Technical Director - Water

From helping shape our environment to adapting to deal with the climate emergency, a career at Buro Happold presents the chance to make a difference. This opportunity is for an experienced and knowledgeable Associate Director or Technical Director to join our vibrant and friendly Water Team.

This role will be based in London with hybrid working.

Apply now and be where exception is everywhere.

Buro Happold’s Water Group provide consultancy services from ‘cloud to coast’ including water resource management, river engineering, flood risk management, coastal and maritime engineering. We work across all stages of design, from master planning through to detailed design, on UK and international projects. We enjoy collaborating with other Buro Happold disciplines, architects, planners, and environmental specialists, on sites that are universally exciting and valued by people.

To find out more about the Water discipline, please .

You will guide the delivery of flood risk management and river engineering projects, balancing technical excellence with strategic, commercial and leadership responsibilities. This post is for an engineer with a strong technical water engineering background who is motivated by winning work, delivering water engineering to international projects, and development of a team of other water professionals.

The role will be based in our London office and will include technical guidance in the following areas of work:

• Flood risk assessment and management
• Flood risk mitigation design
• River engineering
• Hydraulic design e.g. channel design, scour protection, etc.
• Hydrological and hydraulic modelling

• Extensive technical background in water engineering, covering at least two of the listed areas above.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi‑disciplinary delivery of water projects.
• Demonstrable experience of successful work winning, commercial stewardship, and client relationship development.
• Chartered status with a relevant professional institution (e.g. MICE) and commitment to professional progression.

• Provide technical leadership to a team of water professionals delivering water projects across the UK and internationally.
• Serve as a Project Director on multi‑ or single‑disciplinary commissions, establishing robust management systems and ensuring high‑quality output.
• Provide team leadership, coaching and mentoring of engineers within the team, promoting best practice in technical and commercial delivery.
• Oversee project finances, actively manage resources, monitor and control fee expenditure.
• Take a lead role in work winning through identification of opportunities, production of compelling bids pursuit of strategic business development across our international portfolio.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with our existing clients, collaborators, stakeholders and fellow professionals, acting as a principal representative for Buro Happold.
• Contribute to the vision for growth and development of the Water Team within the wider business.

Bring your knowledge and expertise to one of the world’s most respected consultancies.

• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Attractive salary and benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance and income protection.
• 10% Car allowance
• Holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum (exclusive of bank holidays) and flexible holiday arrangements.
• Generous company pension scheme.
• Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts.
• Enhanced parenthood leave policies.
• 3pm finish on the last Friday of the month.
• A strong commitment to your continuous development. Whatever stage in your career, we have a learning and development programme that will enable and empower you.
• Entitlement to two memberships to professional bodies or subscriptions.
• A commitment to your wellbeing through a comprehensive employee assistance programme and wellbeing activities. A supportive and inclusive environment that will welcome you through social and outreach activities from the Young Employees Forum to mentoring.
• An international culture that wherever your career…