Account Leader - Contractor Portfolio

Job Description

Location/s: Flexible UK location with travel as required for client engagement and project delivery
Recruiter contact: David McFall

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices.

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the division
The Water Consultancy Division is Mott MacDonald’s centre of excellence for responding to water and wastewater challenges, offering fantastic opportunities to get involved in diverse and technically challenging work. The work we do is at the forefront of ensuring safe water supplies for future generations and protecting our environment. Our multi-disciplinary teams provide a variety of services throughout the full project life cycle, from advisory services and feasibility studies, through outline and detailed design, to construction support and site supervision.

About us
Within our Water Consultancy Division (WCD), the Contractor portfolio delivers projects ranging in complexity and value across the water sector, working alongside contractors to achieve outstanding outcomes. We pride ourselves on innovation, collaboration, and commercial and contractual excellence, ensuring great technical projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget.

Overview of the role
We are seeking an Account Leader for our Contractor Portfolio – a pivotal role responsible for building and maintaining strategic relationships with key contractors, driving both exceptional work-winning and project delivery. This is a senior position within WCD, reporting to the Principal Account Leader and working closely with the Portfolio Operations Manager, Divisional Senior Leadership Team, and other Account Leaders across the Division and Group.

You will:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for contractor clients in water, working closely with them to understand their needs and position for future opportunities
• Develop and execute account strategies, including Client Engagement Plans and annual account budgeting
• Lead bid and project governance, ensuring compliance with Mott MacDonald business management systems and project contractual requirements
• Drive profitable growth through identifying opportunities, converting prospects, and delivering projects to the highest standards
• Provide visible leadership to project teams, fostering a culture of safety, collaboration, and excellence

This role combines strategic account management with hands-on project leadership, requiring flexibility and a proactive approach to balancing priorities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Win: Lead pre-positioning, develop relationships, lead client engagement, and bidding for opportunities within the portfolio
• Governance: Maintain robust account plans, oversee bid and project reviews, and ensure both internal and contractual compliance
• Commercial Leadership: Manage risk, profitability, and overall commercial performance at portfolio level while also acting as Project Principal/Project Director for the most complex projects within the portfolio
• People Development: Mentor and support project principals and managers delivering projects within the portfolio
• Collaboration: Work with other senior leaders across the business to deliver integrated solutions and share best practice

Candidate specification
Essential:

• Strong contractual understanding, ideally with experience delivering complex projects under NEC3/NEC4 terms
• Proven commercial acumen with strong knowledge, ability and experience managing risk and change
• Demonstrable experience working with and delivering for contractors, ideally through infrastructure projects in the water sector (though experience in other sectors will be considered)
• Track record of winning and delivering complex projects as Project Director or equivalent
• Excellent relationship-building skills and ability to influence at senior levels
• Leadership experience with the ability to coach, mentor, and inspire teams
• Familiarity with business development processes and governance frameworks

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.