Strategic Growth Lead: Planning and Advisory

About WSP

WSP is one of the world's leading engineering and professional services consulting firms. In Africa, we are recognized for our technical excellence, innovation, and commitment to delivering sustainable solutions across a diverse range of sectors.

• We value our people and our reputation.
• We are locally dedicated with international scale.
• We are future-focused and challenge the status quo.
• We foster collaboration in everything we do.
• We have an empowering culture and hold ourselves accountable.

We are committed to the achievement and maintenance of diversity and equity in employment.

WSP is seeking an accomplished Strategic Growth Lead:
Planning and Advisory to join our Planning & Advisory team. This is a senior leadership opportunity for a highly respected environmental and social specialist with a proven ability to secure, lead, and deliver major projects across Africa.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in growing the Planning & Advisory business, developing strategic client relationships, and leading the delivery of complex environmental and social advisory assignments, particularly within the mining sector.

This role is ideally suited to a commercially minded professional who combines strong business development capability with deep technical expertise and extensive project leadership experience across Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Drive business development activities for the Planning & Advisory business unit.
• Identify, secure, and lead significant project opportunities across Africa.
• Develop and maintain strategic client and account relationships.
• Lead proposal development, bidding activities, and client presentations.
• Contribute to and drive the annual business strategy for the Africa Planning & Advisory team.
• Support wider business growth initiatives across WSP's Earth & Environment division.

• Lead the technical delivery of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) studies, and related advisory services.
• Provide technical leadership and quality assurance across projects.
• Support multidisciplinary project delivery alongside biodiversity, water resources, waste management, mine closure, and related specialist teams.
• Ensure projects meet international lender standards and industry best practice requirements.
• Maintain professional registration and uphold technical excellence standards.

• Collaborate closely with technical leaders across the Earth & Environment division.
• Mentor, coach, and develop team members.
• Promote collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing across teams.
• Contribute to broader WSP policies and strategic initiatives.

• Champion WSP's commitment to Zero Harm.
• Act as a role model for SHEQ performance and behaviours.
• Identify and manage SHEQ risks within projects and operations.
• Promote and maintain a safe, healthy, and sustainable working environment.
• Demonstrate and uphold WSP's values at all times.

• Honours Degree or higher qualification in Environmental, Social, or a related discipline.
• Research-based postgraduate qualification advantageous.
• EAPASA Registration (mandatory).
• Minimum of 20 years' experience as an environmental and/or social specialist within consulting.
• Extensive experience leading and delivering local and international (Africa) ESIA and/or ESDD assignments.
• Demonstrated success in business development, client engagement, and project leadership.
• Experience working across Sub-Saharan Africa, with willingness and ability to travel.

• Mining
• Conventional Power Generation
• Renewable Energy
• Power Transmission
• Road Infrastructure
• Rail Infrastructure
• Oil & Gas
• Industrial Manufacturing

• Strategic business development and market growth expertise.
• Strong project leadership and technical excellence.
• Deep understanding and application of IFC Performance Standards and lender requirements.
• Excellent report writing and communication skills in English.
• Advanced project and programme management capabilities.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Ability to build trusted client relationships at executive level.
• Broad knowledge of environmental and social disciplines, including biodiversity, water resources, waste management, mine closure, and sustainability.
• Effective…