Project Director - Major Rail Projects

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Project Director – Major Rail Projects

Location: UK-wide, with flexibility to be based from one of AECOM’s major UK offices

The Opportunity

AECOM is seeking an exceptional Project Director to lead the successful delivery of major, complex rail infrastructure projects and programmes across the UK&I and Europe.

This is a high-profile leadership position for an experienced rail professional who can take overall accountability for the delivery of large-scale projects, from positioning, winning, mobilisation and development through design, construction and commissioning. The successful candidate will operate at senior client and stakeholder level, lead multidisciplinary teams, manage major commercial and delivery risks, and create the conditions for safe, predictable and high-performing project delivery.

AECOM is at the forefront of delivering some of the most ambitious infrastructure programmes, bringing together expertise across project and programme management, engineering, planning, commercial management, digital and advisory services. The role offers the opportunity to work across a diverse portfolio of major rail investments and help shape the future of the region’s transport infrastructure.

What You’ll Do

As Project Director, you will have end-to-end leadership and accountability for major rail projects, acting as the senior point of contact for clients, partners and key stakeholders.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Provide strategic leadership and overall direction to major rail projects and programmes.
• Assist in the positioning and winning of major complex infrastructure projects, specifically major rail programs.
• Establish and maintain a high-performing project organisation, bringing together multidisciplinary engineering, project management, commercial, planning, environmental and construction teams.
• Own project delivery strategy, governance, performance and outcomes.
• Lead project mobilisation, implementation and transition through the project lifecycle.
• Maintain strong relationships with senior client representatives, sponsors, operators, infrastructure managers, contractors, suppliers and other stakeholders.
• Establish clear project objectives, performance measures, governance structures and delivery plans.
• Lead the management of programme, cost, schedule, risk, quality, safety and change.
• Provide robust challenge and assurance to ensure projects remain deliverable, commercially sound and aligned with client objectives.
• Drive effective decision-making across complex interfaces and competing stakeholder priorities.
• Lead the resolution of significant technical, commercial, contractual and delivery issues.
• Ensure appropriate application of project controls, reporting, assurance and governance.
• Promote a strong culture of safety, quality, sustainability and technical excellence.
• Develop and mentor senior project and programme managers, creating a strong succession pipeline within the rail business.
• Support AECOM's growth strategy by identifying opportunities, developing client relationships and contributing to bids and major pursuits.
• Represent AECOM at senior industry, client and stakeholder forums.
• Champion innovation, digital delivery, modern methods of working and sustainable infrastructure solutions.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for a proven major-project leader with a substantial track record of successfully delivering complex rail infrastructure.

Essential

• Significant senior project or programme leadership experience within the rail sector.
• Proven experience leading large-scale, complex infrastructure projects, ideally with significant capital value, multiple interfaces and challenging stakeholder environments.
• Demonstrable responsibility for project outcomes across cost, schedule, risk, quality and delivery.
• Experience working with major rail clients, infrastructure owners, operators, government bodies, delivery partners and/or Tier 1 contractors.
• Strong understanding of the rail environment and its governance, assurance, safety and regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams and complex supply-chain relationships.
• Strong commercial awareness and experience managing contractual, commercial and financial issues.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills at Board and senior executive level.
• The credibility and confidence to challenge, negotiate and make difficult decisions in high-pressure environments.
• A track record of developing high-performing teams and senior talent.
• Relevant professional qualification or equivalent experience.

Desirable

• Chartered status or membership of an appropriate professional institution.
• Degree or equivalent qualification in engineering, construction, project management, transport or a related discipline.
• Experience of NEC contracts and major infrastructure procurement.
• Experience of rail assurance and governance processes.
• Experience working within alliance, joint venture or integrated delivery models.
• Experience spanning both client-side and consultancy/delivery environments.
• Formal project or programme management qualification such as APM, PMI or equivalent.

Joining AECOM means becoming part of a global community of professionals working on some of the world’s most complex infrastructure challenges. The business places strong emphasis on technical excellence, innovation, sustainability, professional development and collaboration.

For a senior rail leader, this provides the opportunity to:

• Lead nationally significant infrastructure.
• Work alongside some of our leading technical and project professionals.
• Influence major client and investment decisions.
• Shape the next generation of rail infrastructure.
• Work across AECOM’s global technical and delivery network.
• Develop and mentor the next generation of infrastructure leaders.
• Build a long-term leadership career within a global infrastructure business.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

AECOM is committed to creating a welcoming workplace where people can bring their different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences to work. We believe diverse, inclusive teams deliver better outcomes for our clients, communities and the infrastructure we create.

We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and are committed to providing a fair and inclusive recruitment process.

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [email protected]  if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.