Associate Director Land in Edinburgh

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

WSP’s Land team is seeking talented Land professionals to join what is already the largest and most successful team in our industry. This is an exciting opportunity to develop or begin a career with a team that enjoys a successful reputation for the delivery of major strategic infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland through the support provided by land referencing, urban and rural landowner engagement, consultation management, land access, formal consents, statutory orders, compensation agreements and land acquisition.

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and direction on WSP Land projects.
• Provide excellent stakeholder engagement to ensure successful land identification, securing of land rights and land acquisition using landowner agreements/statutory powers.
• Champion a collaborative and high-performance team culture, driving collective purpose and alignment with project and organisational goals, and fostering excellent partnership with senior leadership across WSP Land.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to both external and internal clients, proactively engaging with client capture teams and Key Client Managers (KCMs) to enhance client relationships and secure business opportunities.
• Oversee the successful delivery of major projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to exemplary quality standards.
• Lead business development initiatives for WSP Land within the Energy, Water, and Rail sectors, securing new projects, project extensions, and cultivating new client relationships.
• Work in close partnership with WSP’s Engineering, Engagement, Environmental, and Planning disciplines to identify and capitalize on multidisciplinary and strategic opportunities, supporting the growth of our business.
• Enhance the reputation and visibility of WSP Land across the public sphere, target business sectors, and academic settings through thought leadership and sector engagement.
• Direct and oversee the preparation of compelling bids and tenders, ensuring the highest quality submissions to secure new business opportunities.
• Implement effective resource strategies, including talent retention, succession planning, and recruitment, ensuring the team’s capabilities align with project requirements.
• Lead regular reviews to identify and manage risks and opportunities, ensuring robust project governance and proactive issue resolution.
• Maintain rigorous oversight of project delivery, ensuring alignment with client objectives, actively seeking and integrating client feedback to drive continuous improvement and client satisfaction.
• Promote our WSP culture of health, safety & wellbeing (HS&W).
• Promote our adherence to Quality Assurance and development of our processes.
• Promote our adherence to Data Protection and development of our processes.
• Promote one of our core pillars - grow key markets, expand delivery and quality culture and pursue digital innovation and excellence.
• Ireland and UK travel.

Qualifications:

• Proven leadership in managing and directing the delivery of comprehensive Land services, including land identification, access, and acquisition, at a strategic level.
• Extensive and demonstrable expertise in navigating land consents, consultation processes, and landowner engagement for major infrastructure development projects.
• Experience collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams across various sectors and locations, guiding projects through all stages of scheme development.
• Advanced capability in mitigating land risk for clients and providing strategic advice on land-related matters throughout the entire project lifecycle.
• Experience representing clients at Public Inquiries and Oral Hearings, including the effective management of objections.
• Strong record of fostering repeat business and expanding services with established clients.
• Proven success in securing and cultivating new business opportunities and client relationships.
• Demonstrable expertise in leading bid management, including bid writing, review, and approval, ensuring high-quality submissions.
• Experience in developing and implementing resource strategies, including talent retention, succession planning, and recruitment for high-performing teams.
• Exceptional skills in engaging with landowners and the public, underpinned by robust stakeholder management and communication capabilities.
• Outstanding communication, influencing, and negotiation skills, with the ability to drive consensus and deliver positive outcomes.
• Highly effective collaborator, able to work seamlessly within teams at all organisational levels.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with senior clients and management colleagues.
• Resilient under pressure, consistently delivering high-quality outputs in demanding environments.
• Excellent commercial acumen and proficiency with IT systems relevant to business operations.
• Rigorous commitment to quality assurance, data protection, and Health and Safety standards.
• Educated to degree level in Geography, Agriculture, Land and Estate Management, or a related discipline.
• Chartered status or membership of a recognised professional body is highly desirable.

Benefits:

• Work-life balance: Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.
• Inclusivity & Belonging: We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences, encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work.
• Health & Wellbeing: We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.
• Flex your time: WSP offers the “WSP My Hour,” allowing you to take one hour each day for personal activities, with the flexibility to make up the time earlier or later that day.
• Your development: We foster a supportive environment that invests in your growth, whether through training, mentoring, or Chartership.