Built Environment · Programme Director
Programme Director recruitment for major infrastructure programmes.
Retained Programme Director, Major Project Director and Portfolio Director search for infrastructure, energy, transport and built-environment programmes.
What the role is
A short definition.
A Programme Director leads the delivery of a major infrastructure, energy or built-environment programme — typically multi-year, multi-hundred-million to multi-billion in capital value. The role combines commercial leadership (client, contractor and supply-chain relationships), technical oversight (engineering, quality, safety) and executive-level stakeholder management (board, regulator, government).
Core responsibilities
What we assess candidates against.
- End-to-end programme delivery accountability
- Client, contractor and supply-chain leadership
- Technical and quality oversight across disciplines
- Commercial and contract management at programme level
- Stakeholder engagement — board, regulator, government, community
- Team leadership across project directors, engineering managers and support functions
When to run this search
Typical triggers.
On the launch of a new major programme; on a change of client, sponsor or contractor structure; on a programme reset following delay or cost overrun; on the departure of an incumbent Programme Director.
How we search
The specific approach we take.
Retained. Candidate pools include sitting Programme Directors at Tier 1 contractors and multidisciplinary consultancies, senior project directors ready for programme-level step-up, and Client-side programme leaders from major infrastructure clients (National Grid, HS2, Network Rail, Thames Tideway, Heathrow, and similar). Every mandate is led by a partner with genuine infrastructure sector fluency.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle Programme Director searches on the client side as well as contractor side?
Yes. Client-side and contractor-side Programme Director roles require different profiles and are handled as distinct search types.
Can you support major projects specifically (HS2-scale, Thames Tideway-scale)?
Yes. Major project leadership is a specialism — the candidate pool is small and heavily networked.
How do you handle chartership and professional qualification requirements?
Every mandate specifies required chartership (CEng via ICE, IStructE, CIBSE, or equivalent). We assess candidates against those specific qualifications.
How long does a Programme Director search take?
Fourteen to eighteen weeks brief to accepted offer is typical.
How is compensation structured?
Base, cash bonus tied to programme milestones, and (in some cases) equity or long-term incentive tied to programme completion.
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