Structural Engineering Director - Specialist Teams Lead

We are interested in hearing from you if you have the skill, experience and passion to support our growth in the delivery of technically challenging projects. We invite you to bring your expertise and enthusiasm to a newly created role to lead our Specialist Teams who are a key part of our UK Building Structures Team. Our Specialist Teams work across the core Ramboll markets with a growth opportunity presented by our mounting portfolio of projects in our Defence and Government sectors.

The role will include leadership of our seismic and advanced engineering teams who specialise in:

• Seismic design and analysis
• Advanced Engineering Simulation
• Point cloud processing

As Specialist Teams Lead, you will have technical and commercial accountability for these teams, report into one of our Regional Heads of Department and support our other Directors across our UK Building Structures Team to strengthen our reputation and offering in our growth sectors. To succeed in this role, you must have a broad technical grounding and understanding across our specialist areas alongside being client focused, with a strong ability to simplify and communicate complex ideas in plain language.

You will join our UK Building Structures team as a new Director, part of a dynamic team of over 180 engineers and technicians, working on a range of projects, with an in-depth focus on technical delivery and an excellent understanding of client care. Our specialist teams work from multiple office locations and as such this will be a national role with occasional requirement for travel. We promote home and hybrid working; however, candidates will be required to travel into one of our key office locations, which include Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Chester, London, Leeds, Manchester and Southampton.

We offer a supporting and collaborative culture and environment, in which you can develop and grow in your role. For the right candidate, there is the opportunity to progress rapidly, with increasing ownership of client relationships and leadership of our most complex projects. Working with leading architects, we are recognised for our bold innovative approach, that is underpinned by our Scandinavian design heritage and foundation ownership. Finally, we enjoy what we do! And are looking for naturally curious and personable people to join and strengthen our team.

Your key tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Provide leadership and line management to our specialist seismic and advanced engineering teams (currently 5 engineers)
• Plan and manage the growth of our specialist teams
• Develop our specialist teams to support the growth aspirations of the business; including in the Defence and Government sectors
• Accountable for the technical and commercial performance of the specialist teams including reporting to the UK Structures Leadership team
• Responsible for increasing Ramboll’s technical capability and reputation in specialist fields
• Provide a direct linkage between the specialist teams and the project delivery teams
• Act as client liaison to simply explain high complexity or technically challenging work undertaken by your team
• Develop client business relationships through building trust and reputation for technical excellence
• Represent Ramboll at external client meetings responding to their requirements and needs
• Manage the day-to-day activities in the team, both from a commercial and technical perspective
• Develop and agree structural concepts, design philosophies and undertake inception and peer reviews
• Take ownership as Structural lead or Design Lead on our complex and specialist projects

Your starting point for constant growth:

• Educated to a degree level or equivalent in structural / civil engineering
• Chartered with the IStructE, ICE or international equivalent
• Demonstratable experience at Associate Structural Engineer level or above
• An excellent communicator capable of explaining complex engineering principles in plain language, verbally, in writing and through sketching
• Great with people, diverse in your outlook and with something different to bring to the table
• The role requires you to be able to obtain UK Government Security Clearance

Technical competencies and proven experience:

• Demonstrable experience of leading technically complex projects
• Demonstratable evidence of leading projects with multiple technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Evidence of providing technical leadership to a team of structural engineers with specialist or niche skills
• A broad knowledge and technical understanding of structural seismic analysis and detailing to international and local codes of practice (e.g. European, American, New Zealand, etc.)
• Seismic assessment and retrofit of existing structures
• Dynamic and non-linear analysis
• Blast analysis and design
• Design codes, industry standards, and performance-based design approaches appropriate for safety critical industries
• Knowledge of structural engineering software and specialist finite-element analysis software (e.g. ETABS, CSI SAFE, ANSYS, DIANA etc.)
• Ability to approach engineering problems and develop solutions from first principles for situations that fall outside of codified methods

Personal qualities that will help you succeed in this role include:

• Ambition to lead and grow a team
• Able to converge technical and non-technical viewpoints
• Able to fulfil a national role, leading people in multiple geographic locations
• A curiosity to explore – ‘is there a better way to do this’
• Happy to ask questions and to answer them!
• Willingness to take responsibility for your projects

Ramboll is a global engineering, architecture and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945. We are a responsible business and sustainable practices have been part of Ramboll’s DNA since the company’s inception. Ramboll was the first engineering consultancy in the world to be certified after the UN sustainable development goals. This year we sat a bold direction for the coming four years and launched our new business strategy: The Partner for Sustainable Change. Together we enable our stakeholders to realise their goals and navigate the transition to a more sustainable future. Together, we lead and leave a positive impact on societies, companies and people around the world.

Ramboll is ranked a Top 10 consultant in the UK and has 1,300 bright minds working across 17 offices to apply their passion to deliver innovative solutions across Buildings, Transport, Environment & Health and Energy. We love seeing our talents develop and succeed and you will have opportunities to work on challenging and inspiring projects within an environment that is friendly, open and supportive. Our Buildings division is one of the top 10 building designers in the world. We place particular emphasis on our liveable buildings concept where we balance the cultural, social and physical values of buildings, to improve the quality of life for building users.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of what we do. At Ramboll, we believe that diversity is a strength and that different experiences and perspectives are essential to creating truly sustainable societies. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive work environment, where everyone is able to flourish and reach their potential. We invite applications from candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. As a Disability Confident Committed employer, Ramboll ensures opportunities are accessible to candidates with disabilities. Please reach out to our recruitment team to discuss any adjustments that you might require during the application process.

We also know how important it is to achieve the right balance of where, when and how much you work. When you join Ramboll, you’ll have the freedom to work your hours flexibly and our positive approach.

How to apply: Apply online. Attach your CV, cover letter and relevant documents showcasing why you are the right fit for the role, and when you are available to start. We look forward to receiving your application. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.