Job Description

Heathrow delivers one of the largest capital investment portfolios in the UK, with forecast investment of between £1.3bn and £2bn per annum over the next five years. This role sits within the Development function, which holds accountability for delivering all non ‑technology, digital, and data programmes, and requires strong leadership to navigate the scale and complexity of Heathrow’s capital programme portfolio.

This individual will lead and inspire a large, multidisciplinary team to deliver solutions that support safe and secure operations, maintain passenger experience standards, and minimise asset risk within a highly complex and sensitive operational environment. The Programme Director ensures integration and alignment across internal and external functions, securing buy ‑in to proposed solutions while maintaining accountability for delivering intended benefits and shaping strategic business cases for the Operations function.

Success in this role depends on effective leadership across a diverse network of programme supplier partners and close collaboration with senior stakeholders, including the Heathrow Executive team, Engineering Director, Operations teams, and the Infrastructure Delivery Director. Operating within a highly regulated environment, the role ensures all programme solutions demonstrate value for money, meet compliance requirements, and reflect robust stakeholder engagement. Reporting to the Major Programme Director, the role holds accountability for several significant projects totalling multi-billion pounds, including the Asset Management and Compliance Programme, Terminal 4 Front Door, and the overarching programme management of the Terminal 2 Baggage programme, which is currently in delivery.

• Lead multiple Heathrow capital programmes, ensuring delivery aligns with approved business cases while mitigating asset risk and maintaining safe, effective operational performance.
• Define and shape programme solutions to meet business needs, ensuring assets are operable, maintainable, and deliver value across the full lifecycle from initial delivery through to long ‑term operation.
• Embed and promote safety in design and delivery, fostering a strong safety culture that supports safe construction, operational readiness, and ongoing performance.
• Provide clear strategic direction and governance across programme planning, resource management, quality assurance, change control, risk management, communications, and budget oversight to enable timely, effective decision ‑making.
• Lead and develop a high ‑performing programme team, managing direct reports and complex, diverse supply chains while driving delivery in a highly scrutinised environment.
• Manage significant capital budgets (multi-billion pounds) both directly and through influencing wider construction spend, driving value through strong supplier partnerships, robust risk management, continuous improvement, and proactive response to market, regulatory, and operational factors.

• Proven experience leading complex, engineering ‑led infrastructure programmes valued over £100m, with strong understanding of regulatory frameworks, aviation operations, and procurement strategies.
• Chartered Engineer (or equivalent professional accreditation) with a solid grounding in engineering principles and delivery excellence.
• Strong analytical and problem ‑solving capability, with a track record of developing innovative, practical solutions to complex challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop large, multidisciplinary teams, including effective procurement, supplier management, and commercial negotiation in complex delivery environments.
• Broad experience in programme and project management methodologies and tools, with the ability to adapt approaches to optimise delivery and value.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to build relationships and operate effectively at senior levels across airlines, customers, government, and regulatory bodies, alongside a commitment to continuous improvement and digital innovation.

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.

Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.

It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Working Location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of HeathrowWorking arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.