Managing Director
Overview
A leading global engineering and consulting firm is seeking a Managing Director to lead and establish its London structural design office. This senior leadership role will act as a critical link between the firm's US operations, UK presence, and Middle East delivery teams, particularly Saudi Arabia. The position combines office build out, business development, technical leadership, and international collaboration, with a strong emphasis on large scale projects across sports, aviation, rail, and major civic infrastructure.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
* Build and lead the London office, initially in a flexible workspace environment before transitioning to a permanent location
* Define and execute the long term vision for the UK structural design practice in alignment with global leadership
* Position London as a gateway office connecting UK architects, talent, and clients with international delivery hubs
* Partner with US and Middle East leadership on business planning, growth strategy, and operational alignment
Structural Design and Technical Oversight
* Provide senior technical leadership on complex structural design projects from concept through delivery
* Contribute technically where required across structures, façade engineering, protective design, and parking structures
* Ensure technical quality, consistency, and alignment with UK and international design standards
* Support innovation in design delivery, modelling integration, and construction driven solutions
Team Leadership and Office Growth
* Build and scale the London team to approximately ten people in the initial phase
* Hire and develop senior leaders, project managers, engineers, technicians, and Revit modellers
* Foster a collaborative, high performance culture aligned with the firm's global values
* Work closely with the construction modelling group and Oxford based team to support delivery
Client and Market Development
* Drive business development across priority sectors including sports, aviation, rail, and large scale civic projects
* Maintain and grow relationships with key architectural partners including Populous, Foster + Partners, and Zaha Hadid Architects
* Build trusted relationships with major global contractors and infrastructure clients
* Lead key pursuits, proposals, and strategic partnerships in the UK market
International Collaboration
* Collaborate closely with teams in Saudi Arabia, the US, and India on major projects
* Support cross regional resourcing, coordination, and knowledge sharing
* Leverage Middle East delivery experience to support large scale and complex international projects
* Act as a senior point of connection across global structural design operations
Qualifications
* Bachelor's degree in Structural or Civil Engineering with a Master's degree preferred
* Chartered Engineer status in the UK required through ICE or IStructE
* 15 plus years of experience in structural engineering and design leadership
* Proven experience delivering major projects in sports, aviation, rail, or large civic infrastructure
* Middle East project delivery experience preferred, with Saudi exposure a strong plus
* Demonstrated success leading teams, managing regional operations, or owning a P and L
* Strong business development capability combined with technical credibility
* Excellent communication skills and comfort operating in a global, matrixed organisation
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