Associate Director – Drainage Design Engineer

About the role

We are seeking an Associate Director to lead drainage design on major highways, rail, water and development schemes across the UK. You will provide technical leadership from concept through construction while helping to grow a nationally recognised drainage practice.

Key responsibilities

• Lead drainage design for highways, development and SuDS projects
• Act as Technical Lead on multidisciplinary schemes
• Oversee and assure drainage models, calculations and design outputs
• Manage project delivery, programme performance and budgets
• Champion digital engineering and BIM‑integrated design
• Support and mentor engineers, graduates and technicians
• Lead and review work delivered by international design teams
• Build strong client and stakeholder relationships
• Support bids, fee proposals, quality submissions and risk reviews
• Drive the growth and development of the drainage discipline

Required profile

• Extensive experience in drainage design, including highways and development projects
• Strong knowledge of SuDS, drainage approvals and design standards
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary project teams
• Technical assurance and design review expertise
• Client‑facing, project management and business development skills
• Experience mentoring and developing engineers
• Degree qualification and professional accreditation (or equivalent)

Required skills

• Drainage design
• SuDS
• Drainage modelling
• BIM
• Digital engineering
• Project management

What we offer

• High‑profile infrastructure projects
• Genuine technical leadership role
• Strong pipeline of long‑term work
• Hybrid and flexible working
• Clear progression and influence within the business
• Salary up to £85,000 plus car allowance, discretionary bonus and 10% pension