Overview
WSP’s UK-wide Engagement team seeks an experienced leader to play a meaningful role in shaping how major infrastructure projects connect with communities. You will join a growing team of more than 60 professionals across water, health, energy and environmental sectors, delivering engagement that is thoughtful, impactful and built on best practice.
Key Responsibilities
Reporting to the Service Line Director for Engagement and Consultation, you will lead a regional team of communication and engagement experts and manage new and existing projects, strengthen client relationships and develop new partnerships.
Advising on stakeholder engagement and consultation
* Advise project teams and clients on engagement and consultation strategies for complex, multi‑disciplinary infrastructure projects.
* Ensure compliance with planning legislation, including DCO requirements and the Planning and Infrastructure Act (2025).
* Embed global best practice in communications, consultation and engagement.
* Plan and deliver stakeholder communications and consultations, including risk and issue management, public events and high‑quality outputs.
Providing leadership across projects and teams
* Lead and support teams delivering engagement across complex infrastructure projects.
* Work collaboratively with multi‑disciplinary teams to integrate engagement into project delivery.
* Provide line management, coaching and development for engagement specialists.
* Drive team growth and capability across the North, with a regular presence in the Manchester office.
Project management and commercial responsibility
* Take commercial and delivery responsibility for major infrastructure projects.
* Lead tender responses and support business development activity.
* Manage project resourcing, budgets, risks and programmes to ensure on‑time, on‑budget delivery.
Preferred Qualifications / Education
* Proven experience leading consultation and engagement on large, multi‑disciplinary infrastructure projects.
* Degree qualified or equivalent relevant professional experience.
* Membership of a relevant professional or trade body (desirable).
* Experience across road, rail, utilities, water, environment or energy sectors.
* Collaborative leader with a strong track record of building and motivating high‑performing teams.
* Demonstrable line management experience, including delivering training and performance improvement initiatives.
* Proven ability to build and sustain stakeholder relationships in complex, high‑profile and politically sensitive environments.
* Confident decision‑maker, able to act on own initiative.
* Influential communicator with strong negotiation and problem‑solving skills.
* Strategic, structured and adaptable, with the ability to operate in fast‑paced environments.
* Highly organised, with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
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