Head of Technical Solutions

Location: Flexible UK Location
Business Unit: Infrastructure - Environment

About Us

Galliford Try is one of the UK's most formidable construction businesses with an enviable track record of delivering schemes that strive to provide positive, lasting change for the communities we work in. As a FTSE 250 organisation, we turnover £1.5 billion and employ over 3,500 people across four successful divisions: Building, Infrastructure, Environment and Specialist Services. As one of the UK's leading principal contractors, you'll have the opportunity to work on some of the UK's most exciting projects, offering stability as well as the chance to stretch your capabilities and realise long-held career goals. You will be joining diverse teams working at a high professional level with exceptional levels of commitment.

Our Infrastructure - Environment Business

Galliford Try is the largest Tier 1 contractor operating within the UK Water and Environment sector, delivering a long-term portfolio valued at approximately £400m per year.

As part of our 2030 Strategy, we have brought together all aspects of Engineering Design into a single business unit, currently comprising more than 200 engineering professionals. This growing team provides in-house design and engineering support to our regional businesses across the UK, while also expanding our external consultancy offering within the water, environment and industrial sectors.

Purpose of the Role

We are seeking an experienced and commercially focused Head of Technical Solutions to join our Engineering Leadership Team (ELT).

This is a strategically important leadership role, responsible for developing and delivering plans that drive sustainable growth across our Engineering Services business. You will build and maintain trusted relationships with both existing and prospective clients, operating at senior and executive levels to grow our reputation, strengthen our market presence and deliver long-term profitable growth.

Working closely with colleagues across the Engineering Leadership Team, you will help shape and deliver the Engineering Strategy and Roadmap, while ensuring our technical services are recognised as high quality, innovative, commercially successful and valued by clients.

This role offers a unique opportunity to influence the future direction of one of the UK's leading engineering and infrastructure organisations.

Key Accountabilities

As Head of Technical Solutions, you will:

• Act as a proactive and collaborative member of the Engineering Leadership Team, contributing to the overall strategic direction and performance of the business.
• Develop and implement a strategic growth plan to expand service offerings, diversify sectors and increase market presence.
• Lead the promotion and development of the Galliford Try Engineering brand, enhancing recognition and demand across our target markets.
• Support and drive the delivery of Galliford Try's 2030 Strategy, particularly in relation to carbon reduction, digital transformation, innovation and off-site construction.
• Influence and support strategic bids, business development activities and client engagement opportunities.
• Provide technical leadership and governance across the Engineering Services business.
• Maximise project profitability while balancing client objectives, partnership principles and commercial risk.
• Promote a culture that aligns with Galliford Try's values and commitment to "Doing the Right Thing".
• Champion health, safety and wellbeing, ensuring compliance with all company policies, procedures and legal obligations.
• Embody and promote Galliford Try's EPIC values, helping the business become the most respected company in the industry.

What You'll Be Doing

Client Development & Market Growth

• Build strong and lasting relationships with key clients across the water, environment and industrial sectors.
• Understand client needs, strategic drivers and future investment plans to identify new opportunities.
• Develop and secure new business opportunities and long-term client agreements.
• Promote innovative engineering solutions that differentiate Galliford Try from competitors.
• Drive technical excellence and raise the profile of our engineering capabilities both internally and externally.
• Act as a recognised technical leader and influencer within our chosen sectors.
• Identify opportunities to develop innovative products, specialist services and licensing opportunities.
• Collaborate with internal business units to drive alignment and identify opportunities for Engineering Services support.
• Target opportunities that align with Galliford Try's commercial objectives and risk profile.

Systems, Governance & Performance

• Ensure compliance with Galliford Try Business Management Systems and Consultancy Governance processes.
• Promote industry best practice and knowledge sharing across the engineering community.
• Support quality and change management activities to ensure excellent client outcomes.
• Help engineering teams identify and manage risk and opportunity effectively.
• Work with senior leaders to maintain robust engineering performance management processes.
• Establish challenging and meaningful performance targets.
• Support profit delivery through effective tender governance and contract reviews.
• Use performance data to drive continuous improvement and business decision-making.
• Benchmark engineering services against external providers to maintain high levels of efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness.

About You

We are looking for a credible engineering leader with a strong commercial mindset, exceptional client engagement skills and a passion for driving growth and innovation.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong leadership experience with a proven track record of developing high-performing teams.
• Proven commercial experience, including budget management and profit and loss responsibility.
• Significant experience developing client relationships and securing new business within a consultancy, engineering or related environment.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans.
• Strong commercial awareness and experience managing risk and opportunity.
• Creative and innovative approach to solving client challenges.
• Highly collaborative approach with the ability to work effectively at executive and leadership level.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to use performance data to drive decision-making.
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and performance management systems.

Technical Qualifications & Industry Experience

• Engineering background with a broad understanding of engineering disciplines associated with the design and delivery of projects.
• Relevant industry experience within the water, environmental and/or industrial process sectors.
• Design and/or project management experience.
• Degree qualified in Engineering or a related STEM, Construction, Manufacturing or Project Management discipline.
• Experience operating within a consultancy or technical services environment in a leadership or client-facing role.
• Chartered Engineer status or professional qualification is desirable.
• Experience of in-house engineering service provision and client-focused change control would be advantageous.

What We Can Offer in Return

With an impressive order book of over £4.3 billion we are one of the industry's leading principal contractors, affording you the opportunity to work on some of the UK's most exciting projects offering you stability as well as the chance to stretch your capabilities and realise long held career goals. You will be joining diverse teams working at a high professional level with exceptional levels of commitment. With an ambitious strategy, we're poised for further growth and success, so if you're committed, talented and enthusiastic, Galliford Try is the right place for you.

We are committed to maintaining the physical and mental wellbeing of all our people through our Be Well programme, which offers discounts on certain products, advice and support for a range of issues. 

We invest in high-quality training for employees at all levels, from our leadership development framework to our apprenticeship programmes. Through our Career Paths initiative, individuals receive tailored training and support to fulfil their potential. 

Our Agile Working programme empowers you with flexibility in when, where and how you work. Where appropriate, site and office-based employees can take advantage of a variety of working practices, offering different levels of flexibility to suit both individual and business needs. 

Our Benefits

We put our people first and our benefits package reflects that by offering a comprehensive range of attractive options to help support your career on top of a competitive salary. 

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays, increasing with years of service, plus the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• A wide range of corporate discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Comprehensive pension plan
• Save As You Earn share purchase scheme
• Private medical scheme options
• Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support
• Paid membership to one recognised professional institution relevant to your role

About Us

Our purpose is to improve people's lives through building the facilities and infrastructure that communities need, providing opportunities for our people to learn, grow and progress, working with our supply chain to promote the very best working practice and caring for the environment in which we work. 

We do this by holding true to our values, delivering excellence for our clients and the community, being passionate about our role in providing vital services, putting integrity at the heart of our business by doing the right thing, and collaborating with our clients, supply chain and stakeholders to deliver lasting change and long-term value. 

For more information on this role or to enquire about other positions available within our business please contact [email protected]. 

Additional Information

Galliford Try welcomes applications from candidates who would like to work full-time, reduced hours or flexibly and this will be discussed in more detail as part of the recruitment process. We encourage, and would be grateful if, you could confirm any requirements we can reasonably fulfil to make this application a positive experience for you. 

Don't meet every requirement of the role? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Galliford Try, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. 

As a Disability Confident employer, we have committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a long-term health condition or disability who meets the essential criteria for the advertised position. Please contact the Resourcing Partner listed within the job advert if you believe this applies to you. We will also take the opportunity to discuss any adjustments required for your interview.

A full job description for this role is available upon request.

#LI-AW1