Water Solutions Director

About the role:

We are currently seeking to appoint a Water Solutions Director – England & Wales to lead the Water Solutions business in England & Wales. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Water UK&I leadership team and assume overall responsibility for the performance of the sub-business unit comprising circa 240 employees.

Reporting directly to and working closely with the Water Business Unit Director, you will play a crucial role in leading and growing our Water Solutions business in England & Wales focusing on key Water Utility clients.

The water solutions business works with clients to create sustainable solutions for water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure that safeguard human health and enhance the environment. Collaborating with clients, our multidisciplinary team provides technical expertise, to design and engineer innovative solutions. Our projects deliver a wide range of customer and environmental outcomes, creating resilient assets that provide reliable potable and industrial water supply, effective wastewater collection and treatment, and sustainable stormwater management.

With full accountability for the financial performance of the business segment, you will be instrumental in driving growth and innovation. Your exceptional leadership skills, extensive market knowledge, and expertise in driving strategy and operations will contribute to our commitment to delivering a better world.

About You:

You are a highly motivated, organized, and proactive leader with a proven track record in leading and growing water businesses, business development, bidding and delivering major projects and strategy implementation. Your in-depth understanding of the UK&I Water market, coupled with your grasp of the social, political, and economic drivers that influence it, will be integral to our success. With extensive experience in leading diverse teams in a fast-paced environment, you have excelled in planning, designing, and delivering projects while implementing data-led performance improvements. As a champion of equity, diversity, and inclusion, you believe in creating a workplace that embraces and celebrates the unique talents and backgrounds of every individual.

Key Responsibilities:

• Report directly to the Water Business Unit Director and collaborate with fellow Business Directors, EWE Director of Strategy and Growth, Global Technical Teams, and wider EWE leadership.
• Develop and implement a growth plan aligned to the EWE Strategic Plan for the Water Solutions – England & Wales business.
• Full accountability for the P&L performance of Water Solutions – England & Wales versus the financial plan and outlook – key performance metrics being NSR Book to Burn, NSR, Gross Margin %, Cost Utilisation %, EBITA %, FTEs, employee attrition, and DSO. As part of the Water leadership team, you will also have joint accountability to deliver the overall P&L for Water.
• Drive a culture where AECOM is recognised as a great place to work, by upholding AECOM’s values, championing equity, diversity, & inclusion, and promoting employee engagement and continuous development.
• Initiate and lead recruitment of strategic and/or senior hires.
• Have succession plans in place for all critical roles within Water Solutions – England & Wales.
• Ensure successful management of projects/programs within Water Solutions – England & Wales from prepositioning and proposal development to completion, including periodic project reviews.
• Implement change programs to increase efficiency, profitability, and quality of operations within the Water Solutions – England & Wales business.
• Maintain and secure new business opportunities to drive growth while ensuring client satisfaction as measured through Net Promoter Score feedback.
• Support the development and implementation of innovative and digital solutions to enhance business performance and service delivery.
• Collaborate with other business units within EWE UK&I and across AECOM globally to deliver multi-disciplinary projects and programs, showcasing our DNA for work winning.
• Support the adoption of bid governance guidelines and facilitate the Go/No-Go process.
• Lead by example by visibly driving SH&E culture, ensuring effective implementation of AECOM SH&E policies and procedures, and achieving the SH&E core value metrics for Water Resources – England & Wales.

**Please note that we are flexible on locations**

• Experience in a senior leadership role within a matrixed multinational Environmental Consultancy or a key supplier to the Water Sector
• Demonstrated success in building, developing and leading leadership teams and multi-disciplinary project teams.
• Good understanding of Water markets and the socio-political and economic drivers across the European geography.
• Proven ability to provide positive and growth-oriented leadership, fostering talent development and coaching for direct reports.
• Extensive experience in leading and implementing change programs.
• Strong financial and budget management skills.
• Successful track record in securing new work and maintaining existing contracts.
• Strong track record in client relationship management.
• Strong attention to detail and experience delivering successful health & safety initiatives.
• Experienced in managing, leading, and motivating diverse, multi-disciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Flexibility and proactive approach to work.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Membership of a recognized professional body relative to our core markets.
• Master’s or Engineering Degree in an appropriate field, for example, Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Environmental Science, or Engineering.
• Experience in leading large teams and successful financial performance of large P&Ls.
• Successful business development/sales/growth experience in the public or private sectors.
• Strong organizational skills and results orientation, with a track record of achieving/exceeding sales and other financial KPIs.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills, with a proven ability to build and maintain long-term partner and customer relationships.
• Alignment with AECOM's values, demonstrated through previous experiences and performance.
• Background in Asset Management & Advisory, Civil, MEICA, Process, Hydraulics & Modelling and Project Implementation.

As an inclusive leader, you will:

• Demonstrate dedication to driving our inclusion strategy by fostering a culture of respect within your team.
• Build a diverse and inclusive workforce, recruiting and retaining the best talent while nurturing the next generation of leaders.
• Lead with empathy, respect, and understanding, actively seeking diverse perspectives.
• Encourage a work environment where employees can grow, innovate, collaborate and be their authentic selves.
• Uphold AECOM's values and promote engagement and continuous development among staff within the region.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $14.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.