Water Capture Lead​/Bid Director

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be h accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Start here. Grow here.

With unprecedented opportunity across the UK and Ireland water industry, AECOM’s Water business is seeking a Capture Lead / Bid Director to join the Strategy and Growth team.

In this role, you will be accountable for the capture, positioning, and successful bidding of major contracts within AECOM’s Water business. You will shape winning solutions through strategic positioning, early client and partner collaboration, and strong leadership across complex pursuits.

As the Capture Lead / Bid Director, you will own and lead AECOM’s largest and most strategic bids (typically £35m+ revenue), guiding teams through all pursuit stages. You will use your technical and client‑facing experience to define execution strategies, select partners, develop consortiums, manage risk and pricing, and mobilise the best resources to deliver compelling propositions across Regulated Water, Strategic Resource Options, and Climate Resilience sectors.

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Drive growth by positioning for and capturing key opportunities, including new business and renewals or extensions within priority accounts.
• Lead a holistic capture approach, incorporating client listening, win strategy development, solution shaping, marketing and communications planning, answer planning, reviews, debriefs, and lessons learned.
• Partner with bid, marketing, technical, operational, and commercial teams to develop robust Capture Plans for complex pursuits.
• Build and maintain a diversified pipeline of qualified opportunities aligned to business goals, using data‑led insight to focus on activities delivering the greatest value and return on investment.
• Own and champion pursuit strategies across the full sales lifecycle, from early capture and positioning through PQQ, ITT, BAFO, interviews, and post‑bid debriefs.
• Shape opportunities early by influencing scope, delivery models, and commercial structures through proactive market engagement and client positioning.
• Coordinate with strategic marketing to plan and deliver effective pursuit‑based positioning campaigns that strengthen client engagement and brand awareness.
• Maintain an external presence, building relationships with clients and partners to deepen understanding of market drivers and upcoming opportunities.
• Apply strong market, technical, and commercial insight relevant to each pursuit to improve capture effectiveness and win rates.
• Analyse competitive landscapes and apply learning from wins and losses to continuously refine capture strategies.

• Identify, select, and lead strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and consortiums to strengthen competitive position.
• Build trusted relationships with delivery partners, designers, contractors, technology providers, and supply chain organisations.
• Define partner roles, responsibilities, and value contribution to create integrated, compelling solutions.
• Act as the senior representative of the business in partner negotiations and alliance discussions.

• Build and sustain senior‑level client relationships across water companies, regulators, and public‑sector bodies.
• Lead executive‑level engagement during…