for Southampton and Southwest to South and Southeast region. This senior position will be very much centred on client‑facing activities, technical leadership and business growth, rather than day-to‑day operational management and will play an integral part in supporting the initiative to diversify our team, both in staff numbers and revenue.

Responsibilities

• Providing strategic direction and highly visible leadership
• Exhibiting and demonstrating behaviours and attitudes in accordance with WSP core values
• Working in partnership with other colleagues to ensure coordination across the Development discipline and sharing of market intelligence, best practice and innovation
• Engaging with the Technical Leadership Group (TLG) to promote technical innovation, best practice and technological advancements for infrastructure development for major projects
• Liaising with the Regional Director and local Office Place Leads in setting and agreeing appropriate local team structures / shapes / skills sets
• Driving business development by being embedded within local networks of decision makers and establishing lasting relationships
• Winning work from key accounts and aligning the business to secure major opportunities and an increasing order book
• Leading and supporting bids by contributing, reviewing and authorising submissions and by demonstrating added value both commercially and technically
• Acting as Project Manager or Director for major projects and strategically important commissions
• Supporting all aspects associated with H&S / Corporate Responsibility and ensuring the team complies with SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment and Quality)
• Mentoring selected colleagues on the Succession Planning Schedule, Emerging Talent schedule

Qualifications

• Inter‑personal skills with good leadership and management abilities
• Commercial and strategic capability with a demonstrable track record in identifying and delivering new business opportunities
• Expert stakeholder management and related relationship and team management skills
• Ability to improve, motivate and encourage others within the workplace, lead and implement change programmes, inspire colleagues and drive an innovative and supportive culture
• Forward thinking, capable of visualising and planning for the longer term
• A broad range of project experience, both within the discipline and multi‑disciplinary
• Excellent communication skills, ability to present, lead and facilitate workshops, training sessions and one‑to‑one learning; influential and persuasive internally and externally
• Able to establish, build, sustain and share professional relationships with relevant groups both inside and outside the organisation; driven to exceed client expectations
• Able to reason logically and apply a systematic process to finding solutions, proactive in responding to problems and able to apply sound logic in situations of ambiguity and problem‑solving methodologies across a range of circumstances
• Degree level qualification in civil engineering
• Chartered status or working towards chartership
• A broad range of project experience across civil design for developments

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.