Operations Director - Specialists

Thrive on openness, respect and collaboration? Good. Us too. Join as our Operations & People Director for our Specialists group and thrive in a culture where the courage for tackling complex challenges is intrinsic. This is a highly collaborative role which will act as a key enabler to our growth and strategic ambitions for specialist disciplines in the UK.
Here at Buro Happold, expect the exceptional.
From the projects you will work on to the clients we work with. From career-defining opportunities to an inclusive and diverse practice where we all contribute to a more equitable world. From our reputation to our relationships. Wherever your Buro Happold career takes you, it’ll be anything but ordinary. Your next role
The Specialists group houses all of our specialist buildings teams, including Acoustics and Audio Visual Consulting, Analytics and Crowd Dynamics, Asset Consultancy, Façade Engineering,Fire Engineering,Inclusive Design, Laboratory Consulting,Lighting,Security, andTechnology.The group comprises approximately 230 employees and is distributed across all of our UK offices. In this role you will report to the Head of Specialists in the UK, who has has ultimate executive accountability for the success of the Specialist teams which sit in the UK and the leadership and development of the capability and capacity of the specialist business unit. In order to make their role deliverable, we have created this new position to enable them to focus on providing executive leadership to deliver the vision and strategy relating to the regional goals of the wider UK business. The duties (around which theOperations Directorwill have authority to make executive decisions, informing the Specialist Business Discipline Lead appropriately) are:
In conjunction with the HR Business Partner for Specialists, provide pastoral care / oversight of HR issues, recruitment, promotions & reward within the Specialist Unit. Development and success of the Specialist Discipline Leaders through effective line management. Monitoring the delivery of specialist project teams for multi-discipline bids and projects. High level management of resource (insofar as it relates to headcount, recruitment, growth etc.) within the Specialist Unit. Carrying out strategic discipline reviews and management of the implementation of actions associated with discipline strategy defined as a result of the discipline reviews. Development of an effective Business Development strategy in order to foster product enhancement, innovation and competitive market positioning in accordance with the regional strategy. Develop and implement global strategies, for example Net Zero Carbon Route Map, Decarbonisation, Social Value etc.
Across these areas, you will inform the Head of Specialists of your proposed approaches (and seek confirmation that these are compatible with the the overall strategy) but will otherwise be given autonomy to execute decisions.
You will partner with the Head of Specialists and receive direction on aspirations for business strategy and performance, but will work relatively autonomously within the business unit to deliver these aspirations. In parallel, the you will strive to create a community which is self-evidently successfuland therefore presents opportunities for direct-to-client work for the Specialist Unit itself, as well as opportunities for the wider business, potentially offering the potential for growth and development. You will have a keen eye on metrics for the Specialist discipline unit including the pipeline, plan, and availability of resource in each of the Specialist teams and will be responsible for driving the implementation of strategy across the disciplines to align with achieving these metrics. You will also be a good collaborator and organiser of resource on bids and projects and ensuring the overall delivery of project work is well co-ordinated. Work-winning on behalf of the teams is outside of the scope of the role and falls principally to Project Principals, Project Directors and Specialist Leaders. What will success look like?
The Specialist teams supporting the business aspirations for growth and development, as required. High levels of engagement across the Specialist community. Pastoral, HR, reward and promotional issues being taken care of in a manner which is fair, equitable and supportive of the wider business goals. The Specialist teams being trusted, valued, collaborative and supportive of the wider business with respect to projects and bids.
Your skills & experience
Experience leading teams of senior professionals in an engineering or built-environment consultancy setting, this could be from the perspective of Resource Management, General Operations, or similar. Ability to evidence successful line management of team leaders and senior professionals. Awareness of the importance of good financial hygiene and experience of such. Exposure across general HR matters (e.g. pay reviews, recruitment, performance management etc.). Excellent organisational skills. Ability to prioritise issues, including the cyclical varying of focus from macro to micro, depending on the needs of individual teams and situations. Must be a highly credible and respected leader of people – able to relate and inspire.
At Buro Happold, everyone else’s extraordinary is just our everyday.
Apply today and be a part of our legacy.
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