Associate Director (Structures) in Birmingham

A permanent, senior position with a competitive salary and excellent benefits package. MEC is a multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental consultancy, delivering services for private and public sector projects across residential, commercial, industrial, retail, leisure, education, and healthcare. Operating nationally from offices in Leicestershire, Birmingham, Brighton and Nottingham, we provide expert guidance for a wide range of clients. As part of our continued growth, we are recruiting an Associate Director to join our Structures team. The role will be based in our Birmingham office, with flexibility for the right person to be located in one of our other offices.

You will take strategic ownership of our structures discipline, driving innovation, ensuring consistently high-quality project delivery, and leading business development activity. The role includes overseeing and developing the team, managing a healthy pipeline of projects, and playing a key role in shaping the future of MEC’s structural services across the UK. The Associate Director will take strategic responsibility for the Structures discipline, leading its technical, commercial and operational performance across MEC. The role combines senior leadership, project oversight and business development, with accountability for team growth, service quality and long-term discipline development.

About the role:

• Responsible for building and leading a team.
• Assist the Directors with business operations to meet the productivity and growth aspirations of the company.
• Working nationally across the UK, including additional hours if necessary, to supervise site works and attend meetings and events to enable the delivery of all responsibilities.
• The Senior Management Team (SMT) is responsible for driving operational excellence and ensuring the achievement of long-term business objectives.
• Actively participate in high-level decision-making processes that affect the overall direction of the company.
• Contributing to Senior Management Team/Board Meetings, driving continuous improvement in business processes to enhance productivity, quality, and efficiency across the company.

Key role responsibilities:

• Leadership, Strategy and Business
• Research, development and implementation of technological innovations for your discipline, to aid continual growth and diversity.
• Business development and networking.
• Maintaining and growing existing client relationships, identifying and pursuing new opportunities and diversifying the range of commissions.
• Maintaining and developing department standards, systems and procedures, embracing industry best practices and emerging technical advancement.
• Prepare business plans in accordance with company financial projection targets.
• Maintain a capabilities matrix for the team, identifying skill gaps and areas for development, and recommending strategies for recruitment, promotions, or professional development.

Project and Commercial Management

• Management of projects across a range of sectors and, where instructed by a Director, across multiple disciplines.
• Effective management to company standards including administration, client liaison, quality, fee proposals, budgeting, resource management, team briefing and invoicing.
• Monthly invoicing and Work in Progress (WIP) management.
• Managing applicable project finances, ensuring projects operate within agreed budgets.

Client and Quality

• Attend meetings with clients, development teams, other disciplines and relevant third-parties.
• Deliver high service levels to clients and secure repeat business/future opportunities for the company.
• Ensure the delivery of high quality and technically accurate calculations, technical documents, reports and correspondence to clients within agreed timeframes and budgets.
• Adherence to 2-stage checking procedures, in accordance with company procedures.

Team and Line Management

• Take responsibility for effective line management and team growth, ensuring the development of individual team members in alignment with company objectives.
• Oversee the recruitment process for the team, with job offers requiring director approval.
• Conduct quarterly 1-2-1 meetings (or more frequently when required in accordance with the company’s 1-2-1 procedure) to support employee development, provide feedback and address concerns.
• Lead performance reviews and manage performance issues as they arise.

Key skills, experience and attributes required:

• Design of foundation systems for residential and commercial structures including traditional strip footings, piled and raft designs.
• Super-structure design in reinforced concrete, steel and timber, including calculations, construction detail drawings.
• Inspections of existing buildings/structures and reporting of findings and recommendations for remedial works.
• Active involvement in undertaking structural engineering, including design models, drawings, calculations, contract documents, bills of quantities, reports and correspondence.
• Compliance with Designer’s responsibilities under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015.
• Follow a continued professional development/programme of training and achieve a minimum of 12 days continuing professional development (CPD) per year, in line with your training and development plan.
• Maintain clear, professional and timely communication with clients and colleagues.