Project Principal

Location/s: UK-wide

Recruiter contact: Andrea Gaffney

Mott Mac Donald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do.

The Buildings Unit (BLD) has a major presence in Mott Mac Donald’s regional offices throughout the UK and mainland Europe and focuses on the delivery of complex buildings projects across a range of sectors. Our work spans health, defence, education, justice, aviation, commercial and mixed‑use developments, as well as major and complex buildings programmes within cities and communities. We provide both local delivery and technical leadership across the Group’s buildings portfolio.

The Project Principal is a senior leadership role providing single‑point accountability for the successful bidding, mobilisation and delivery of complex, multidisciplinary buildings projects across multiple sectors. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the role sets delivery strategy, assures performance and provides senior oversight across the full project lifecycle. The Project Principal acts as the senior authority on assigned commissions, intervening where necessary to protect programme, commercial, safety and quality outcomes.

The role is particularly suited to individuals with experience operating in Design & Build and contractor‑led environments, where strong commercial judgement, governance, and the ability to manage delivery risk and interfaces are critical.

• Provide end‑to‑end leadership and accountability for complex buildings projects, from bid stage through mobilisation, delivery and close‑out
• Set and approve the overall project delivery strategy, including scope, programme, resources, budget, risk profile and governance arrangements
• Lead projects delivered in Design & Build, framework and contractor‑led environments, ensuring appropriate oversight of design development, interfaces and delivery risk
• Act as the senior escalation point for delivery, commercial, safety, quality or reputational issues, intervening decisively where outcomes are threatened
• Provide senior commercial oversight, including fee strategy, forecasting, change management and contract administration, ensuring projects remain financially robust and contractually compliant
• Lead and assure multidisciplinary teams, providing challenge and guidance to project managers and technical leads to maintain high standards of design quality and delivery performance
• Sponsor and chair key project reviews at critical stages, ensuring risks are understood, controlled and appropriately escalated
• Ensure that projects are resourced with appropriately skilled and competent teams and that effective assurance arrangements are in place
• Maintain oversight of health, safety and wellbeing risks, ensuring safe systems of work and compliance with relevant legislation and standards
• Act as a trusted senior advisor to clients, contractors and delivery partners, building strong relationships and managing expectations at an executive level
• Mentor and support senior project leaders, contributing to capability development and continuous improvement across project delivery

• Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or a related discipline
• Significant experience delivering complex, multidisciplinary buildings projects within a consultancy or professional services environment
• Proven track record operating in a senior project leadership role (e.g. Project Principal, Project Director or equivalent), with accountability for delivery outcomes
• Demonstrable experience working in Design & Build and/or contractor‑led delivery models, including managing design risk and interfaces
• Strong commercial acumen, including experience of contract management, forecasting, change control and risk management
• Sound working knowledge of collaborative…