Technical Director Town Planning

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There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

We have an opportunity for a Technical Director to lead infrastructure planning projects across the UK, with a particular expertise and focus on DCO projects.  Due to significant infrastructure planning wins and new opportunities, we are looking to bring in a Technical Director to help manage and grow our planning consents team across the UK. We have an impressive portfolio of involvement in major infrastructure projects, including lead roles in the consenting and delivery of projects through various consenting regimes including DCOs. We are currently leading on planning applications for renewables and wider energy/electricity related infrastructure, transport, defence, water and much more.

We are passionate about delivering planning to support complex projects.

As our Town Planning team is national, and we support hybrid working we are flexible in terms of base location. This position can be based from our offices in Basingstoke, Birmingham, Bristol, Chesterfield, Leeds, London or Manchester.

You will be joining a great team; you will have an interesting and diverse workload and you will be given the opportunity to make the most of your abilities.  

Start here. Grow here.

Here’s what you’ll do:

You will be joining a market leading, experienced infrastructure planning team and will, be given the following responsibilities.

• Technical Leadership: Be a technical authority providing technical direction on frameworks and major projects and be a go to person for technical reviews. Lead technical solutions to deliver best possible solutions.  As part of the senior leadership team, you will work with the practice lead and other directors to direct the planning business. Performing the Planning Lead and DCO Lead role for NSIP development applications. Leading other development planning work and providing authoritative planning advice to colleagues and clients.

• People Development & Mentoring: Provide mentoring to more junior staff supporting their technical development in project delivery and in appreciation of risks including how to manage and eliminate these on projects. As an inclusive people developer, you will: Demonstrate your dedication to driving our inclusion strategy by instilling a culture of respect within your team. Build a diverse and inclusive workforce by recruiting and retaining the best talent and nurturing the next generation of leaders who will do the same. Lead with empathy, respect and understanding, actively seeking out diverse points of view. Provide all employees the freedom they need to grow, develop, innovate and be their whole selves at work.

• Governance: Act as lead verifier (in accordance with AECOM’s quality assurance process) on major design projects and programmes providing technical direction on solutions ensuring these meet clients brief and expectations with risks adequately managed. Be able to lead design of large and complex projects including design and build projects with significant commercial risks.

• Commercial & Technical Support:  Be able to demonstrate commercial awareness with regards to project delivery with an understanding of technical risks and how to manage these to offer value to clients and AECOM.  Collaborative working, devising and managing programmes and coordinating multi-disciplinary teams. In a Project Director role, ensuring successful delivery of projects to budget and programme.

• Bid Support: Support technical development of bids including delivery of growth through the identification of opportunities and successfully leading major project bids.  Overseeing deliverables produced by the planning consents team and implementing quality and health and safety principles.

Does this sound like something you can do, and do well? If so, read on…

About our team

AECOM’s rapidly growing Town Planning team plays a key role in delivering major infrastructure and development projects.

AECOM is a top ten UK planning consultancy by size, employing more than 70 Chartered or Licentiate Planners.  AECOM is also a worldwide leader in environmental and engineering consultancy and working as a planning consultant within AECOM means access to some of the highest profile and prestigious development projects in the UK, working with colleagues operating at the cutting edge of their disciplines as part of the largest UK environmental consultancy.

Become part of our Environment business, and collaborate with top-tier planners, impact assessment specialists and project managers to consent a variety of captivating projects, from local developments to major and national infrastructure, from developing planning strategies to obtaining consent and post consent work.  At AECOM, you’ll thrive in an inclusive and forward-thinking environment where your contributions are valued.

Come grow with us.

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Substantial experience of leading development consents applications for large infrastructure projects across a range of consenting regimes. Experience of DCO regime essential.
• Client focus, with good interpersonal skills and collaborative working approach.  Ability to communicate clearly and concisely. 
• Strong, proven consultancy skills in multi-disciplinary design, delivery and consents team environments and an ability to work closely with clients to define and implement effective consenting strategies.
• Established client relationships and experience of the successful pursuit of prospects and delivery of projects.  A business development mindset, with demonstrable experience of work winning and developing relationships with existing and new clients.
• Experience of developing and implementing business strategies and client development plans in order to ensure that bidding opportunities are maximized.
• Experience of working within a commercial environment (leading successful multi-disciplinary bids and projects), including client liaison, programme and time management, quality assurance and financial/budget control.
• Expert witness experience would be advantageous.
• A thorough understanding of Environmental Impact Assessment and its relationship with the development consent process.
• Critical thinker and strong analytical skills with a solutions focused mindset to resolve complex issues.  Ability to work on your own initiative and under pressure.
• High level of commitment to quality, ability to work in a fast-paced environment and to work on multiple projects/business initiatives at any one time.
• Relevant degree and full Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) 

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you need accommodations during the application process, please contact us at [email protected]. At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives.

If you feel you only meet some of the requirements above or have certain transferrable skills that you think could bring to us, then we would be delighted to hear from you!

Curious about the role or what it’s like to work at AECOM? Come and follow us on our social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) where you will have the opportunity to explore our AECOM voices, our people stories, the latest projects we are working plus much more!

For further information about the role, reach out to the recruiter on LinkedIn Anne Marie Flynn. 

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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 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, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. 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.