Associate Director
4 days ago
Manchester
Associate Director - Infrastructure Location: Manchester (with travel across the North West and Yorkshire) The Role This position offers an opportunity to lead on the delivery of major, public sector-funded highway infrastructure projects, with a particular focus on pre-contract project management. Based in Manchester, you'll join a growing regional team delivering projects across the North West and Yorkshire, working closely with clients, consultant teams, and stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. You'll take responsibility for programme and budget management, lead multidisciplinary teams, and support senior colleagues in developing new opportunities and managing key client relationships. Key Responsibilities • Lead the delivery of complex infrastructure schemes, particularly during pre-contract phases, • Manage budgets, programmes, and associated project controls, • Coordinate large consultant teams, including development of briefs and oversight of delivery, • Liaise with public sector clients, statutory stakeholders, and regulatory bodies, • Develop bespoke project documentation such as procurement strategies, land acquisition strategies, and communications plans, • Chair project meetings and ensure governance procedures are followed, • Contribute to business development and management of key client accounts in the region Essential Experience • Proven experience in delivering highway infrastructure projects for public sector clients, • Strong knowledge of early-stage project management, including planning and statutory processes (EIA, ES, discharging conditions), • Familiarity with commercial issues relevant to public sector infrastructure projects, • Experience managing programmes and budgets at a strategic level, • Track record of developing consultant briefs and overseeing multidisciplinary teams, • Comfortable working with statutory stakeholders (e.g. National Highways, Network Rail, Environment Agency), • Ability to lead the production of project-specific documentation, • Confident in chairing meetings and leading project governance processes Desirable Experience • Understanding of the NEC suite of contracts, • Knowledge of cost and risk management principles, • Familiarity with government and combined authority funding mechanisms, • Experience engaging with community groups and other interest groups, • Experience of land acquisition, including voluntary acquisition and compulsory purchase processes, • Awareness of procurement legislation and public-sector compliance requirements Skills and Attributes • Strong leadership and decision-making capability, • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, • Analytical and problem-solving mindset, with attention to detail, • Organised and able to manage competing priorities, • Flexible, collaborative, and able to adapt to changing project demands, • Willing to travel as required across client and project locations What’s on Offer • Competitive salary (dependent on experience), • Enhanced company pension scheme with salary exchange, • Private medical insurance, • Smart Health support – including 24/7 GP access, mental health support, fitness and nutrition advice (available to employees, partners, and dependants under 21), • Company sick pay, • 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with additional loyalty days at 2, 5, and 10 years, • Paid volunteering days, • Life assurance, • Hybrid and flexible working arrangements, • Access to a benefits platform offering retail, restaurant, cinema and gym discounts, • Holiday buying/selling scheme (up to 5 days per year), • Trained Mental Health First Aiders across the business, • Cycle to work scheme, • Regular internal training and access to a structured learning & development programme, • Enhanced maternity, paternity and fertility treatment leave, plus paid time off for pregnancy loss