Technical Director Engagement

About the Role

Within our Planning and Consents business, your primary focus will be providing engagement services for the Development Consent Order (DCO) process across large UK infrastructure projects. You will advise project teams on stakeholder and community engagement strategies, ensure legislative and regulatory compliance, and identify opportunities to embed global communications best practice. You will also plan and deliver stakeholder communications, manage public information events, and oversee risk and issue management to achieve consultation objectives. You will lead and enable a regional team of engagement specialists, developing a DCO‑focused training programme and providing line management. Project management responsibilities include tender production, resourcing, budget control and delivering schemes on schedule and within budget. • Advise project teams on stakeholder and community engagement strategies for nationally significant infrastructure projects. • Ensure compliance with all legislative and regulatory requirements for Development Consent Orders (DCOs). • Plan and deliver stakeholder communications, public information events, and consultation activities. • Identify and embed global communications and engagement best practices across projects. • Lead and train a regional team of engagement specialists, including line management and competency development. • Manage project resources, budgets, and risks to deliver schemes on time and within budget. • Produce tenders and pursue business development opportunities for significant infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸stakeholder engagement
• ▸dco compliance
• ▸communication planning
• ▸team leadership
• ▸budget management
• ▸tender production

What You Bring

We are looking for candidates with demonstrated experience leading consultation and engagement on large multidisciplinary infrastructure projects, a degree or equivalent experience, and preferably membership of a relevant professional body. Experience in road, rail, utilities, water, environment or energy sectors, strong line‑management and training delivery skills, and the ability to build stakeholder relationships in complex environments are essential. • Hold a degree or equivalent experience and proven experience leading consultation processes on large multidisciplinary projects. • Demonstrated line‑management experience and ability to deliver training initiatives. • Strong stakeholder‑relationship building, negotiation and problem‑solving skills.

Requirements

• ▸degree
• ▸consultation
• ▸line‑management
• ▸training
• ▸stakeholder
• ▸infrastructure

Benefits

You will join a UK‑wide team of 65+ communication and engagement specialists, reporting to the Head of Consultation and Engagement and leading a regional team of experts. Flexible working is offered with a mix of in‑person team days and home‑based days. WSP is one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms, with 72,800 people globally and over 9,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, committed to creating positive, long‑lasting impacts in communities. We offer work‑life balance through a hybrid model, inclusive culture, health and wellbeing programmes, flexible “WSP My Hour” time, and development opportunities such as training, mentoring and chartership support. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria and provide workplace adjustments where needed. • Hybrid working model with two remote days and flexible “WSP My Hour” for personal activities each day. • Access to Thrive wellbeing programme, virtual GP service, Gymflex discounts, menopause support and flexible leave options.

Work Environment

Hybrid