Area Director -Lisbon

Black & White Engineering; Lisboa; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Black & White Engineering is seeking an Area Director to lead the Lisbon office, shaping growth, profitability and client engagement. You will guide multidisciplinary teams, ensure delivery excellence, and drive regional strategies across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.

In this role, you’ll own business planning, staff development and performance management while collaborating with global teams to secure projects and foster innovation in a fast‑growing consultancy environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering and chartered progress or membership is preferred.
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Track record in delivering complex engineering projects and client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the office, aligning with company values and objectives.
• Develop and mentor multidisciplinary teams to meet project and business goals.
• Deliver the office business plan in line with regional growth targets.
• Support successful delivery of engineering projects with excellence in PM, cost and quality.
• Monitor forecasts and risks to maintain profitability and performance.
• Drive operational efficiency and effective resource utilisation across the office.

Skills

Senior leadership

Leadership

People management

Business development

Client relationships

Strategic planning

Education

BSc/BEng in engineering

CIBSE/IET membership

Chartered Engineer progress

Tools

Engineering design software

Project management tools

Job description

Area Director - Lisbon

Are you an experienced engineering leader looking for an opportunity to shape the growth, performance and success of a thriving office within a global engineering consultancy?

We have an exciting opportunity for an Area Director to lead one of our offices, taking responsibility for team development, business growth, client relationships and the successful delivery of complex engineering projects. Reporting to the Regional Director or Managing Director, you will play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence, profitability and strategic growth across the business.

What's in It For You

• Leadership Impact – Take ownership of an office, leading multidisciplinary teams and influencing business performance, growth and strategy.
• Career Progression – Join a rapidly growing global consultancy with clear opportunities for continued leadership development and career advancement.
• Strategic Influence – Play a key role in shaping business plans, driving growth initiatives and identifying new market opportunities.
• Client Engagement – Build and strengthen relationships with key clients, partners and industry stakeholders across the data centre sector.
• Global Collaboration – Work alongside talented teams across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America on some of the world's most complex engineering projects.
• Commercial Responsibility – Take ownership of office profitability, resource planning, project performance and financial success.
• Innovative Environment – Lead continuous improvement initiatives and help shape the future direction of the business.
• Strong Values and Culture – Join a business built on our five values: accountability, integrity, simplicity, supportiveness and quality.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead and manage the office, ensuring alignment with Black & White Engineering's values, culture and strategic objectives.
• Develop, mentor and inspire multidisciplinary teams to achieve project, business and performance goals.
• Deliver the office business plan in line with regional objectives and growth targets.
• Support the successful delivery of engineering projects, ensuring excellence in project management, financial performance and quality assurance.
• Monitor project programmes, financial performance and change management processes to minimise commercial and delivery risk.
• Review forecasts, identify performance risks and implement mitigation plans to maintain profitability targets.
• Drive operational efficiency and effective resource utilisation across the office.
• Provide leadership on technical, commercial and operational matters across projects and teams.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, partners and industry stakeholders.
• Represent the business at client meetings, industry events and professional forums.
• Support recruitment planning and workforce growth in line with business needs.
• Contribute to regional management reporting, business reviews and strategic planning activities.
• Champion innovation, continuous improvement and operational excellence across the office.
• Promote a strong health, safety and quality culture across all activities.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience in a senior engineering leadership role such as Area Director, Operations Director, Regional Director, Business Unit Leader or similar.
• Degree qualified in an appropriate engineering discipline (BSc/BEng or equivalent).
• Professional membership of a relevant engineering institution such as CIBSE or IET.
• Chartered Engineer status, or demonstrable progress towards chartership.
• Extensive experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong track record of delivering complex MEP engineering projects, ideally within the data centre sector.
• Commercially astute with experience managing budgets, profitability and financial forecasting.
• Demonstrated experience in client relationship management and business development.
• Experience leading international projects and collaborating with global teams.
• Strong understanding of engineering design processes, project delivery and quality management systems.
• Excellent communication, leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Working knowledge of relevant engineering standards, regulations and health and safety legislation.
• Experience with engineering design and project management software would be advantageous.

About Black & White Engineering

Black & White Engineering is a multi-award-winning engineering consultancy with more than 1,300 employees across the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America.

We specialise in the full spectrum of engineering design consultancy for the data centre sector, including Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing (MEP), Civil & Structural, Design Management, Sustainability, BIM, Power Systems and other infrastructure-related services.

Our engineering approach is grounded in practicality, technical excellence and operational efficiency. With rapid growth across regions, many colleagues have progressed from engineering roles into leadership positions, creating genuine opportunities for career development and progression.