Location: Croydon, UK

Recruiter contact: Ainsley Anstess

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices.

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you're surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the business unit

We help conceive, drive, and implement transport solutions for cities, regions, and asset owners/operators around the globe. From preparing the business case and advising on related issues - such as revenue, procurement, and environmental legislation - to delivering the completed infrastructure and helping maintain it. Our planning, engineering, environmental and management skills cover the whole project cycle. We play a major role in developing and delivering the Global Transport Sector Strategy.

Overview of the role

Our specialist aviation team is based in London, UK, and delivers major airport planning and development projects globally, working collaboratively with our regional offices. We are seeking an Account Leader / Client Director to engage with clients, generate and secure project opportunities, contribute to growth of our aviation portfolio and be accountable for the delivery of major airport planning and development projects.

The successful candidate will be proactive and dynamic, with a business development mind-set, with a proven ability of winning work with world class airports. The candidate will work collaboratively with a globally respected and diverse team of airport planners, airfield engineers and forecast, capacity and business analysts.

Key duties and responsibilities

Business Development

• Proactively seek and pursue new business opportunities to grow the airport master planning and capacity portfolio
• Leverage an established industry network to build and maintain relationships with new and existing clients
• Represent Mott MacDonald with authenticity and integrity at industry conferences, networking events, and client meetings to enhance our profile

Account Leadership

• Accountable for our relationship with one or more significant airport clients in the role of Account Leader / Client Director
• Develop and maintain strong and robust client relationships with key directors at airport owners and operators
• Capture planning and pre-positioning for upcoming opportunities and prospects with clients – identifying opportunities and turning them into prospects
• Drive the bidding process to convert prospects into projects, be responsible for bid teams, producing high-quality proposals that are both technically and commercially sound
• Managing risk and commercial performance on projects
• Working effectively with the Aviation Market Director, Practice Leaders and Resource Managers to bring the right resources to deliver the project to the client\'s satisfaction and meeting Mott MacDonald\'s profit targets
• Addressing client\'s issues and fulfilling their aspirations
• Oversight of other discipline projects with your clients to maintain the relationship

Project Delivery

• Direct major airport planning and development projects with your clients or others, when required to do so
• Perform the role of Project Director/Principal, ultimately accountable for successful outcomes, coaching and mentoring Project Managers and Technical Leaders
• As Project Director/Principal accountable for the successful completion of all projects under your oversight. Success means sound governance, commercial, financial, technical, health, safety and welfare, and realisation of client benefits agreed in the proposal phase
• Direct projects to achieve quality deliverables on time and on budget to maintain customer satisfaction without compromising target profit

Candidate specification

We are looking for a flexible and motivated professional with experience and a genuine passion for the aviation industry.

Essential

• A proven track record of success in business development and winning work with major airports
• Extensive experience in airport planning and capacity, including work on large scale airport development programmes
• Excellent communication skills including client and stakeholder negotiation
• A degree in airport planning, air transport management, aeronautical engineering, civil engineering. Candidates with other relevant qualifications may be considered
• Chartership is not essential to apply for this role but is expected of a candidate who has qualifications aligned with a professional institution
• Fluency in English – knowledge of other languages will be valued as an advantage
• A strong and active network of clients in the aviation industry
• To deliver this role you will be required to travel regularly to domestic and international clients and be expected to work overseas on key projects as and when required
• Proficient in Microsoft software
• Knowledge of simulation modelling tools and the ability to manage others to use them to deliver capacity and demand analysis outputs

Characteristics

• Proactive and self-motivated, with a learning mindset
• Excellent networking skills, able to build and maintain client relationships
• Well-connected in the airport sector, with a respected industry reputation
• Strong business development skills, with experience in generating and winning work
• A team player who nurtures and uplifts colleagues, and is able to foster teamwork and collaboration
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, which allow you to confidently liaise with clients and lead cross-functional teams
• Strong project director skills with an ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

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 can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

Agile working

We are happy to talk openly about flexible working and how we can support your responsibilities beyond the workplace.

Benefits

Health and wellbeing

We offer a range of benefits to support health and wellbeing, including:

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years\' service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.