Technical Director: Pavements

WSP is one of the most diverse consulting firms in Africa. To further our strategic business execution plan, we are seeking leaders that share our guiding principles – we value our people and our reputation; we are locally dedicated with international scale; we are future focused and challenge the status quo; we foster collaboration in everything we do and we have an empowering culture and hold ourselves accountable. We are committed to the achievement and maintenance of diversity and equity in employment.

Key Role

The Technical Director: Pavements leads day-to-day technical matters associated with the pavement discipline within Transport & Infrastructure Sector, and provides support to the Sector Lead & the Discipline Lead, across Africa. This individual is responsible to the Sector Lead for leadership of people, projects, clients and business performance in the geometrics discipline, and will provide support to the Sector Lead across the Highways, Transport Planning, ITS and Rail disciplines

The role of a Discipline Lead is to embed a strong client and project culture around a technically excellent and efficient delivery model, balanced with the need to satisfy client, staff and commercial expectations.  This role spans the full operating geography of WSP in Africa, with engagements into the WSP Global team worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing day to day operations as delegated
• Manage, guide, mentor and take professional responsibility for the deliverables of the technical team in the Geometrics Discipline
• Project Management of delegated projects and project managers
• Marketing and securing of new business
• Assisting Sector Leader and Discipline Leads in terms of financial management and performance of the Sector
• Developing overall strategy for line of business to ensure growth, establish Company presence in the industry, and maintain competitive edge in conjunction with anticipating trends and/or changes.
• Maintaining own technical knowledge, as well as that of staff, to promote WSPs growth and reputation for technical excellence in the industry.
• Delivering goals and commitments for the line of business, in alignment with division operating plan, and strategic goals for the Business Unit and WSP in Africa.
• Identifying and securing work opportunities based on assessment of the market, determining products to sell and methodology of execution to perform the work.
• Influencing, managing and/or establishing various budgets including Project Gross Margin (PGM), revenue, and overhead expenses.
• Capital or corporate services budget responsibility.
• Facilitating project reviews to ensure quality of product, management of client expectations, and handle any related issues.
• Assisting project management in negotiating, assessing, and mitigating risk for contracts for projects and subcontractors.
• Implementing administrative policies and procedures for line of business in alignment with division.
• Meeting regularly with external entities including clients, contractors, suppliers/vendors, and partners to establish strategy and execution for projects, pursue new business, negotiate contracts, and review project status.
• Supports strategic alliances and growth. •

Health and Safety

• Role model standards for SHEQ performance and behaviour consistent with the company’s health, safety, environmental and quality vision and policies by influencing those around you
• Contributing to the identification of SHEQ risks and driving processes to achieve Zero Harm
• Embracing, displaying and promoting the company values and ensuring a safe working environment is maintained at all times

Qualifications and Experience Required

• BEng or BScEng (Civil Engineering) or BTech (Civil Engineering)
• 10-years’ minimum experience with Pr Eng or 15-years minimum experience with PrTech Eng, with a minimum of 5-years experience post registration
• Must comply to SANRAL’s criteria as a Design Specialist(DS) in Pavements, and delivered at least 2 verifiable projects to SANRAL in the DS role.
• Technical acumen in Pavement design and modelling, and a strong working knowledge of roads earthworks and materials
• User knowledge of design packages: Rubicon, MePads, cncPave.
• Working knowledge of Standard Specifications such as COTO and general conditions of construction contracts such as FIDIC & GCC
• Working knowledge of Construction Procurement procedures and regulations pertaining to public sector construction contracts
• Registration with ECSA as PrEng / PrTechEng is mandatory

Key Competencies and Generic Skills

• Show leadership experience in roads design teams
• Fully competent in pavement design methods, surfacing and materials testing
• Show engineering management, integration management skills
• Demonstrate experience in serving client bodies

What's in it for you?

What if we can have work-life balance? What if we can be rewarded in ways that support our individual needs? What if we can be accepted for who we are? Here at WSP – we can!

WSP recognizes that work is only one part of our lives and making time for the other things in our life is important – be that our families, our friends or ourselves. So, if working from home, working part-time or having flexible start and finish time will help with this let us know as part of your application.