Associate Director / Regional Lead, Land

We support high-profile infrastructure projects across the Energy, Water, Road, Rail and Local Authority sectors, with particular focus on regional growth, client relationships and delivery capability across Manchester, Leeds and the wider northern market. Many of our projects are critical to the deployment of renewable energy, infrastructure resilience, economic growth and the transition to Net Zero carbon emissions.

We are the largest Land Referencing business in the UK and Ireland, with over 390 Land colleagues. As part of WSP Land, you will work closely with colleagues across Manchester, Leeds and our wider UK and Ireland offices, alongside multidisciplinary teams made up of land consultants, highways engineers, environmental and planning specialists, engagement professionals and water engineers.

Associate Director role – regional leadership in Manchester and Leeds…

• Lead the delivery of WSP Land business development across Manchester, Leeds and the wider northern region, focusing on electricity, highways, rail, water, telecoms, gas and renewable energy sectors to secure new projects, extensions to projects and new clients.

• Work closely with WSP disciplines including Engineering, Engagement, Environmental and Planning teams, to identify multidisciplinary opportunities, strengthen regional collaboration and grow our business.

• Raise the profile of WSP Land across Manchester, Leeds and the wider northern market, building visibility with clients, partners, public bodies, target sectors and regional professional networks.

• Be a trusted advisor to clients (externally and internally). Actively engage with client capture teams and Key Client Managers (KCMs)

• Lead the writing of bids/tenders to secure opportunities

• Manage regional resource strategy, including staff retention, succession planning, recruitment and workload planning, to ensure the Manchester and Leeds teams have the skills, capacity and leadership needed to deliver successful projects and grow the business.

• Lead at Project Director level, successful delivery of projects on time, within budget and to the highest standards. 
• Undertake project reviews to support risk and opportunity management as appropriate. Routinely review task/project delivery to ensure alignment with client needs and objectives. Seek client feedback, proactively share it, and ensure feedback is acted on

• Provide technical direction on Land projects across the North of England and wider UK, including relevant statutory processes to acquire land and land rights such as CPO, DCO, Transport and Works Act Orders, compulsory acquisition, wayleaves and access arrangements.

• Contribute to positive team & project outcomes. Engender collective purpose to achieve project/team goals. Excellent team working with other members of senior leadership in WSP Land.

• Promote our WSP culture of health, safety & wellbeing (HS&W).
• Promote our adherence to Quality Assurance and development of our processes.
• Promote our adherence to Data Protection and development of our processes.

• Act as a regional champion for a core pillar such as sector strategy, client growth, people development, operational excellence or technical leadership.

• Regular travel between Manchester, Leeds and other UK offices and project locations.

 What we will be looking for you to demonstrate…

• Experience managing/directing the delivery of Land services including land referencing, Orders production, acquisition of consents, consultation and landowner engagement on infrastructure development schemes 
• Experience working with multi-disciplinary teams across a range of sectors and locations and through all stages of scheme development
• Experience of reducing land risk for clients and advising them on land related matters throughout all stages of a project lifecycle.
• Experience of Public Inquiries/Oral Hearings and managing Objections 
• Experience of developing business and services with existing clients
• Experience of securing and developing business with new clients

• Knowledge of the target regional market across Manchester, Leeds, the North of England and relevant UK infrastructure sectors.

• Experience in Bid writing and approvals process

• Experience of regional resource strategy, team development, succession planning and recruitment.

• Knowledge of rural environment, property, communities and agricultural working practices

• Strong landowner and public engagement skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with strong influencing and negotiating skills
• Excellent team working skills at all levels

• Ability to develop strong relationships with senior clients, regional stakeholders, management colleagues and multidisciplinary teams across Manchester, Leeds and the wider UK and Ireland business.

• Ability to work under pressure and deliver high quality outputs

• Good business and IT skills
• Excellent adherence to quality assurance, data protection, Health and Safety
• A degree in Geography, Agriculture, Land and Estate Management or similar
• Chartership or membership or a Professional body would be advantageous.
• The ability to travel effectively to various sites/locations is a necessary function of this role