Associate - Ports Technical Due Diligence

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A little more about your role…

WSP is seeking an Associate, Ports Technical Due Diligence to join our Ports & Maritime team in the UK.

This is an opportunity to move beyond traditional engineering and project delivery roles and play a leading part in the technical advice that shapes major port acquisitions, financings, concessions and capital investment decisions.

This is a distinctive opportunity for a technically credible and commercially minded ports professional to work at the interface of engineering, investment and strategic decision-making. You will help investors, lenders, operators and public-sector clients understand the technical opportunities, risks and capital implications associated with major port and terminal assets.

You will support our capability by leading the technical delivery of due diligence, lender technical advisory, asset condition reviews and transaction support assignments. Working with engineers, planners, environmental specialists, cost consultants, operations advisors and commercial colleagues, you will convert complex technical evidence into clear risk positions, capex views and practical recommendations.

You will join at an important stage in the growth of WSP's Ports and Maritime business, helping to expand a market-leading technical due diligence service that combines deep maritime engineering expertise with practical investment insight.

The role combines technical judgement, multidisciplinary coordination, client-facing advisory and commercial awareness. It offers the opportunity to influence strategically important port and terminal investments, help shape a growing WSP advisory service, and develop a distinctive career at the intersection of engineering, asset performance, commercial risk and capital investment.

Key responsibilities…

• Lead ports technical due diligence workstreams for acquisitions, refinancings, concession bids, PPPs and capital investment reviews.


• Assess port and terminal asset condition, including capacity, asset availability, maintenance backlog, lifecycle risk, future capex and expansion constraints.


• Plan and conduct review activities, including site inspections, data room reviews, document gap analyses and technical information request processes.


• Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs from maritime, civil, geotechnical, environmental, planning, buildings, electrical, cost and operational specialists.


• Prepare investor-grade outputs, including red flag reports, technical risk registers, due diligence reports, lender technical advisor reports and investment committee summaries.


• Challenge business plan assumptions relating to throughput capacity, development phasing, asset condition, capex allowances, permitting interfaces and operating constraints.


• Engage with clients and advisors through meetings, investor Q&A, bid interviews, presentations and focused technical workshops.


• Support business development and proposals for due diligence, lender technical advisory, owner’s engineer, technical assurance and capital investment review services.


• Develop repeatable WSP methods, including tools, templates, checklists and review approaches for ports due diligence, asset review and capex benchmarking assignments.


• Promote practical, proportionate advice that balances technical quality, commercial context, programme, cost, risk and client decision-making needs.

As a senior member of the Ports & Maritime team, you will help build a trusted advisory capability that is valued by investors, lenders, operators and public-sector clients, while helping establish WSP as a recognised leader in ports technical due diligence and lender technical advisory services.

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate…

• Significant experience in ports, terminals, maritime infrastructure or heavy civil infrastructure.


• Chartered Engineer status, or equivalent professional standing, with clear evidence of sound technical judgement and professional accountability.


• Relevant advisory or assurance experience in technical due diligence, lender technical advisory, owner’s engineer, asset management, independent engineer, concession support or major port investment reviews.


• Strong understanding of port and terminal infrastructure, including quay walls, berths, marine structures, pavements, dredging, reclamation, utilities, drainage, access infrastructure and terminal yards.


• Proven ability to lead technical inputs and coordinate multidisciplinary project teams in time-sensitive review or advisory environments.


• Excellent report writing capability with the ability to produce concise, risk-based outputs for non-technical senior stakeholders.


• Commercial awareness and curiosity about how asset condition, capacity, lifecycle risk, resilience and capex affect value, deliverability and investment decisions.


• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills with confidence contributing to client meetings, presentations and technical Q&A.
   

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