Senior Civil Engineer

Job Description

Purpose of this role

The successful candidate will play a leading role in growing the civil engineering portfolio within the International Development team. This will involve working across a multi-disciplinary team, providing business development, project management and technical leadership. The role will be expected to provide technical leadership on existing projects whilst also seeking to better represent Arup’s wider infrastructure capabilities to our client base, particularly in an advisory / climate resilient infrastructure space.

The role will deal with projects of varied types, scales and locations in under-developed countries. Projects include tasks such as conducting research, analysis, planning, design, technical assistance and capacity building.

Major Responsibilities

Business development

Working with the leadership and other members of the group, you will be expected to contribute to winning new work in the area of resilient infrastructure. This will include:

• Researching and managing clients to nurture relationships and create business opportunities
• Monitoring tender announcements to determine which opportunities are a good fit for Arup
• Preparing expressions of interest, or full proposals, to describe key services that Arup can provide, or key approaches to address challenges. This will include compiling inputs from other Arup groups and external consultants to contribute to proposals
• Leveraging Arup’s multi-disciplinary offer to create and shape new service offerings in the International Development space
• Developing and mobilising your own network of clients and partners for work winning
• Supporting marketing and external engagement for the purpose of business development

Project Delivery/Technical Leadership

Leading small and medium-sized projects as a project manager, or working as a task leader, you will provide technical direction and input, contributing to the delivery of high quality outputs:

• Leading in areas of technical skill to conceive and define strategic, design, or policy responses within projects.
• Applying technical skills to ensure technical rigour is achieved, and preparing project documents to advise on this.
• Authoring high quality official project documents, including reports, presentations or other outputs (for internal or external use).
• Overseeing and coordinating desk-based and primary research for specific project needs.
• Delivering workshops and project meetings to effectively progress projects.
• Playing an integrator role in co-ordinating inputs from multi-disciplinary teams within Arup and external project partners.
• Liaising with the client to ensure they are fully updated on project progress and challenges, and that expectations are mutually understood.

Project Management

For small and medium-sized projects, you will take on a leading project management role:

• Planning project work, assigning tasks and responsibilities to team members and external partners, in alignment with skills and budget.
• Monitoring spending against budget and ensuring commercial success of projects.
• Being accountable to the Project Director for the commercial health, legal compliance and quality of work delivered through the project.
• Ensuring Arup’s management and quality assurance systems are adhered to in all processes.
• Documenting lessons learned for future improvement.

Team Management

As a project manager, and as a line manager of certain staff, you will be responsible for their performance and development. This will include:

• Providing coaching, direction and advice to staff to ensure their professional development.
• Completing performance reviews to discuss and document progress and challenges, and to make plans for improvement.
• Working with staff to develop personal development plans, and ensuring they can follow these, making the most of development opportunities that are available.

Skills development

In your current skill area and new areas, you will:

• Participate in internal and external skills networks to grow own skills and to build professional networks
• Capture best practice guidance from own projects and from skills networks, and disseminate these, including representing Arup at external meetings.
• Building capacity of junior members of the team as a mentor and raising awareness of the international development practice widely within Arup

Person Specification

The following knowledge and skills may be acquired through a combination of formal schooling, self-education and prior experience.

Knowledge and Experience

• MSc/ MEng in Civil engineering (or equivalent)
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) registered with a professional institution such as the Institution of Civil Engineers (or equivalent).

• Extensive knowledge and technical expertise in civil engineering that may include a variety of skills, for example: water and sanitation, flood risk and drainage, nature-based solutions, site development, power supply, pavement design, civil structures and earthworks.
• Experience advising on climate resilient infrastructure and in an infrastructure advisory space generally. Ideally this would include early stage project definition / structuring including familiarity with project appraisal / feasibility methodologies, infrastructure finance and procurement approaches.

• Experience of working in or with the development sector, working with in-country partners including national and local governments, UN Agencies, Donors and NGOs.

Skills

• Able to manage a complex and varied workload often involving multiple concurrent projects. The ability to prioritise tasks, work under pressure and meet strict deadlines is essential.
• Understanding of “customer” needs (both internal and external) and issues which may impact on maintaining effectiveness within a commercial environment
• Demonstrable, project management skills, including developing work plans, and organising team members according to these plans, preferably in contexts which are low on data and capacity.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to translate concepts into more simple ideas, particularly in cross-cultural environments
• Strong team working skills, working in creative and collaborative teams, and ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams with team members from varying backgrounds
• Writing skills, with the ability to develop persuasive arguments for both proposals and reports.
• Research and analysis skills, including both secondary and primary research.
• Strategic thinker, with experience contributing to creative and appropriate solutions in wide-ranging contexts.
• Skills in developing and delivering training and capacity-building approaches which can lead to learning among clients and partners
• Fluence in English; additional language are an asset.

• Digital skills are an asset, for example experience of digital drawing and design tools (AutoCAD, Civils 3D), graphic design and presentation software (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, PowerPoint), knowledge of GIS and BIM, or experience using hydraulic design software.

Work Environment

• This position is based in the London office but will involve travel to project locations up to 30% of the time, when travel restrictions allow.
• Arup has recently introduced flexible working approaches, allowing staff to work from home a portion of the time.

Rewards and Benefits

We offer a competitive salary at all levels, and one of the best benefits packages in our sector. Core benefits include cover under the UK Healthcare Plan (private medical insurance), Life Assurance, Accident Insurance, and Income Protection (long term disability) cover. Core benefits are funded by us and made available to all permanent staff in order to support and safeguard your financial, physical, and mental wellbeing. You will also have access to Choice Benefits to help with your work/life balance and financial security. In addition, all permanent employees are eligible for the Global Profit Share scheme. Subject to scheme rules employees can receive two Profit Share payments per year, which are dependent on the firm’s financial performance.

What happens next?

If this could be the next step in your journey, please apply online. All applications will be considered, and we will try our very best to respond to you within 72 hours of receiving your application.

Stay safe online - Arup will never ask for payment or your bank details as part of our recruitment process.

Closing date for applications is 29th September 2021

About the Organization

Arup is an independent global professional services consultancy whose mission is to shape a better world. The International Development team works to reduce vulnerability in emerging economies and fragile contexts, to contribute to safer, more inclusive and resilient communities. Our work includes improving critical infrastructure systems and services such as education, health and water; and building resilient and inclusive urban systems, such as through resilience measurement and urban regeneration. Core themes of sustainability, social inclusion, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation are instilled throughout our work.

The team works with like-minded partners including bilateral and multilateral agencies, foundations, civil society organisations and research institutions, to deliver projects in Southern and Eastern Africa, South and South-East Asia, Latin America, and in Small Island Developing States in the Pacific and Caribbean.

Previous related projects include the development and testing of the City Water Resilience Approach, creating surface water management guidance for humanitarian contexts, developing flood-resilient infrastructure for river basins in Peru and urban infrastructure resilience assessments in Ghana.

Shape your time with us

Our goal is to shape a better world. And to do that, we need to make Arup a phenomenal place to work for everyone. If we want to solve problems for people around the world, we must seek and attract the best people from the widest talent pool and create an environment that supports and includes them. We aim to encourage a culture where people can be themselves and be valued for their contribution. This includes people with disabilities, so please discuss any adjustments that you may require throughout the selection and assessment process with your recruitment contact.

At Arup, you’ll be a welcomed member of the team with opportunities to participate in cultural and social events with the local community (e.g. as a STEM ambassador) or by joining one of our staff networks for women, culture or LGBT+ people. You’ll have access to a range of flexible working options – whether you’re a parent, a carer, a student, or just have a busy lifestyle - we recognise it’s not always easy to commit to standard working hours so if you're interested in flexible working, please let us know when you apply, and we'll discuss how this could work in your role.

Join us in shaping a better world.

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcome all qualified applicants. You will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to sex, race, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, genetic data, or other legally protected status. We recognise that not all disabilities are visible and will make reasonable adjustments to cater for diverse applicants in the selection and assessment process.