AtkinsRéalis
Associate Director – Project Management (Northwest)
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Associate Director – Project Management (Northwest)
Senior Technical Advisory Role – Associate Director (Education Portfolio)
Overview
AtkinsRéalis is a key partner on the Department for Education’s Technical Advisory Services 2025 framework, supporting delivery of a national programme comprising over 100 school projects.
In the North West, our £300m+ education portfolio (growing from 12 to 15–18 live school replacement projects) requires a senior leader in a critical Advisory Associate Director role. This position will provide technical direction, commercial oversight, and client assurance to ensure seamless execution of this high-value national programme.
This opportunity offers influence at a regional level, collaboration with a national framework team, clear progression to Director-level leadership, and the chance to drive strategic transformation within the UK’s education infrastructure.
Key Responsibilities
Technical & Delivery Leadership
- Act as the regional technical advisor lead across all North West DfE projects, ensuring adherence to national delivery standards and framework requirements.
- Provide operational governance, risk management, and delivery strategy assurance across project lifecycles.
- Lead gateway reviews and drive portfolio-level performance improvements to enhance regional delivery excellence.
- Direct and influence project teams (without line management) to achieve consistent, high-performance standards across all projects.
Framework Integration
- Ensure seamless alignment between regional delivery and the national framework team.
- Leverage deep expertise in the DfE Technical Advisory Services 2025 framework to standardise processes, reporting, and project approaches.
- Promote consistency in methodologies (scope, risks, reports, and governance) across the £250–£300m portfolio.
Commercial & Financial Management
- Oversee portfolio-level financial performance, including fee management, scope variations, and commercial risk mitigation.
- Contribute to 90% utilisation targets and disciplined P&L management to strengthen the national financial outcomes.
- Ensure accurate monthly reporting in line with corporate business cycles, delivering clear insights to support strategic decision-making.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Client Leadership
- Serve as a trusted advisor to Department for Education (DfE) senior stakeholders, including the DfE Head of Operations. Build and maintain strong relationships to enhance AtkinsRéalis’s reputation as a strategic consultation partner within the framework.
- Foster collaboration between regional operational teams and central national leadership to align priorities and deliver cohesive outcomes.
Requirements
Essential
- Proven project or programme management experience (minimum 10+ years) in the UK built environment, particularly within public sector, education projects, or large-scale infrastructure interventions.
- Practiced understanding of the DfE Technical Advisory Services framework, demonstrating knowledge of governance models, delivery standards, and school construction processes.
- Demonstrated ability to operate effectively at portfolio level, juggling multi-site projects, reconciling timelines, and resolving cross-disciplinary challenges.
- Strong commercial awareness, with experience in fee structure, scope optimisation, and value engineering (JCT contract knowledge a significant advantage).
- Ability to manage robust financial reporting, ensuring clarity between project delivery costs, corporate financial cycles, and P&L obligations.
- Track record of high-stake client-facing roles, with experience driving corporate relationships, shaping specialised advisory services, and securing client trust and buy-in.
- Chartered professional status (preferably APM, RICS, MRICS, or equivalent).
Desirable
- Experience in working within national frameworks or collaborative procurement models.
- Experience with JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal) contract frameworks.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Rewards & Benefits
At AtkinsRéalis, we foster career growth, sustainability, and employee well-being through a competitive salary package, paired with:
- Tailored employee benefits covering health, financial, lifestyle, and professional development needs.
- Continuous learning opportunities through workshops, training modules, and structured career progression.
- Flexible working models (hybrid schedules accommodated) and generous holiday allowances.
- A curated mission-driven work culture, engraining a sense of belonging, inclusive policies, and employee resource groups support diverse backgrounds.
About AtkinsRéalis
We are AtkinsRéalis, a world-leading engineering and infrastructure consultancy, driving positive change across global energy and transportation sectors. Our work—which spans end-to-end project delivery, resilience planning, and digital innovation—empowers future-proofing public and private sector assets.
With our global team of experts and a commitment to sustainability and EQ (Engineering Quotient) leadership, we continually innovate to engineer a better future for all.
Our ambition—to be one of the top five engineering firms in the world—drives a culture of ambition, respect, and opportunity, ensuring meaningfully rewarding careers for passionate engineers.
Additional Notes
Security Clearance: This role may require security vetting, and employers will confirm eligibility via UK Security Vetting (UKSV). III-concurrent candidates who hold, or can prove UK residency of 5+ years, should acknowledge their disclosure on submission—if no clearance theology is recorded—but otherwise should remain under pre-existing HMRC compliance.
You are valued as individuals; AtkinsRéalis champions equity and disability confidence, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to thrive. Equal-applications from all backgrounds are encouraged.
Come join us; together, we build a smarter, more equitable world.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills