Location: London (Hybrid Working Available)
Position: Permanent, Full Time
Salary: Competitive and Negotiable (dependent on experience)
About the Role
We are looking to appoint an experienced Associate Director – Structures (Highway & Rail) to develop and lead Wilde’s highway and rail structures business in London and the South East.
This is an exciting opportunity for a senior engineering professional with experience in highway and/or rail structures, who enjoys both winning work and leading its delivery, and who wants the autonomy to build something of their own with the backing of an established and growing consultancy.
Our London office currently has a strong Building Structures presence, and this role will provide an opportunity to develop our existing highway and rail structures capabilities across London and the South East. You will have the opportunity to build strong client relationships and, as the workload grows, recruit and lead a local team. Initially, the focus will be on structures work for local authority and public sector clients – the London boroughs, TfL and county councils across Kent and Essex – with the opportunity to expand into wider highway and rail infrastructure markets.
You will be supported by our established highways and structures teams in Liverpool and Stockport, providing additional technical and delivery support as the London business develops.
The Role
The role will combine business development, project leadership and team development, with the successful candidate playing a key part in developing Wilde’s highway and rail structures presence across London, Kent, Essex and the wider South East.
You will be responsible for developing client relationships, identifying new opportunities and leading bids and fee proposals, while remaining hands-on and fee-earning through the delivery of projects.
There is genuine autonomy within the role, with the opportunity to help develop the London highway and rail structures business and play a significant part in its future growth. Support and guidance will be provided by existing Directors and Senior Leadership staff.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with local authority and infrastructure clients across London and the South East.
- Maximise opportunities through Wilde’s existing frameworks and identify new framework and direct-award opportunities.
- Lead bids, fee proposals and client presentations.
- Develop and manage a qualified pipeline of new business opportunities.
- Identify opportunities to introduce Wilde’s wider highways, rail, drainage and structures capabilities to clients.
- Act as Project Director or Lead Engineer on commissions secured.
- Lead client meetings and site visits across London and the South East.
- Coordinate delivery support from the established structures teams across Wilde’s offices, ensuring projects are delivered to programme, budget and quality requirements.
- Recruit, develop and lead a London-based highway and rail structures team as the workload grows.
- Manage the London highway and rail structures P&L and report progress against agreed targets.
- Contribute to the wider leadership of the Highways and Structures businesses and Wilde’s continued growth.
About You
We are looking for a senior engineering professional who combines strong technical and project delivery experience in highway and/or rail structures with a proven ability to develop and maintain client relationships and win work.
We’re open to candidates from either a highway or rail structures background – what matters most is the ability to win and deliver structures work for local authority and infrastructure clients.
You will have:
- Chartered or Incorporated Engineer status (CEng or IEng) with ICE, IStructE or equivalent.
- Significant experience in highway and/or rail structures design, assessment, inspection and delivery, including technical approval processes.
- Experience working with local authorities, National Highways, Network Rail or other infrastructure clients.
- A proven track record of winning work, including leading bids, framework submissions and fee proposals.
- Experience leading projects and teams, including managing budgets and programmes.
- Strong commercial awareness and excellent client relationship skills.
- The ability to work independently and take ownership within a growing, entrepreneurial environment.
- A desire to build a highway and rail structures team.
Established client relationships across London and the South East, experience across both highway and rail structures, local authority or rail frameworks, or building and developing a team or office would also be advantageous.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary, commensurate with experience, including London weighting.
- Performance-related bonus.
- Opportunity to share in the profit generated from work you originate as the London business grows.
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Buy and sell up to 5 days’ annual leave.
- 37 hour week with paid overtime.
- Flexible and hybrid working.
- Company pension scheme.
- Professional development and support for membership of professional institutions.
- The opportunity to build and lead a new London highway and rail structures team.
- Support from established highways and structures teams.
- Varied, challenging and rewarding projects.
- Friendly, collaborative and supportive working environment.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Organised social events.
- Strong, financially sound company.
- Family-run business, not run by shareholders.
- One professional membership paid.