Technical Director – Marine in Esher

Tony Gee and Partners is currently recruiting for a key individual to join our growing Marine team based in any of our UK offices. Base: Any Tony Gee UK Office – Ashford, Glasgow, Manchester or Birmingham Preferred.

As an Associate Director/Director with Marine Civil Infrastructure expertise, you will lead the strategic development, delivery and technical excellence of our marine civil engineering practice. Your focus will be on ports, harbours, terminals and naval-base docks structures including floating structures. You will combine business development, client relationship and team management skills with deep technical credibility in marine civil engineering. You will collaborate with peers to ensure Tony Gee remains at the forefront of innovative, buildable and sustainable engineering solutions in the marine industry.

Job Responsibilities

• Drive and apply the growth strategy for the Marine Civil Infrastructure practice (ports, harbours, terminals and docks) within Tony Gee.
• Identify new market opportunities (UK & international), new client sectors (port authorities, terminal operators, defence/naval base operators, contractors) and lead positioning of Tony Gee’s marine offering.
• Lead major proposals, bid teams and tendering activity for large-scale frameworks and contracts.
• Build and maintain senior client relationships and strategic alliances.
• Monitor market trends (marine infrastructure renewal, naval base docks, climate resilience, temporary works in marine settings) and ensure the practice’s capability remains cutting-edge.
• Serve as the technical lead for complex marine civil infrastructure projects from feasibility, optioneering, design and construction support to commissioning.
• Provide oversight of design for quay walls, jetties, breakwaters, dolphins, mooring systems, naval base quay docks, lock gates, linkspans, heavy quay pavements and associated landside marine infrastructure.
• Ensure designs comply with relevant UK/international standards (for example maritime structural codes, BS 6349, etc) and adhere to Tony Gee’s “design once, engineer right” ethos.
• Lead multi-discipline collaboration (marine, structural, geotechnical, dredging, environment, temporary works) to deliver integrated solutions.
• Manage project programmes, costs, resources and risks to ensure quality, programme and budget targets are met.
• Build and lead a high-performing marine civil engineering team, ensuring technical excellence and innovation.
• Mentor and develop senior engineers and specialists, foster knowledge sharing, continuous improvement and peer-review culture.
• Contribute to the capability development plan for the practice (training, research, publications, industry engagement).
• Promote a culture of safety, sustainability and professionalism in all marine civil infrastructure activities.
• Ensure compliance with corporate governance, quality assurance, health & safety and sustainability standards on marine civil projects.
• Represent Tony Gee in the marine sector: professional institutions, client forums and conferences.
• Uphold and strengthen the organisation’s reputation for technical integrity, innovation and value engineering.

Person Specifications

Essential Qualifications, Professional Status & Experience

• Chartered Civil or Structural Engineer (CEng) with ICE, IStructE or equivalent.
• Minimum of 15 years’ consultancy experience in marine civil engineering – ports, harbours, terminals, floating structures and/or naval docks.
• Proven leadership of multidisciplinary teams, delivery of major marine civil infrastructure projects.
• Experience in client engagement and bid leadership in the marine/ports sector.
• Strong technical credibility in design and delivery of marine structures (e.g., quay walls, jetties, breakwaters, linkspans, dock/lock gates).
• Proficiency in leading the application of marine software (e.g., WALLAP, STAAD, OPTIMOOR etc) and interpreting results in design context.

Desirable Skills

• Experience of dock infrastructure, lock gates, naval base marine civil works and exposure to integration of construction method, temporary works and permanent works will be advantageous.
• Experience in business development and supporting marketing activities.
• Strong familiarity with heavy duty pavements with drainage infrastructure, floating structures, master planning, slipways, quay wall and other forms of marine civil infrastructure.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills—able to present to senior clients, regulators and project boards.
• Commercial acumen with experience of project financials, resource management and risk/opportunity management.
• Strong leadership presence, able to inspire technical teams, foster innovation and maintain a high standard of quality and delivery.
• Willingness to travel (UK and internationally) and lead multi-site or international teams.