Deputy Head of Industry

Manchester, England, United Kingdom

12/20/2024

Job Description

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?

At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

A Little More About Your Role…

This role profile relates to the Industry discipline, which by 1 st January 2024 will represent circa 60 FTE’s (including our iCRC team in Bengaluru, India) specialising in process engineering across Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences, Advanced Chemicals Manufacturing, Fine Chemicals and Fibres.

Purpose of the role

Working with the UK Head of Industry, the primary objective of this role is to provide leadership to the Industry team with a focus on people, projects, and clients and to deliver growth in accordance with the two UK Industry Sector Growth Strategies.

Within a devolved and empowered leadership model, the Deputy Head of Discipline (DHoD) will be granted autonomy to make appropriate decisions to meet market and business needs, working closely with the Industry senior leadership team. The DHoD will be accountable for ensuring we have the right people, pipeline and clients to deliver the discipline Budget / Forecasts.

Cross working within the SBU and the wider UK / Global business is also an important part of this role, to cross sell both internally and externally to mutual clients. Engagement with our colleagues in iCRC is also important, both to give a competitive advantage and to provide talent to support project delivery.

To allow the DHoD to focus on people, projects and clients, they will be supported by P&B’s Operations Director, Human Resource and Financial business partners.

Accountabilities

Leadership

• Actively demonstrate leadership in Health & Safety, with a commitment to a Zero Harm culture.
• Activley demonstrate leadership in Ethics and business governance.
• Exhibit and demonstrate behaviours and attitudes in accordance with WSP core values through effective team working with open communication.
• Provide strategic direction for Industry and strategic support to the Head of Industry.
• Implement Industry Sector Growth Strategies and work with other Discipline Directors to identify areas where our services/skill sets can be integrated through multi-disciplinary working, playing hardest where our skills intersect
• Provide highly visible leadership and strategic direction for the Discipline with overall accountability for strategic recruitment, training, development and retention of HiPo’s and outstanding experts.
• Work with Industry’s Technical Engineering Director to develop and build an integrated technical capability as WSP’s global centre of excellence for process engineering; including continuing to improve market profile as well as promoting on-going relationships with academia, professional institutions and other centres for developing technical excellence.
• Provide coordination with other disciplines, within the SBU and across the UK / Global business, to ensure sharing of best practice, innovation and project delivery skills.
• Be a role model for hydrid working, actively encouraging Industry’s return to the office to improve wellbeing, collaboration, cross selling and quality assurance
  
  

Commercial & Financial

• Accountable for developing and delivering Industry budgets (Revenue, Operating Margin, EBITDA and DSO) and associated month end and quarterly business reviews
• Accountable for accuracy of Industry financial forecasts and achieving pipeline KPIs for long term secure workload that reflects Industry’s size
• Accountable for Discipline working capital management.
  
  

Expected Project Utilisation

• The DHoD role is expected to achieve 60%+ utilisation on fee earning projects
  
  

Line Management

• DHoD is responsible for the line management of the Industry SLT, including regular 121s and annual PDRs. Industry SLT roles and responsibilities are detailed under separate cover.
  
  

Responsibilities

• Client Relationship Management – actively involved in building and maintaining key client relationships either directly or by enabling comparable senior enagement and continuing to drive a client centered culture within Industry.
• Bidding & Proposals – support strategic bids by contributing and reviewing submissions and attending client presentations. Undertake prospect / fee bid reviews, overview and sign off proposals in accordance with authorisation matrix.
• People – in association with HR, develop and implement Industry succession planning, together with active strategic recruitment and talent management, building on WSP Listens feedback.
  
  

What We Will Be Looking For You To Demonstrate…

• Leadership – Demonstrates the desire to constantly improve, motivate and encourage others; lead and implement change programmes; inspiring colleagues and driving an innovative and supportive culture. Acts as a catalyst for change and leads by example.
• Strategic thinking and direction – forward thinking, capable of visualising and planning for the longer term. Designs, communicates, engages and drives the implementation of design and technical initiatives and strategies.
• Communication - demonstrates an ability to communicate effectively and uses own knowledge to support and coach others as required. Actively champions sharing knowledge, ideas and intelligence. Influencial and persuasive internally and externally; encourages open dialogue within Industry.
• Innovation – researching and developing new techniques; challenges the status quo.
• Team leadership and player - works collaboratively and consultatively; leads and develops a culture of team working.
• Relationship Building - able to establish, build, sustain and share strong, professional relationships with relevant internal and external groups. Driven to exceed client expectations.
• Externally facing – maintains high level external market profile through continuous engagement.
• Problem Solving – able to reason logically and apply a systematic process to finding solutions; is proactive in responding to problems.
  
  

Key Industry Meetings

• Attend and prepare for Quarterly UK Pharm & LifeSciences Strategy Growth Sector reviews and bi-monthly UK Chemicals Strategy Growth Sector
• Attend UK KCM Annual account reviews, organised by Amanda Geyman
• Chair Weekly and Monthly Industry SLT (face to face in offices by rotation, quarterly)
• Deliver Industry monthly staff briefings (face to face in offices by rotation)
• Prepare for and attend QBRs
• Attend Monthly flash forecast, cash and invoice targets, Month end close and power BI reviews
• Attend weekly live bids review
• Attend authority to pursue / authority to submit for all major/challenging projects and support bid development and reviews as appropriate
• Attend project reviews for all major / challenging projects
• Attend Industry marketing meetings and support social media A-team
• Organise Quarterly 121s with all HiPos (box 1 and 2) and Industry Champions (Net Zero, Digital, Future Ready, Client Care, People Forum, Awards)
• Co-ordinate Industry office lunch and learns and socials to support return to office/hybrid working
• Attend all strategic recruitment second interviews
• Deliver Industry Graduate Inductions (typically April/September)
• Chair Industry new starters call
• Attend and signpost WSP TV, Client care expresso shots, location director briefing
• SLT Zero Harm leadership commitments
• - Key client list – review status every six months
• - Development Training schedule - Annual nominations for Capture Planning SuperUser, KCM Fastrack, Client Confident, Aspire, Inspire, Taskforce etc
• - 9box grid – review and update talent plan quarterly
• - Succession Plan – keep up to date and use to help inform recruitment
• - Business case for PAPs, promotions, pay rises, benchmarking and investments
  
  

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

Work on landmark projects around the world and embrace opportunities to make an even bigger impact in the communities you care about. What if you could do the best work of your life and create a legacy for yourself?

With us, you can. Apply today.