Market Client Framework Director - National Highways Advisory in Birmingham

An exciting opportunity has been created within the Strategic and Regional Highways Market Team to lead our business development, work winning and the framework leadership across our National Highways (NH) advisory portfolio – incorporating frameworks and commissions from the Safety, Engineering and Standards, and Customer, Strategy and Communications directorates for National Highways, such as SPaTS. This will include leading on many of our critical “Must Win” opportunities and driving performance on key projects within the Transportation UK&I Business Unit.

As the accountable leader for the NH advisory frameworks, you will lead client engagement and an extended account team from across the UK business, responsible for ensuring delivery teams consistently deliver to our clients with excellent levels of service whilst also delivering expected commercial outcomes. You will lead engagement across two of the NH directorates along with a broad array of stakeholders, joint venture partners and third-party supply chain partners including SMEs, bringing innovation in our offer and delivery to differentiate ourselves.

As the accountable leader, you will develop and lead a team aligned to deliver the targeted market potential, increasing market share, ensuring annual financial performance commitments are met, including delivery of the portfolio margin and delivering on internal and external supplier commitments. Clear management of the pipeline of opportunities and ability to plan and secure resources to support upcoming bids will be an integral part of the role in order to secure future growth for the business.

Your role will operate as NH Client Framework Director (Advisory) for the AtkinsRéalis Transportation business reporting to the Transportation Market Director for Strategic and Regional Highways. The role of the Client Framework Director is central to the growth ambitions of the Transportation Business Unit.

The opportunity exists to strengthen and grow our workshare by targeting new opportunities, diversifying our services, improving our bid success and driving better commercial outcomes. We have a strong legacy of successful client-focussed delivery, and the role requires this to be further developed by tackling the challenges driven by climate change, addressing an ageing transport network, and embracing new services enabled through automation, data analytics and technology.

As the Client Framework Director, you will be responsible for setting our growth strategy for the NH advisory account. A key success factor for this role will be to increase our addressable market share against changing budgets through true client intimacy, strategic leadership, expanding our portfolio, measurably improving our revenue whilst reinforcing our brand and client relationships. We aspire to be the supplier of choice to our clients, operating in the top 3 in every key account.

The role will require the development of a focussed account plan for the Client and the framework that delivers on our ambition. As a senior leader in the business, you’ll be responsible for creating a network and culture within AtkinsRéalis that understands the market and client needs and is accountable for winning and successfully delivering work by leveraging the wider AtkinsRéalis group service lines and capabilities. This role will require a significant proportion of time based across our key offices in the UK and supporting the client in person.

About you

• Accountable for driving opportunity to meet NH Advisory budget targets.
• Responsibility for Growth and development of a strong, client focussed and performance orientated account team.
• Act as a key internal influencer, ensuring alignment between strategy, delivery excellence, and client outcomes.
• Grow and develop the capability in our Global Technology Centre to support the framework.
• Be an ambassador for the business; attending and speaking at relevant industry events, developing alliances and partnerships and generally leveraging opportunities to build greater awareness of AtkinsRéalis and improve our standing and reputation.
• Provide strong visible leadership in our offices and with clients.
• Be an advocate and role model of our corporate values, ethics and governance guidelines.

On some occasions and depending on experience you may be responsible as the Transportation market lead for a particular service line.

Win Work

• Long, middle and short horizon identification of new opportunities for the framework, setting out the winning strategy.
• Responsible for developing a clear pipeline of opportunities, using strategic insights to enable informed Go-No-Go decisions to develop a clear programme of bidding, securing resources to support delivery of successful bids.
• Owning the tender development (storyboard, key win themes, consistency of narrative) and commercial strategy for each opportunity.
• Design, develop, implement and manage commercial strategies to improve our market share including executing winning pricing plans.
• For significant tenders, lean in to lead, draft and critically review quality submissions to ensure consistency across the framework, improved quality scores and demonstrable improvement to P-Win.
• Develop and sell new client value propositions maximising our position in areas of customer, climate adaptation, an ageing highways asset, energy transition and ensuring our data and technology skills differentiate us.
• Understand and position for the future framework opportunities to improve AtkinsRéalis probability of winning tendered opportunities.
• Track and communicate bid loss rationale and tender feedback, ensuring these areas are improved for future competitions.

Deliver Work

• Delivery of the financial performance in line with the 5-year plan and annual P&L targets.
• Drive Framework efficiency by ensuring that our framework processes are fit for purpose and administration is minimised. Identify and implement improvements to reduce waste, cost and time for how we win and deliver work in the framework.
• Develop and execute a plan that supports the wider shift towards increasing use of automation.
• Build and maintain strong internal networks, understanding where technical expertise across the organisation can easily accessed and leveraged for pursuits.
• Foster strong and trusting relationships with JV Partners, supply chain partners and SMEs to ensure high quality delivery and tender submissions.
• Accountability and responsibility for resolution of Framework commercial issues either with end client or JV Partners.

Key Attributes

• A knowledge and awareness of the UK transportation market ideally having worked within the Highways sector.
• Demonstrable track record in development and execution of business growth strategies.
• Performance and results driven with demonstrable commercial acumen, with a practical approach to driving business growth, continuous improvement and work winning.
• Collaborative team player both internally and externally.
• Commercially astute, being able to define and execute commercial negotiations with both clients, partners and supply chain partners – both within a win work and delivery environment.
• Balances commercial outcomes and long-term client value.
• Strategic mindset, setting out a growth strategy and executing it.
• Leading by example and when under pressure, bringing clarity and direction to account teams. Ability to prioritise and meet deadlines during tenders.
• Balances the pressures of client-facing project delivery and work-winning activities.
• Capable of leading and growing a sustainable portfolio of opportunities and projects.
• Proven ability of a commercial mindset to identify opportunities for innovation and new customer value propositions.
• Builds strong, trusted relationships at all levels of the client organisation.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career. Enjoy competitive salaries, employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices. Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise. And combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.

About AtkinsRéalis

We're AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Additional information

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary, it will be discussed with you at interview. The vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer.

We are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they belong - a place where we can all be ourselves, thrive and develop to be the best we can be. So, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee resource groups to support all employees. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to offering an interview to all applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria. If you would like to be considered under this commitment, please let us know at the application stage.