Technical Director – Coastal Engineering in Chester

Location: This position can be based in any one of our offices in the UK and Ireland.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Technical Director to further grow and drive our Coastal Engineering capability within our ports, coastal, maritime and climate resilience business. This is a senior leadership opportunity for an established coastal professional who combines strong technical expertise with strategic thinking, client management and a passion for producing sustainable solutions and working within our Ramboll global network of coastal engineers where you will have the opportunity to influence excellence in our global delivery.

The role offers the opportunity to shape the future direction of our coastal engineering business, expand our presence across key markets and spearhead the delivery of complex and nationally significant coastal and maritime projects. Working alongside multidisciplinary teams across engineering, environmental, planning and infrastructure disciplines, you will help deliver resilient and sustainable solutions that respond to climate change, coastal risk and evolving infrastructure needs.

We are looking for someone who is motivated not only by technical excellence, but also by growing client relationships, developing people, and building a strong and sustainable coastal engineering team for the future.

The Role

• Provide technical, strategic, and commercial leadership across a diverse portfolio of coastal and maritime projects.
• Play a central role in business development, framework management, and project delivery, while supporting the continued growth and visibility of the coastal practice.
• Direct the delivery of major coastal and maritime engineering projects and programmes.
• Provide technical oversight and assurance for coastal defense, flood resilience, and waterfront infrastructure schemes.
• Lead the development of innovative and sustainable engineering solutions for coastal adaptation and climate resilience.
• Drive business growth through client engagement, work winning and strategic market development.
• Expand and strengthen the coastal engineering team through further recruitment, mentoring and capability development.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, partners, regulators and industry stakeholders.
• Identify and pursue opportunities across public and private sector markets, including coastal resilience, ports, waterfront development, and energy infrastructure.
• Support multidisciplinary collaboration across engineering, environmental and advisory services.
• Act as a senior technical authority and trusted advisor to clients and project teams.
• Oversee project performance, commercial management, and quality assurance.
• Represent the business externally through industry engagement, conferences, and professional networks.

About You

You will be an experienced coastal engineering professional with a strong reputation for technical leadership, project delivery and client development. You are likely to demonstrate:

• A degree in Civil Engineering, Coastal Engineering or a related discipline; postgraduate qualifications are desirable.
• Chartered Engineer status with ICE, CIWEM or an equivalent professional institution.
• Significant experience delivering coastal and maritime infrastructure projects within a consultancy or related environment.
• Strong technical knowledge of coastal processes, flood risk, coastal adaptation, and maritime infrastructure design.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and managing large or complex projects and frameworks.
• A proven track record in business development, client relationship management and winning work.
• Commercial awareness and experience managing project financial performance.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, including mentoring and team development.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning capabilities.
• A collaborative and inclusive leadership style with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement.

What We Offer

This role provides the opportunity to play a defining role in the growth and direction of a developing coastal engineering business, while contributing to projects that create lasting environmental, social and infrastructure value.

We offer:

• A senior leadership position with significant influence over business growth and technical direction.
• The opportunity to shape and expand a growing coastal engineering team.
• Involvement in nationally significant and technically challenging projects.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• A collaborative and supportive professional environment.
• Ongoing professional development and leadership opportunities.
• Competitive salary, performance-related rewards and comprehensive benefits package.

If you are looking for an opportunity to lead, influence and grow a coastal engineering business while delivering meaningful and impactful projects, we would welcome the opportunity to hear from you.

Ready to join us? Please submit your application and CV online. We invite diversity in all its forms and encourage applicants from all groups to apply.

We recognise that some candidates only apply when they tick every box. However, passion and potential often outweigh a perfect resume and Ramboll’s supportive learning culture can help you grow. So if this role resonates with you but you don't meet all the requirements, we encourage you to apply. You might be the perfect fit for this opportunity or another within our team.

Work at the heart of sustainable change with Ramboll. Ramboll is a global architecture, engineering, and consultancy company. As a foundation-owned people company, founded in Denmark, we believe that the purpose of sustainable change is to create a thriving world for both nature and people. So, that’s where we start – and how we work. Our history is rooted in a clear vision of how a responsible company should act and being open and curious is a cornerstone of our culture. Ramboll employs more than 18,000 people globally across 35 countries. Ramboll experts deliver innovative solutions across Buildings, Transport, Water, Environment & Health, Energy, Management Consulting, and Architecture & Landscape. Combining local experience with global knowledge, we help shape the societies of tomorrow.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion are 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 also know how important it is to achieve the right balance of where, when, and how much you work. At Ramboll, we offer flexibility as part of our positive and inclusive approach to work. We invite applications from candidates of all backgrounds and characteristics. Please let us know if there are any changes we could make to the application process to make it more comfortable for you. You can contact us at job.advert.accessibility@ramboll.com with such requests.