Associate Director - Infrastructure (Strong Pre-Contract Focus)
Location: Manchester (with travel across the North West and Yorkshire)
The Role
This role is focused on the pre-contract development and governance of major public sector highway infrastructure schemes.
Based in Manchester, you will lead projects through the early project lifecycle - from strategic outline case and option development through to procurement and contract award. You will work closely with public sector clients, technical consultants and statutory stakeholders to shape projects before they enter delivery.
The position sits within a growing regional infrastructure team delivering schemes across the North West and Yorkshire. You will take responsibility for programme development, governance, funding approvals, procurement strategy and consultant team management, ensuring projects are robustly defined and ready for delivery.
Alongside project leadership, you will support senior leadership in client relationship management, framework delivery and identifying new opportunities across the region.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the pre-contract development of major highway infrastructure schemes for public sector clients
- Manage projects through early lifecycle stages including feasibility, option development, business case and statutory approvals
- Develop and manage project programmes, governance structures and reporting frameworks
- Lead the procurement and appointment of multidisciplinary consultant teams
- Oversee the preparation of project briefs, scopes and deliverables across technical disciplines
- Develop and manage procurement strategies, funding submissions and business cases
- Coordinate engagement with statutory bodies and key stakeholders including National Highways, Network Rail and the Environment Agency
- Oversee the development of EIA processes, environmental statements and planning submissions
- Lead development of land and property strategies, including voluntary acquisition and compulsory purchase processes
- Chair project boards and technical meetings, ensuring projects adhere to public sector governance and assurance processes
- Support regional client relationship management and business development activity
Essential Experience
- Demonstrable experience delivering public sector highway or major infrastructure projects in pre-contract phases
- Strong knowledge of early project lifecycle stages including feasibility, option development and business case preparation
- Experience managing statutory processes such as planning, EIA and environmental approvals
- Experience leading the procurement and management of multidisciplinary consultant teams
- Experience developing project programmes, governance processes and reporting structures
- Familiarity with public sector funding and assurance processes
- Experience engaging with statutory stakeholders and infrastructure bodies
- Ability to develop and oversee strategic project documentation and client reporting
Desirable Experience
- Understanding of NEC forms of contract and infrastructure procurement routes
- Knowledge of cost management and risk management principles in infrastructure projects
- Experience with government or combined authority funding structures
- Understanding of land acquisition and compulsory purchase processes
- Awareness of public procurement regulations and compliance requirements
- Experience supporting stakeholder engagement and community consultation
Skills and Attributes
- Strong leadership and decision-making capability
- Excellent stakeholder management and client engagement skills
- Strategic thinker with strong programme and governance oversight
- Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple complex workstreams
- Collaborative approach to working across multidisciplinary teams
- Willingness to travel across the North West and Yorkshire as required
What’s on Offer
- Competitive salary (dependent on experience)
- Enhanced company pension scheme with salary exchange
- Private medical insurance
- Smart Health support – including 24/7 GP access, mental health support, fitness and nutrition advice (available to employees, partners, and dependants under 21)
- Company sick pay
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with additional loyalty days at 2, 5, and 10 years
- Paid volunteering days
- Life assurance
- Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
- Access to a benefits platform offering retail, restaurant, cinema and gym discounts
- Holiday buying/selling scheme (up to 5 days per year)
- Trained Mental Health First Aiders across the business
- Cycle to work scheme
- Regular internal training and access to a structured learning & development programme
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and fertility treatment leave, plus paid time off for pregnancy loss