AECOM
Practice Director - Systems Engineering, Safety Assurance & Engineering Management
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
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 most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.
There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite professionals to bring bold ideas and join a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, and program and construction managers delivering impactful projects globally.
We're one global team driven by our common purpose.
Start Here. Grow Here.
Job Title
Practice Director, Systems Engineering and Safety Assurance (SESA) & Engineering Management (EM) – Transportation Business
AECOM is seeking a highly experienced and dynamic Practice Director, SESA & EM to support the Transportation business’s growth and project delivery. This role will be a strategic leader in work winning, operational excellence, and people development, fostered through regional and Enterprise Capability (EC) collaboration.
The director will oversee the diverse portfolio of Rail projects, expand the practice’s capabilities to meet demands from high-growth sectors, and drive multi-disciplinary, complex infrastructure projects.
Role Overview
This is a demanding yet rewarding opportunity offering:
- Leadership in project and client relationships at a national and global level
- Continuous improvement through performance metrics and refinement of delivery standards
- Development of a high-performing team and enhancement of workforce capability and inclusivity
- Full ownership of operational excellence, business development, and strategic growth
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.
Primary Responsibilities
1. Project & Client Leadership
- Provide strategic direction for the Transportation Systems Practice, strengthening contract delivery
- Foster long-term client partnerships across diverse project portfolios
- Ensure on-time, on-budget, and high-quality project delivery
- Implement AECOM’s project governance standards
- Build and collaborate with supply chain and partner networks
2. Leadership & People Development
- Lead the systems engineering, safety assurance, and engineering management communities
- Grow a nationally distributed workforce across regions and industries
- Embed best practices through cross-Enterprise Capability (EC) collaboration
- Drive utilisation performance and optimise resource alignment
- Mentor, develop, and retain high-performing teams
3. Operational Excellence & Performance
- Monitor and improve leading and lagging quality, safety, and sustainability metrics
- Embed strong safety, health, and environmental (SHE) practices, championing a visible leadership presence
- Grow the practice’s operational and technical expertise to outperform competitors
- Align resource planning with global KPIs and growth targets
4. Collaboration & Strategy
- Enhance interdisciplinary project delivery by sharing technical expertise
- Strengthen regional communication and shared knowledge
5. Business Development & Work Winning
- Secure repeat business and emerging opportunities beyond the current Transportation framework
- Contribute holistic capabilities to landscape-level bids and tailored discipline-specific strategies
- Embed emerging delivery elements (e.g., cross-border exchanges) into cross-sector projects
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Requirements
Applicants must have:
- Proven success leading multi-disciplinary, complex infrastructure projects across various geographies, sectors, or business lines
- Strong capability in work-winning, consulting & global client relationship management
- A willingness to develop people and drive operational quality/innovation
Highly desirable:
- Experience within rail, transportation, or infrastructure sectors
- Systematic safety leadership within a complex commercial setting
For someone passionate about scientific rigor, large-scale credibility, and bottom-line growth with a commitment to safety and wellbeing, this is the role to take on infrastructure change.
Working at AECOM
We celebrate neurodiversity, inclusion, and the unique perspectives of all backgrounds. AECOM is an Equal Opportunity Employer, adhering to disability accommodations:
- Contact ReasonableAdjustmentsUKI@aecom.com for support
- Applied candidates with disabilities who meet minimum criteria receive interviews
Join us, and thrive in a uniquely hybrid, well-connected, and people-first workplace culture:
- Competitive compensation, benefits, and well-being programs
- Association with the world’s leading publicly traded Fortune 500 infrastructure firm ($$16.1B revenue FY2025)
- Flexible, dynamic work environments promoting innovation and enduring impact
Additional Notes
ReqID: J10154147
Business Line: Transportation
Business Group: DCS
Strategic Business Unit: Europe & India
Career Area: Engineering
“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