Drainage Highway Market Lead / Associate Director - UK Wide
Jacobs Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
At Jacobs, we are challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world’s most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission‑critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting‑edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.
Your impact
As a Drainage Highway Market Lead, you’ll play a central role in supporting the future of infrastructure across the UK and beyond. You’ll lead the delivery of high‑quality drainage design solutions for transportation and urban infrastructure projects, applying your deep technical expertise and understanding of UK standards to complex, multidisciplinary challenges.
You’ll guide a geographically diverse team across Ireland, the UK, and global offices—mentoring junior engineers, collaborating across disciplines, and ensuring technical excellence at every stage of project delivery. Your leadership will foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing, while your proactive approach will help drive sustainable, compliant, and efficient design outcomes.
In this role, you will
* Lead drainage design across all project stages, ensuring compliance with UK standards and client expectations.
* Mentor and develop junior engineers, supporting their growth and technical development.
* Collaborate with clients and approval authorities, building trusted relationships and delivering strategic solutions.
* Champion innovation and sustainability in drainage design, contributing to decarbonisation and resilient infrastructure.
* Work flexibly across offices and client sites.
Jacobs’ Transportation team is recognised for delivering high‑profile projects for clients such as Transport Infrastructure Ireland, National Highways, Transport Scotland, Network Rail, Welsh Government, HS2 Ltd, and numerous Local Authorities. With a growing portfolio in Ireland and internationally, this role offers the opportunity to influence major infrastructure developments while advancing your career in a supportive, forward‑thinking environment.
Thriving communities. Healthy cities. A brighter future.
Here’s what you’ll need
* Degree in Civil Engineering or a related discipline.
* Chartered Engineer status (CEng) or equivalent.
* Extensive experience in drainage design for highways and urban environments.
* Strong knowledge of UK Transport Infrastructure standards and the SuDS Manual and other drainage guidance.
* Proven experience obtaining design approvals from authorities.
* Proficiency in drainage modelling software and tools.
* Strong understanding of health and safety legislation.
* Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trust across teams and with clients.
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Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.
With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximise your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well‑being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.
We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here.
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As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.
We value collaboration and believe that in‑person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.
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Seniority level
Not Applicable
Employment type
Full‑time
Job function
Other
Industries
Civil Engineering, Design Services, and IT Services and IT Consulting
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