Associate / Associate Director

Job Description

Overview

AtkinsRéalis is a leading global professional services and project management organisation, delivering complex infrastructure, engineering and programme management solutions for clients across the UK and internationally. Within AtkinsRéalis, our Project Delivery Practice (PDP) brings together project and programme management professionals who lead the successful delivery of multidisciplinary commissions across sectors including Transportation, Water, Defence, Energy, Nuclear, Buildings and wider infrastructure markets. In the Midlands region, PDP supports a diverse and growing portfolio of clients and projects, drawing on local relationships, regional knowledge and the wider technical strength of AtkinsRéalis.

We are looking to introduce and grow Associate / Associate Director roles within our PDP and wider AtkinsRéalis Midlands team (based in Birmingham, Derby and Peterborough). This is an important opportunity to strengthen our local project management capability, support the continued growth of our regional delivery teams, and provide experienced leadership across a broad portfolio of infrastructure, design and programme delivery commissions.

The role will help establish a strong Associate / Associate Director presence, creating greater resilience within our delivery model while supporting client relationships, project governance, commercial performance, and team development. Working closely with PDP and AtkinsRéalis colleagues, the successful candidate will play a key part in embedding best practice, mentoring project management professionals, and shaping a clear pathway for future leadership growth within the office.We are looking for an experienced project management professional with a strong delivery background and, recognised professional accreditation through an appropriate industry body.

Your role

• Provide strategic leadership as an Associate, with the opportunity to operate at Director level on major, complex, and multidisciplinary infrastructure projects and programmes, overseeing delivery from inception through to completion.

• Lead the successful delivery of projects against agreed objectives, ensuring alignment with client requirements, AtkinsRéalis business priorities, and market sector strategies.

• Establish and maintain robust governance, programme controls, and delivery frameworks to achieve project outcomes relating to scope, schedule, cost, quality, safety, and sustainability.

• Act as the primary client interface, building trusted relationships and providing strategic delivery advice to support long term client engagement and business growth.

• Identify, assess, and manage contractual, commercial, operational, and delivery risks, ensuring appropriate mitigation measures are implemented to protect the interests of AtkinsRéalis, clients, and stakeholders.

• Lead, inspire, and develop high-performing multidisciplinary teams, fostering a collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement, inclusion, innovation, and excellence.

• Provide direction, coaching and mentoring to Project Managers and developing project professionals, supporting capability growth and succession planning across the business.

• Drive effective communication, stakeholder engagement and coordination across internal teams, clients, supply chains, partners and regulatory authorities.

• Develop and maintain integrated delivery programmes, resource plans and project execution strategies, ensuring clear coordination across multiple disciplines and workstreams.

• Manage and report on project financial performance, including forecasting, revenue recognition, cost management, risk allowances, profitability, cash flow, and Earned Value Management reporting.

• Support business development activities, strategic pursuits, and framework opportunities, contributing to bid preparation, client account management, and growth objectives.

• Lead project close-out activities, ensuring successful handover, lessons learned capture, knowledge sharing, client feedback collection, and continuous improvement across the organisation.

About you

• Relevant degree, professional qualification, or equivalent experience in project management, engineering, science, construction or a related discipline.

• Professionally qualified, recognised professional accreditation, such as Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), Chartered Engineer (CEng), Chartered Scientist (CSci), or equivalent membership/accreditation through an appropriate professional body.

• Substantial experience leading the delivery of large-scale, complex infrastructure projects and programmes across one or more major infrastructure sectors.

• Willing and flexible to travel to our projects.

• Demonstrable experience leading multidisciplinary design and construction teams through all stages of the project lifecycle, from inception and design through to construction, handover and close out.

• Extensive experience administering and delivering projects under NEC3 and NEC4 contracts, with strong commercial and contractual acumen.

• Demonstrable expertise in project controls, risk management, governance, financial management, forecasting, and Earned Value Management techniques.

• Strong leadership capability with experience managing, motivating, and developing high-performing teams and fostering collaborative working environments.

• Strong stakeholder and client relationship management skills, with demonstrable experience influencing senior decision-makers, managing expectations, resolving issues and building trusted relationships across clients, delivery partners, supply chains and regulatory bodies.

• Commercially focused, with experience managing project profitability, business performance and commercial risk, while identifying opportunities to improve delivery efficiency, enhance client outcomes and support sustainable growth.

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to coaching, mentoring and developing others, helping build capability across project teams and supporting a culture of continuous learning and professional excellence.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the ability to operate confidently at senior client and stakeholder levels.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career. Enjoy competitive salaries, employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices. Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise. And combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.

Be rewarded. Find out more.

About AtkinsRéalis

We're AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.

Additional information

Security clearance

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary, it will be discussed with you at interview. The vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer. If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance.

We are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they belong - a place where we can all be ourselves, thrive and develop to be the best we can be. So, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee resource groups to support all employees. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to offering an interview to all applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria. If you would like to be considered under this commitment, please let us know at the application stage.

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Worker Type

Employee

Job Type

Regular

At AtkinsRéalis, we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world-class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.