Technical Director - Civil​/Structures - Substations

Power Energy Systems (PES) Practice – Civil Engineering Structures Technical Director

Let's secure the future of energy. The Power Energy Systems (PES) Practice of AtkinsRéalis is seeking a Civil Engineering Structures Technical Director to join our team in the UK. We are looking for an energetic and experienced civil structures engineer who can both lead as a technical expert in the design of civil structures in the power sector and drive business results.

AtkinsRéalis specialises in all aspects of civil structures engineering within the energy, defence, and nuclear sectors in the UK and internationally. We're committed to providing industry‑leading engineering solutions right through the project lifecycle, from feasibility to commissioning, with value added through client‑side support as well as the construction phase. Our team is currently delivering work across the Transmission and Distribution sector in the UK, as well as supporting other energy and infrastructure business sectors.

By providing technical leadership across the organisation you will drive results by contributing to functional strategy, influencing senior stakeholders, and leading within the civil structures group and multidisciplinary project teams to deliver measurable outcomes. In this role, you will set direction for complex, high‑impact projects and initiatives, anticipate business and regulatory challenges or changes, and develop innovative solutions and offerings that move the business forward.

Being a technical director with us involves UK‑wide travel. We offer hybrid working which includes three days per week travelling/office‑based. This position can be based at any of our key locations:
Epsom, London, Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester or Glasgow. Other locations will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis.

• Provide technical leadership on detailed design projects across the power and transmission & distribution sector.
• Influence practice‑wide initiatives and recommend best practice to improve internal processes and services.
• Develop the discipline strategy, technical delivery and assurance across a growing portfolio of front‑end and detailed design projects for AIS/GIS HV substations (up to 400 kV), HVDC converter stations, etc.
• Serve as the recognised expert and technical authority in civil structural engineering of power and T&D‑related structures across the PES Practice and the wider AtkinsRéalis business.
• Build strong and trusted relationships; work with others, sometimes directly at client sites, sometimes from our offices.
• Collaborate with stakeholders at all levels, including internal and external clients, operational staff, project teams or external stakeholders.
• Recommend and drive improvements to processes, services and technical practices while ensuring robust engineering governance is consistently upheld.
• Oversee technical input into bid proposals, defining the delivery strategy and working with cross‑functional teams to prepare high‑quality, compliant, competitive submissions.
• Proactively identify opportunities for cross‑selling and business growth, using commercial insight to strengthen and expand client relationships and sell our value proposition to clients.
• Grow, develop and manage the Civil Structures engineering capability, particularly in the context of the UK T&D Sector, supporting talent development and succession planning.
• Anticipate emerging business, regulatory and technology challenges, identifying risks and opportunities early and advising senior leadership.
• Provide strategic oversight across multiple complex, multidisciplinary projects, ensuring technical excellence, safe delivery and alignment with client and practice objectives.
• Work independently even in the most challenging situations.
• Act as the point of escalation for the most complex technical matters and exercise personal judgement to find solutions.

• You have a proven track record of leading others to produce complex designs and drawings to applicable engineering codes and standards.
• You are comfortable working in new and changing environments and have a desire to contribute to the success…