Project Director in Leatherhead

As the Project Director you will lead the end-to-end planning, procurement, delivery, and commissioning of major water, energy and other utilities plants and associated infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safe, compliant, on-time and on-budget outcomes.
• Own the program P&L and portfolio outcomes.
• Oversee internal and external project managers.
• Support as the key senior interface to clients, regulators, and other public sector agencies., Strategy & Governance
• Program & Portfolio Management
• Financial Management & P&L Ownership
• Procurement, Tendering & Contracting
• Delivery & Construction Management
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Stakeholder & External Relations

Qualifications

• People Leadership & Performance
  10+ years delivering or managing utilities infrastructure, with 5+ years in leadership roles.
• Proven track record in either water/wastewater regulated infrastructure or heat/cooling non-regulated infrastructure.
• Strong communicator with senior stakeholders including client, regulator and other public sector bodies.
• Strong commercial acumen: P&L management, design and build appointments and any associated claims/variations.
• Experience in program management, cost management, risk & change management.
• Regulatory familiarity with utilities networks such as drinking water standards, environmental permitting, planning approvals.
• Health & Safety leadership and quality assurance experience.

Preferred

• Chartered Engineer (CEng/PE) or equivalent in Civil/Mechanical/Process/Environmental Engineering.
• Professional certifications: PMP, APM, PRINCE2, or NEC/FIDIC accreditation.
• Experience with BIM (ISO 19650), ISO 55001 asset management, ISO 9001 quality.
• Knowledge of public sector procurement and contract forms (NEC Options, FIDIC, EPC/DB).
• Experience delivering in alliance/framework or multi-party collaboration models.

Core Competencies

• Leadership & Influence – Sets vision, aligns stakeholders, resolves conflicts.
• Commercial & Contracting – Negotiation, change control
• Technical Judgement – Process understanding, constructability, commissioning.
• Regulatory Savvy – Navigates approvals, audits, statutory constraints.
• Stakeholder Management – Public sector, community, regulatory, political interfaces.
• Risk & Assurance – Proactive mitigation, scenario planning, recovery strategies.
• Communication – Executive-ready reporting, clear escalation, public briefings.
• Delivery Excellence – Drives schedule and budget adherence with uncompromising safety.