Associate Director - Land in London

WSP is one of the UK's largest land services consultancies and is looking to broaden and strengthen its team of experienced land and property professionals across the UK. This is an exciting opportunity to join a multidisciplinary firm and lead in the delivery of land referencing services, land acquisition, valuation, compulsory purchase and compensation, landowner engagement, land access, wayleaves and consents and negotiations in support of major infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland. This role can be based in any one of our UK offices – London, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast or Leeds with the flexibility of hybrid working between one of these locations and home.

YOUR NEW ROLE, WHAT IT INCLUDES

• Provide effective technical and business development leadership across all projects and actively support the development of others.
• Lead in the development and delivery of the Land business strategy and business development action plans, creating and converting business opportunities through technical/specialist expertise.
• Provide strategic consultancy advice. Be a trusted partner where the client seeks your opinion about the statutory processes, industry in general, manage expectations and provide solutions.
• Manage and lead project teams and the delivery of technical project work such as securing appropriate land rights for large scale development projects, preparing consent documents, negotiation of Heads of Terms, land and interest rights research and interrogation as well as land acquisition and complex negotiations through the relevant statutory process and by agreement.
• Provide strategic advice to clients on the use of statutory powers and implementation of acquisition strategies to deliver infrastructure and land assembly projects.
• Day‑to‑day management of project teams and engagement to ensure quality outputs and contribute to the development of technical standards in pursuit of technical excellence.
• Responsibility for securing team workload, resource allocation and meeting budgeted team productivity targets.
• Lead and encourage professional development through mentoring team members and training.

YOUR TEAM

This is an exciting opportunity to become part of our multi‑disciplinary service line within the WSP Land Team in the delivery of land acquisition, land access, formal consents, statutory orders and compensation agreements and landowner management. Our clients develop major highway, rail, utility and renewable energy infrastructure projects, all of which impact privately owned land. You will work as part of a UK team of 200+ Land Consultants delivering high quality technical project work on time and within budget, developing relationships, advising our clients and lead/mentor our technical team. As part of our Land Team, you will combine office, home and on‑site working to support the delivery of land acquisition and land access projects through the identification of land ownership, consultation with landowners, undertaking property valuation, assessing and negotiating compensation, providing strategic advice, combining skills in GIS, data management and landowner & client engagement. The role would encompass working with our Land Team across a variety of property sectors using both statutory frameworks and private treaty negotiations.

QUALIFICATIONS WE VALUE

• Experience of working within the Transport, Energy and Water infrastructure development sectors.
• Experience in compulsory acquisition projects using CPO/DCO/TWAO powers.
• Proven track record in the management and delivery of land‑related services, including leading teams to successfully deliver those services.
• Demonstrable experience of reducing land risk for clients and advising them on land related matters throughout all stages of a project’s lifecycle.
• Ability to communicate effectively with strong influencing and negotiating skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with both internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience of training and mentoring team members to support professional qualification.
• Experience of negotiating with landowners and knowledge of the legal process for the acquisition of property and rights.
• Experience of managing and settling a range of voluntary and compulsory purchase compensation claims.
• Knowledge of both urban and the rural environment would be desirable.
• Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

BENEFITS & CULTURE

At WSP, we offer a hybrid working policy with flexibility to work from home two days a week and collaborate in modern offices across the UK. We support inclusivity and belonging, encourage innovation, integrity and support a broad range of wellbeing and flex‑time initiatives, including a virtual GP service, health and wellbeing programmes and flexible working arrangements. Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all. Join our close‑knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world. With us, you can. Apply today.

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria; please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.