Job Description

What if you could shape a career as unique as you?

At WSP, you can always find opportunities to grow and do what matters to you. Make the most of our global reach to discover new challenges and chances to work with diverse, talented individuals who will help you expand your horizons.

A little more about your role…

This is an opportunity to shape the delivery of some of the most complex, nationally significant rail and infrastructure programmes. As Engineering Delivery Director, you will bring your experience, expertise, judgement and energy to the projects that matter most.

The role combines strategic delivery leadership with practical, hands-on contribution. Success will come through working directly with project teams, technical leaders, project directors and clients to strengthen delivery confidence, improve outcomes and create the conditions for excellent engineering across large, multidisciplinary teams working through multiple leadership layers.

You will provide visible leadership through capture, bidding, mobilisation and delivery. You will act as a trusted advisor to project teams, clients and the Rail leadership community, bringing sound technical judgement, commercial awareness and inclusive leadership to complex delivery environments.

At times, this will mean stepping directly into accountable project or programme leadership on strategically important commissions.

You will need to build credibility in complex client environments, operate confidently across integrated, partner-led and multi-organisation delivery models, and help teams stabilise, lead and improve delivery where the commercial, reputational and relationship consequences are significant. This may include programmes that are publicly visible, stakeholder-rich and evolving over multiple phases.

The role requires a strong understanding of major rail and infrastructure delivery, including multidisciplinary design, assurance, safety, commercial management, programme performance and the behaviours needed to support high-performing teams. It will also require the confidence and adaptability to work across sectors where WSP needs experienced delivery leadership on major programmes and strategically important commissions, including work that evolves through development, design, assurance, mobilisation and delivery.

The role also plays an important connecting function across WSP. By bringing together delivery insight, technical excellence, operational discipline and lessons from major projects and programmes, you will help the business raise standards, strengthen capability and improve consistency across our rail portfolio and, where appropriate, across WSP.

We welcome a range of leadership styles, career paths and backgrounds. We value people who combine technical, delivery and commercial capability with curiosity, collaboration, inclusive behaviours and the ability to bring others with them through complex work.

Above all, this is a role for someone who wants to make a tangible contribution: to our projects, our clients, our people and the way we deliver.

Key Accountabilities

Delivery Leadership

• Lead strategically important major projects, programmes and bids where delivery confidence matters.
• Take accountable project or programme leadership where required, particularly where technical, commercial, client or reputational complexity is significant.
• Strengthen delivery performance across safety, quality, programme, commercial, client and people outcomes.
• Bring structure and momentum to complex delivery challenges, including mobilisation, recovery, improvement and lessons learned.

Governance, Assurance and Risk

• Ensure major projects and programmes are properly set up, governed, assured and resourced to deliver successful outcomes.
• Promote disciplined escalation, transparent reporting and proactive risk management so issues are surfaced early and addressed constructively.
• Support balanced decision-making across technical integrity, commercial discipline, client confidence and long-term business value.
• Maintain alignment through changing scope, evolving governance and multi-organisation delivery models.

People, Culture and Capability

• Connect capability across Rail, wider WSP and relevant sectors to strengthen delivery on major projects and programmes.
• Create environments where teams can raise issues, test ideas, learn from experience and improve how we deliver.
• Develop future technical, project and delivery leaders, strengthening succession planning and long-term capability.
• Demonstrate inclusive leadership, respectful challenge and shared accountability in how decisions are made and improvements are delivered.

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate…

• A proven leadership track record in rail, transport, infrastructure or another major programme environment, ideally with experience gained within complex organisations.
• Experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams through multiple leadership layers, with the ability to align people around clear outcomes in complex delivery environments.
• Sound technical judgement, commercial awareness and the ability to work with confidence and care in complex, ambiguous and fast-moving project environments.
• Credibility in client-facing project or programme director roles, with experience of leading complex commissions where delivery performance has significant commercial, reputational and relationship consequences.
• Experience working across the development-to-delivery continuum, with the ability to lead through uncertainty, evolving requirements and complex stakeholder expectations.
• The ability to transfer delivery experience across sectors, bringing judgement, structure and confidence to unfamiliar challenges while respecting local technical expertise.
• A practical leadership style, with a track record of taking ownership, solving problems, following through and making a visible contribution to delivery outcomes.
• A collaborative, inclusive leadership style and a clear commitment to developing technical, project and delivery talent.
• An appreciation that major programme leadership is demanding, and that sustainable success comes through clarity, resilience, shared ownership and creating the conditions for others to do their best work.
• Chartered membership of a relevant professional body, or equivalent professional experience, would be welcomed.

We are one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Our passionate people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion. With over 11,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, we are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

Work-life balance

At WSP, we understand that work is just one aspect of your life. It’s important to make time for you, your family, friends, interests and your community.

Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.

Inclusivity & Belonging

We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences. We enable rewarding careers by encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work so that our work represents the fullest spectrum of society. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP. We have our employee resource groups bring together employees and allies with different backgrounds to promote a culture of inclusivity.

Health & Wellbeing

We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.

Our Virtual GP service gives you access to an NHS or Irish Medical Council GP at a time and place that suits you – giving you peace of mind and quick access to medical advice when you need it most. We also provide reasonable workplace adjustments for those in need. Additionally, you can benefit from the Gymflex scheme, which offers up to 40% off annual gym memberships through our WSP flexible benefits program, as well as a comprehensive menopause support package.

Flex your time

To enhance work-life balance, WSP offers the “WSP My Hour,” allowing you to take one hour each day for personal activities, with the flexibility to make up the time earlier or later that day.

We also provide part-time and flexible working arrangements, the option to purchase additional leave, and the ability to use your bank holiday entitlement to suit you.

Your development

We understand the importance of development and training to you. That’s why we foster a supportive environment that invests in your growth, whether through training, mentoring, or Chartership.

#WeAreWSP

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.