Water Environment Business Line Director - job 1 of 2

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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.

Start here. Grow here.

We are seeking a Water Environment Director, UK&I to lead our Water Environment business across the United Kingdom and Ireland (UK&I). This is a unique opportunity to join the Water UK&I leadership team and take full responsibility for the strategic growth and performance of a sub-business unit comprising over 150 talented professionals..

About the Role

Reporting to the Water Business Unit Director, you will play a pivotal role in leading and growing the Water Environment business in the UK&I, with a focus on fostering relationships with key Water clients.

The Water Environment business specialises in Waterways & Coasts and Water Environmental Services, including Aquatic Ecology, Groundwater Management and Surface Water Environment. Our team partners with clients to address climate change challenges, monitor the water environment and deliver sustainable solutions for asset and risk management. Key projects include improvements to watercourses, habitat creation, flood risk management, dams, coastal environments, groundwater, wetlands and monitoring programmes. Our expertise also supports high-profile infrastructure projects, driving nature and people positive outcomes across the UK&I and globally.

As the Water Environment Director, you will have full accountability for the financial performance of the business segment. Leveraging your market expertise and innovative mindset, you will lead strategic initiatives, operational excellence and team growth, ensuring AECOM’s continued success in delivering impactful solutions.

About You

You are a dynamic, people centric and results-driven leader with a proven ability to grow and lead water-focused professional services that respond to the complex needs of the water sector. With extensive experience in business development, project delivery and strategy execution, you bring a deep understanding of the UK&I Water market and the socio-economic factors influencing it. You understand market trends, such as increased focus on river health and nature-based solutions, and you ensure that our teams respond with the capability and competence that our clients demand.

As a champion of equity, diversity and inclusion, you foster a workplace culture that values and celebrates the unique talents of every individual. You also adopt a culture of caring, promoting the wellbeing of our team and embracing our Freedom to Grow policy.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy:

• As a key member of the Water Leadership Team, you will report directly to the Water Business Unit Director and collaborate with business leaders across the Environment, Water & Energy business, global technical teams, and the wider leadership.
• Develop and execute a growth plan aligned with the EWE Strategic Plan for Water Resources, identifying key opportunities and growing the capability and capacity of our Water Environment team.
• Drive a culture of collaboration, innovation, inclusion and wellbeing, ensuring AECOM remains a great place to work.
• Lead recruitment and succession planning for strategic and senior roles.

Project Delivery:

• Ensure successful management of the portfolio of Water Environment projects, from prepositioning and proposal development through to completion, including regular project reviews.
• Collaborate across AECOM’s business units to deliver multidisciplinary projects and programmes.

Business Development:

• Engage with our clients and our Client Account Managers to ensure a deep understanding of their challenges and needs, and ensure that our teams are positioned to respond proactively.
• Drive business growth by securing new opportunities, overseeing strategic frameworks or project pursuits and maintaining client satisfaction.
• Facilitate the adoption of innovative and digital solutions to enhance service delivery.
• Support bid governance and lead the Go/No-Go process.

Financial & Operational Excellence:

• Assume full accountability for the P&L performance of the Water Environment business.
• Jointly deliver the overall P&L for the Water business as part of the leadership team.
• Implement change initiatives to improve efficiency, profitability, and quality.

Health, Safety & Environment (SH&E):

• Visibly promote AECOM’s SH&E culture and ensure adherence to SH&E policies and procedures.

If you're passionate about innovation and turning bold ideas into reality, AECOM welcomes you. Join our team, where we don't just construct infrastructure but also uplift communities and enhance lives. Why not give our AECOM Water page on LinkedIn a follow to stay updated on the impactful projects we're working on and see firsthand the difference we're making in the industry!

Come grow with us.

Become part of our dynamic Water business, which boasts around 700 experts across the UK & Ireland. Collaborate with top-tier civil, mechanical, electrical, and process engineers to deliver a variety of captivating projects, from small initiatives to large-scale ventures, all the way from concept to completion.  Here, you’ll thrive in an inclusive and forward-thinking environment where your contributions are valued.

Enjoy the Perks.

At AECOM you'll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well-being, customised to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

Qualifications:

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• A dynamic leader with senior leadership experience within a multinational Consultancy, Client Organisation or Water Sector supplier.
• Proven success in building, developing, and leading large multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong knowledge of the Water market and socio-political and economic drivers in UKI.
• Demonstrated ability to foster talent development and provide growth-focused leadership.
• Strong financial, commercials and operational management skills .
• A client-focus, with a proven track record in securing new work, and the ability to establish and maintain strong working relationships with senior leaders within client organisations.
• Experience delivering successful health & safety initiatives.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Flexibility and a proactive work approach.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Membership in a recognised professional body related to our core markets.
• Master’s or Engineering Degree in Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Environmental Science, or Engineering.
• Experience leading large teams and achieving strong financial performance for large P&Ls.
• Successful business development and growth experience in public or private sectors.
• Background in a Water Environment discipline, such as Waterways & Coasts, dams, aquatic ecology, hydrogeology or water science.

Inclusive Leadership:

• Champion inclusion by fostering a culture of respect and empathy.
• Build diverse teams, recruit top talent, and nurture future leaders.
• Promote collaboration, innovation, and authenticity within your team.
• Uphold AECOM’s values, drive engagement, and support continuous development.

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us at [email protected].

At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives. If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!

Interested in the role or curious about life at AECOM? Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to explore our AECOM voices, employee stories, latest projects, and much more!

For further information about the role, reach out to the recruiter on LinkedIn – Jay Hewitt.

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. We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [email protected]  if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

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