Project Director - Water Infrastructure

AtkinsRéalis is one of the world’s leading engineering and project management organizations, delivering innovative solutions across infrastructure, transportation, energy, and water sectors. As part of our continued growth within the Water Sector, we are seeking an experienced Project Director to lead the successful delivery of major and complex water infrastructure programmes across the UK and internationally. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Project Delivery Practice (PDP) and play a key role in shaping, growing, and delivering critical water projects.

Working with major clients across the regulated water industry, you will lead multidisciplinary teams, build trusted client relationships, drive business growth, and ensure successful project outcomes from inception through to completion. The role combines strategic leadership, commercial accountability, and technical excellence while contributing to the delivery of sustainable and resilient water infrastructure solutions.

As a Project Director, you will provide strategic leadership and governance across major water infrastructure projects, ensuring successful delivery of programme objectives while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, commercial performance, and client satisfaction.

Key responsibilities include:

• Manage end-to-end delivery of major, complex water sector projects and programmes, ensuring safety, quality, schedule, and commercial success.
• Provide strategic management throughout the project lifecycle, from feasibility and concept development through design, construction, commissioning, and close-out.
• Act as the Project Director and primary client interface, building and maintaining trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and executive-level decision-makers.
• Oversee project performance, ensuring effective management of cost, schedule, risk, resource allocation, and performance reporting.
• Drive excellence in project governance, ensuring compliance with industry regulations, contractual obligations, and AtkinsRéalis delivery standards.
• Resolve complex commercial, contractual, and operational challenges while protecting both client and business interests.
• Apply extensive knowledge of the water sector, including water treatment, wastewater treatment, networks, reservoirs, flood resilience, and environmental sustainability initiatives.
• Maintain accountability for commercial performance, including contract strategy, financial management, forecasting, and negotiation of key project agreements.
• Mentor and develop high-performing project teams, fostering collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support business development activities through bid, client engagement, strategic account management, and securing future opportunities.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of best practices, delivery excellence, and capability growth within the Project Delivery Practice.
• Health, safety, wellbeing, and environmental performance across all project activities.

• Proven experience in managing major, complex multidisciplinary engineering or infrastructure projects at Project Director level.
• Significant experience within the regulated water industry, working with major UK water companies and associated stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience delivering large-scale capital programmes involving water treatment works, wastewater treatment facilities, pipeline networks, reservoirs, pumping stations, or flood resilience schemes.
• Extensive experience managing client relationships and stakeholder engagement within highly regulated and operationally critical environments.
• Strong commercial acumen, including budget management, financial forecasting, risk management, procurement, and contract administration.
• Experience operating under industry-standard delivery and contract frameworks such as NEC, FIDIC, or equivalent forms of contract.
• Strong lead capability with a proven track record of building, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams.
• Degree qualification in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Chartered professional status such as APM, ICE, CIWEM, RICS, or an equivalent professional institution.
• Strong understanding of health, safety, environmental, and quality management principles.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills with the ability to engage effectively at executive and board level.