Practice Director - Structural Engineering

Atkins Infrastructure business are looking to appoint a Practice Director for our national Structural Engineering practice. The role of Practice Director will involve the leadership of a large and well-respected practice of Structural Engineers and will form an important part of the Building Design management team.

As Structural Engineering Practice Director you will be responsible for enhancing our technical excellence, enthusing our people and working closely with internal teams to both win and deliver work across our target markets.

This opportunity has become available as a result of a reorganisation within the Atkins Infrastructure business and forms an important part of our ambitious growth plans.


Responsibilities:

• Lead a structural engineering practice group recognised for designing complex structural solutions for clients in the built and natural environments.
• Provide line management to Practice Managers and Technical Directors
• Drive technical best practice, knowledge sharing and process standardisation / optimisation across practice group
• Responsible for winning work through maximising additional/repeat/follow-on work from clients
• Work with Divisional Technical Director to drive collaboration across markets and divisions
• Liaise through the Practice Director with the Market Directors to establish resource demand based on pipeline of opportunities in collaboration with divisional resource managers
• Ensure skills and capacity meet the needs of the target markets through targeted recruitment and focused staff development
• Identify where skills are not available in-house and work with external alliance partners and subcontractors to deliver project needs
• Motivate managers and team members ensuring they are challenged, stretched and developed with succession plans in place

Requirements

• Proven experience in a leadership role - preferably in the same practice area or in a comparable area
• Track record of delivering complex and challenging structural design solutions and major engineering projects
• A deep understanding of structural engineering and the whole life design process in the built and natural environment.
• Able to lead the practice position so that it has a reputation for technical innovation and service excellence in a relevant discipline(s)
• Ability to build and motivate a team and demonstrate good leadership qualities
• Strong collaborative behaviours to interface with Practice Directors, Market Directors and other stakeholders
• Customer centric; an ability and desire to engage with clients and to develop and expand technical capabilities to fulfil market and client needs
• Track record in business development, sales and delivery of consultancy services in our target markets, including Education, Commercial, Residential, Rail and Aviation
• Ability to drive adoption of automation and digital skills and products
• Established relationships with existing and prospective clients in our target markets.
• Able to adapt to different cultures and working environments to build rapport with both clients and the practice teams
• Be available to travel across the UK and overseas as required

Preferable Requirement:

• Ability to act as a Professional Head of Discipline (PHoD) for a technical discipline, ensure professionalism within the Practice and a client-centric approach to technical innovation and service excellence.

Role Location: Strong preference for candidates to be based from an Infrastructure Hub Office (Birmingham, Bristol, Epsom, Glasgow, London and Warrington)

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary it will be discussed with you at interview.

If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV,  details of any current or previously held security clearance.