At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative projects using digital tools to optimise construction processes.
- Company: Join Akordi, a forward-thinking team within Laing O'Rourke.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment that values fresh perspectives and continuous learning.
- Why this job: Shape the future of infrastructure with creativity and technical insight.
- Qualifications: Experience in construction, engineering, or digital delivery; open to diverse backgrounds.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 72000 £ per year.
Location: UK (Dartford, Manchester, Birmingham, Worksop - other locations considered)
Company: Akordi, a Laing O'Rourke company
Step into a role where your curiosity, creativity, and technical insight can shape how the UK delivers its most ambitious infrastructure projects. At Akordi, we're building a supportive, forward-thinking team that blends digital innovation with hands-on construction understanding - and we're looking for someone who enjoys bringing people together around better ways of working. If you're passionate about helping teams plan smarter, build safer, and deliver with confidence, this could be the ideal next step in your journey.
About Akordi
Akordi provides digitally-enabled decision intelligence services for major infrastructure programmes across transport, energy, utilities and complex capital projects. As we continue to grow, we're nurturing a culture grounded in collaboration, creativity, inclusion and continuous learning. We believe diverse experiences lead to stronger outcomes - and we welcome people who bring fresh perspectives, alternative pathways, or non-traditional career routes.
What You'll Do
- In this role, you'll help project teams see possibilities they may not have imagined yet. Your work will support earlier, clearer and more confident decisions by:
- Using 4D simulation and digital tools to explore construction options, uncover efficiencies, and highlight opportunities to simplify delivery.
- Interrogating BIM models to understand buildability, identify constraints, and open up smarter sequencing and methodology choices.
- Guiding conversations with clients and delivery teams, helping them navigate complex challenges with calm, clarity and confidence.
- Turning detailed technical insight into accessible visuals, narratives and recommendations that resonate with people from all backgrounds.
- Offering a balanced blend of curiosity, engineering judgement and practical thinking to test assumptions and support better outcomes.
- Contributing to a small, high-performing team that shares ideas openly, values every voice, and works together to improve how we deliver major projects.
- Helping shape Akordi's evolving approach, frameworks and best-practice standards as our services continue to grow.
What You Bring
- We're interested in people with construction, engineering, design or digital delivery experience, but we're open to where that experience comes from. You may have worked as a Construction Manager, Project Engineer, Architect, Design Manager, Planner - or followed a different but equally relevant path.
- What matters most is that you:
- Understand how projects come together on the ground and enjoy improving how things are built.
- Are comfortable exploring digital tools such as 4D simulation or BIM model interrogation - or excited to grow these skills with our support.
- Can translate technical detail into simple, engaging messages.
- Feel confident leading discussions, workshops or presentations with a range of stakeholders.
- Are thoughtful, organised and able to navigate competing priorities with care.
- Enjoy working collaboratively and building trusted relationships.
- Appreciate the value of design for manufacture, early constructability thinking and practical optimisation.
- Bring a mindset that is inclusive, open, and hungry to learn.
If you're not sure you meet every point, we'd still love to hear from you - many of our most successful team members came to Akordi from unexpected routes.
About Us
Laing O'Rourke are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia. Certainty, reliability, quality - this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.
As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term conditions and disabilities through the 'Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know if you would like to opt in to this scheme and let us know if you require any adjustments for the interview process.
Senior Optimisation Manager in Dartford employer: Laing O'Rourke
Laing O'Rourke is an excellent employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, particularly in the dynamic environment of Stansted. Employees benefit from comprehensive professional development opportunities, competitive remuneration, and the chance to lead impactful projects within the aviation sector, all while being part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to excellence in procurement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Optimisation Manager in Dartford
✨Join Construction Networks
Get yourself involved in local construction networks or industry events. They often have job boards, and networking can lead to unadvertised positions. Plus, it’s a great way to meet potential future colleagues!
✨Show Off Your Skills on Site
If you’ve done any hands-on work, whether it's through internships or personal projects, make sure you can showcase it. Consider volunteering for local construction projects or getting involved in community build days; it’s a solid way to demonstrate your skills and build connections.
✨Utilise Construction Job Sites
Don't just rely on the big job boards. Look at niche construction job sites—many companies prioritise these for full-time roles. Apply through these sites, but don’t forget to reach out directly to companies you admire, like Laing O'Rourke, to express your interest!
✨Tailor Your Application for Full-Time Roles
Make your application stand out by tailoring it specifically for full-time positions. Highlight how your previous projects align with the company's work. At StudySmarter, we encourage you to demonstrate your commitment and long-term interest in the industry when applying for roles like Senior Optimisation Manager at Laing O'Rourke.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Optimisation Manager in Dartford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Experience:In the construction industry, it's essential to highlight any hands-on experience you have. Whether it’s past projects you've worked on or specific roles you've held, make sure your CV emphasises your practical skills and contributions to construction sites.
Include Certifications and Qualifications:Don’t forget to list any certifications relevant to construction, like CSCS cards or other safety qualifications. These can really set you apart from other candidates and show that you’re serious about health and safety on-site.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Construction:When writing your cover letter for a construction role, focus on your problem-solving capabilities and teamwork. Construction relies heavily on collaboration, so mention how you’ve worked successfully with others to complete projects on time and within budget.
Adapt Your CV Format to the Field:Ensure your CV is clear and easy to read, with sections dedicated to skills such as project management, technical abilities, and site supervision. Construction roles often require a blend of technical know-how and soft skills, so make sure both are highlighted effectively.
How to prepare for a job interview at Laing O'Rourke
✨Brush Up on Technical Knowledge
For a construction role, it's crucial we have a solid grasp of industry standards, safety protocols, and specific tools used on-site. Make sure you're familiar with relevant regulations and can talk confidently about them, as these often come up in interviews.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Since this is a full-time position, be ready to discuss any previous construction projects you've worked on. Bring a portfolio or have detailed descriptions that highlight your role, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them—this’ll show you’re not just book-smart but also practically savvy.
✨Understand the Team Dynamics
Construction is all about teamwork, so prepare to discuss how you interact with different stakeholders like architects, engineers, and contractors. Maybe think of examples from past experiences to illustrate your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.
✨Prepare for On-the-Spot Problem Solving
Be ready for some practical questions or scenarios where you'll need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Interviewers might present you with a hypothetical construction issue to solve, so practice articulating your thought process clearly and logically—this could really set you apart!
