Commercial Lead / Project Principal

Mott MacDonald is committed to improving people’s lives through creating and delivering tailored development solutions.

We work in developing countries to alleviate poverty, establish good governance, and increase access, capacity and resilience in healthcare, education, water, sanitation, transportation, infrastructure and renewable energy – while safeguarding the environment and promoting human rights and gender equity.

We are looking for an experienced Project Principal/Project Director with a background in the water sector and demonstrable commercial acumen to join our International Water Portfolio as a senior member of our team. This is a senior role, and the successful candidate will be accountable for the commercial success of projects and be expected to line manage team members. The role is based in the UK and requires regular travel on short term assignments.

Mott MacDonald’s International Development Services Unit is working on development projects across South Asia and Africa. Our areas of work are social sector development, economic development and governance, health and education, water and sanitation, environmental management and climate change, and integrated water resources management.

What makes us different is that we approach problems from a fresh perspective. As an employee-owned company, we have the freedom and independence of mind to find new ways to enhance human well-being and foster social and economic development through connected thinking.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate and take positive steps to create an inclusive culture.

Responsibilities

• Ultimately accountable for the successful completion of all projects under their oversight. Success means commercial, financial, technical success and realisation of client benefits agreed at the bid stage:
  • Accountable for commercial success - ensuring contract terms and risk mitigations from the bid are put into practice and that risks are actively managed throughout project delivery.
  • Accountable for financial success - challenging and supporting Project Managers to ensure sufficient resources to deliver and challenging other interventions which reduce the ability to deliver
  • Accountable for client satisfaction - supporting Project Managers to ensure suitably skilled staff are made available and that action is taken to resolve significant relationship issues; managing the tension between internal and external needs.
  • Accountable for sound project governance - instigating formal reviews and application of lessons learnt within the project; assessing whether project structure is fit for purpose; ensuring risks are reviewed and mitigations put in place; ensuring that project plans are actively used to manage the project.
  • Accountable for technical success – challenging and working closely with technical principals to ensure excellent technical delivery
  • Ultimately accountable for Health, Safety and Welfare - working to Mott MacDonald’s global standards and reviewing Health Safety and Welfare alongside project commercials and risk.
• Develop strong relationship with clients
• Line management duties, including responsibility for an employee’s day to day employment, performance, development, and welfare.

Qualifications

The following experience/capabilities are essential for this role:

• A Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers
• Strong commercial acumen, in project delivery
• Experience in the oversight of project delivery, including accountability for commercial, financial, and technical project success
• Experience leading teams during the construction phase of engineering projects
• Experience of FIDIC contracts, including representing the company in the role of the Engineer
• Strong client and stakeholder relationship building skills.
• Effective communication, with Clients, project team and business managers.
• Ability to create an enjoyable and fulfilling work environment.
• Excellent people skills with confidence to take part in and chair high level meetings with public and private sector clients.
• The ability to respect and work well with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
• A track record of working in or supporting multi-disciplinary networked teams with team members based in several countries.
• Willingness to be flexible and adaptable, to learn new skills and apply existing skills to new areas of business.
• Willingness to travel on overseas assignments
• A background in the delivery and management of projects in the water sector

The following experience/capabilities are desirable for this role:

• Experience of managing international development projects in the water sector.
• Experience of working in a developing country, preferably in South/South-East Asia or Africa

We can offer (subject to Company’s policy)

• Agile and safe working environment
• Competitive annual leave and sick leaves
• Group incentive scheme
• Group term life insurance, Workmen’s compensation and Group medical insurance coverage
• Short and Long-term Global employment opportunities
• Global collaboration and knowledge sharing
• Digital Innovation and Transformation

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team and personal commitments. We embrace agility, flexibility and trust.