Technical Director / Principal Engineer

Westlakes Recruit are currently supporting on of our clients recruiting for a Technical Director / Principal Engineer based in Preston.
Purpose
We are recruiting for a Principal Engineer / Technical Director to join our Team in Lancashire (Preston).
You should have a strong technical base and have good experience to support our existing Technical Directors in cascading design requirements within the team. The primary purpose of the role is to lead and co-ordinate CS&A design teams from scope to design, ensuring consistent quality and timeliness of output. In addition to providing technical oversight for projects, you would also support our team's growth by supporting and encouraging the development of our engineers.
Your home office would be in Preston, minimum 3 days a week with the potential to work from home on the other two days. You may be required to travel occasionally to site or attend design meetings at Client offices as required by the project.
Primary Responsibilities
The role requires an experienced Chartered Engineer. You should be able to demonstrate leadership and the technical knowledge and experience to guide engineering teams in the following areas:

• Coordination of design outputs across all technical disciplines when necessary.
• Delivery of the design stage outputs of each project within the agreed timescale and budget.
• Representing in Design Reviews.
• Oversight of production of design documents which are cost effective, and meet the requirements of the specification.
• Ensuring that company/client standard designs and design practices are utilised wherever possible.
• Agreement of the design cost budget and monitoring performance against the budget and providing forecast costs to completion for individual projects.
• Recording, monitoring and controlling design changes in order to maximise cost efficiency.
• Establishing working relationships with client staff and supply chain representatives to promote buildability and supply chain efficiency in design outputs.
• Contributing to ensuring a safe working environment for all staff.
• Maintaining a positive and solution-oriented approach to work, providing open and honest feedback.
• Being aware of the need to satisfy customer requirements with the aim of enhancing the customers' perception and satisfaction.
• Taking all reasonable steps to ensure appropriate confidentiality.
• Supports and actively encourages continuous improvement and change management efforts.

Role Specific Responsibilities
Most of our commissions come from our clients in the Nuclear, Utilities Waste Water and Education Sectors.
The operational engineering delivery team in the Lancashire Business Unit consists of grades from graduate through to Technical Director (TD). The TD role has overall leadership and accountability for all technical deliverables that are produced and issued to our clients. One of our TDs is also our Technical Lead. The Technical Lead has overall leadership and accountability for all technical deliverables produced and issued to our clients.
Due to forthcoming retirement as well as our pro-active succession planning, we are looking for a strong Principal Engineer or Technical Director to particularly strengthen our technical skills and provide leadership to our engineering team.
Some of the specific duties would include:

• Leading, coaching, mentoring and supporting project teams in providing direction and guidance of civil and structural design and assessment of projects, ensuring efficient delivery within programme and budgets.
• A strong focus on health, safety and well being of our people as well as the way we work / design produce deliverables on our projects.
• Carrying out checking and approval of deliverables.
• Supporting the Technical leads in in our Preston office.
• Attending/presenting as required at design review meetings.
• A good strong understanding of project management and leadership following our monthly process cycle to review and report progress.
• Aware of and able to display the right behaviours to promote a thriving and inclusive working environment.

Experience, Education and other Requirements

• Be a Chartered Civil or Structural Engineer with minimum 10 years experience of running / leading projects.
• Have a broad knowledge of steel and concrete structures including water retaining structures to British Standards and Eurocodes.
• Nuclear experience including decommissioning works
• An understanding or proficiency in the use of software such as STAAD PRO. TEDDS, AutoCAD, Excel is preferred
• A team player with good interpersonal and communication skills with ability to adapt to diverse working environments.
• With "can-do" attitude, capacity to learn from others as well as being assertive in presenting own technical works.
• Mentoring more junior engineers to be part of the delivery team
• Excellent IT skills

Security clearance:

This role will require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. This can be discussed with you at interview. The vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer.