Water Director

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A little more about your role: 

The Water Director for Ireland will develop and drive a focussed, cross-business approach to grow the Water business in Ireland as part of the WSP UK & Ireland (UK&I) strategy. 

The primary accountability of the role is to ensure that the Water Business Unit delivers its funding (sales) targets for the year in Ireland.

A member of the leadership team reporting directly to the Managing Director (MD), the successful candidate will work hand in hand with the MD to set and drive ambitious growth targets and lead the development of a series of accelerated go-to-market strategies for the Irish Water Business in accordance the WSP UK&I strategy.

The role will be the driving force on strategy, client engagement, lead and opportunity identification, business development and growth activities and will use their own network, along with those of the wider business, to identify future opportunities, lead the client development and business growth capability, oversee the formulation of winning bids, and be closely involved in developing relationships with key clients and potential partners. They will promote knowledge sharing across the UK&I business and wider WSP and ensure the combined skills and expertise base is showcased externally at every opportunity. 

The Water Director will take responsibility for creating and maintaining a leading position in its chosen markets and building long term trusted relationships with clients.

In collaboration with Business Unit Managing Directors, Strategic Growth colleagues and operations leaders, they will support the business in achieving its long-term ambitions in relation to growth, profit, sector profile and influence.

This will be achieved via several routes including: 

• Leading the development of strategies (using WSP’s market development playbook) for driving growth, increasing market share and enhancing expertise and experience levels within the water market in Ireland; 

• Leading the identification of new skills, products and services to meet future market challenges and client needs, and the enhancement of the business expertise and experience levels within WSP UK&I;

• Leading the overall client engagement and promotion of WSP UK&I as a trusted advisor, building long term, trusted relationships with key stakeholders and partners;

• Lead business development activity for the Water Business in Ireland, including pipeline and opportunity identification, early positioning and capture planning and subsequent bid leadership, working collaboratively with relevant Sector and/or Client Leads;

• Direct focused strategic market development plans, supporting identification and creation of alliances led by the Water Business Unit.

Collaboration will be fundamental to success, ensuring that there is a truly joined up and aligned approach to work winning and delivery that maximises opportunities created and strengths available across WSP. 

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate:

The Ireland Water Director will have oversight of all growth aspects of the Business Unit’s sales and growth plan. The following are the key areas included:

Leadership

• Provide highly visible leadership to the Water business in Ireland to support the ongoing development and delivery of a coherent growth strategy for the Business Unit, with a particular focus on client engagement, strategic opportunity identification and funding growth, through a strong external market presence.

• Coordinate with other WSP UK&I Business Units and with sector and client leadership to ensure strategic coherence, share best practice, opportunities and key resources, and in respect to the Business Unit’s client portfolio. 

• Accountable for funding (sales) and revenue targets within the Water Business Unit.

• Leadership of the Business Unit’s Strategic Growth team made up of strategic growth leads, sector leads, key client leads and bid managers and writers, promoting shared WSP UK&I values.

• Provide clear leadership on behalf of clients, translating into trust and confidence in the business’s ability to deliver in its markets.

Profitability

• Lead the development of a consistent and profitable business stream for the Business Unit (and where appropriate on behalf of the wider business as the lead Business Unit for multi-disciplinary work).

• Provide market insight and expertise to inform targets and support budget / business planning.

• Lead commercial strategies for the client portfolio, including bid governance and cross-business multi-disciplinary pricing.

Responsibilities

General

• Lead the development and implementation of the Business Unit’s Growth Plan for Ireland based on WSP’s consistent UK&I approach – including appraisal of trends in relevant sectors, target clients and focus services, growth targets and relative risks and stretch (investment) opportunities.

• Lead client account management, relationship building for key prospects / opportunities within the Business Unit’s client portfolio, building trusted relationships and driving sustainable growth. 

• Lead and promote the implementation of delivery excellence through understanding client needs, right first time and quality delivery, as part a role model for growth within the Business Unit.

• Promote growth by developing and embedding a client-centred culture within the Business Unit.

• Create and maintain collaborative relationships with clients, partner organisations, academia and suppliers as a trusted advisor to identify potential future opportunities.

• Recommend strategic hires, new propositions, partnerships, and M&A to achieve growth.

• Raise the profile of WSP as a recognised expert in the Business Unit’s markets. Represent the business on industry wide client panels and forums to promote thought leadership and change.

• Support international value propositions – representing the Business Unit at UK&I level and working collaboratively with global teams to co‑create relevant market offers.

People

• Inform competency management within the Business Unit, undertaking gap analysis against market demand, future needs and identifying requirements for future staff learning and development, recruitment or potential acquisition.

• Build a ‘strong bench’ of future client/growth leaders (succession pipeline).

Sector and Client Development

• Build stronger relationships with key clients, potential new clients and industry partners so that WSP is in the best possible competitive position to win strategic opportunities as they come to market.

• Lead or sponsor Key Client Programme accounts (own one, be Executive Sponsor to others) in particular Uisce Eireann and Northern Ireland Water and develop new prospective clients for the business.

• Conduct the research and analysis of business opportunities within the Business Unit’s markets, working closely with relevant Sector Leads.

• Lead identification, development, securing and delivery of opportunities.

• Lead forming of alliances, joint ventures and partnerships with the supply chain, competitors and contractors to enhance the Business Unit’s capability.

• Lead development activities through participation in external market profile raising activities and functions, and through involvement with key clients.

• Provide structured competitor and procurement‑route intelligence (evaluation frameworks, alliancing/integrator models) for early positioning and capture plans.

• Lead bids by contributing to and reviewing submissions, demonstrating added value both commercially and technically. 

• Lead prospect / fee bid reviews, input and overview. 

• Ensures WSP regularly collects and responds to client feedback to evolve the sector offer and work with senior leaders to rapidly resolve issues that could impact relationships, growth or reputation.

• Take role in conference representation / speaking as part of market profile raising, where appropriate.

• Executive reporting cadence for Business Unit growth and business development (wins/losses, pipeline status, revenue vs target, priority initiatives, client feedback).

Commercial / Financial Management 
(in support of the Business Unit Finance Directors and Operations Directors)

• Oversight of BU pipeline, backlog, sales & revenue data (timely, accurate CRM hygiene) with clear accountability.

• Bid governance ownership (reviews, cross‑business pricing for multi‑disciplinary pursuits).

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.

Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.

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