Water Consultancy Lead – SouthernLocation: South East England
Salary: £85,000 – £105,000 per annum
Type: Permanent
The RoleWe are seeking an experienced Water Consultancy Lead to establish and grow a new multidisciplinary water design capability in the South East. This is a senior leadership role with full responsibility for creating a satellite office, building a high-performing team, and delivering high-quality water industry design services in line with strategic business objectives.
You will play a key role in shaping the future of the business in the region, combining people leadership, technical governance, and operational delivery across regulated water projects.
Key Responsibilities*Establish and lead a new South East satellite office for water consultancy services
*Identify, attract, and recruit local engineering and management talent
*Build, manage, and develop a multidisciplinary design team, fostering a positive and high-performance culture
*Plan and grow the team in line with strategic objectives and manage organisational structure and resourcing
*Ensure all work is delivered in accordance with ESL design processes and procedures
*Oversee production of fully integrated design deliverables that meet safety, quality, programme, and budget expectations
*Ensure appropriate standards, best practice, and software tools are consistently applied
*Manage delivery to agreed timescales and design hours
*Ensure all project changes are fully captured and recorded in line with governance requirements
Required Qualifications & Experience*Minimum 10 years’ experience in a regulated engineering sector, such as:
*Water
*Rail
*Oil & Gas
*Nuclear
*Highways
*Bridges
*Degree or HND in an engineering or related discipline
*Strong IT skills and familiarity with modern engineering and management tools
*Proven track record managing multidisciplinary design teams and complex projects
*Demonstrable experience building and growing teams
Preferred Qualifications & Experience*Significant experience within the regulated water industry
*Chartered Engineer or working towards chartership (engineering or management discipline)
*Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
Key Skills & Competencies*Strong leadership and communication skills
*Results-focused with a strategic and commercial mindset
*Broad technical understanding across water and regulated infrastructure sectors
*Proven ability to develop, motivate, and retain high-performing teams
*Collaborative approach with strong problem-solving capability
What’s On Offer*Competitive salary of £85,000 – £105,000
*Rare opportunity to build and lead a new regional consultancy operation
*High-profile leadership role with significant autonomy and influence
*Long-term career progression at senior leadership level
If you are an established water sector leader looking to build and shape a regional consultancy business, we’d welcome your application.