Associate Director

AECOM is seeking a Associate Director - Design Management (Multidisciplinary) to be based in South Africa's Enterprise Capabilities office in Centurion. This position will support a team locally based in South Africa and Global Teams. As a part of AECOM's culture, it offers a flexible hybrid work arrangement which accommodates both office and out-of-office work schedules.

About Enterprise Capabilities

Fundamental to our Think and Act Globally strategy and digital adoption, Enterprise Capabilities (EC) is AECOM's primary vehicle for workshare. Operating across geographic boundaries and time-zones, EC partners with regional and Global Business Line project teams to provide technical expertise, accelerate delivery and keep AECOM competitive in the industry. 

With a team of over 3000 technical professionals located across nine countries and remote technical anchors, EC teams are trusted to deliver high-quality, specialist services that help to fill capability gaps, resourcing needs and technical constraints on projects of all scopes and sizes.  

Start here. Grow here.

Here is what you will be doing:

The Associate Director runs large, complex and major projects with limited Director involvement. Able to run multiple projects of varying degrees of complexity. Manages multiple internal and external teams.

Technical Excellence:

- Responsible for the annual business performance of an end market or practice area

- Establishes the end market or practice area's business plan

- Develops client relationships and leading client engagement across the end market

- Creates a pipeline of work for the end market by pursuing opportunities to secure new clients and selling additional work to existing clients

- Drives growth in order to improve profitability

- Leads proposals and bids for opportunities within the end market or practice area

- Accountable for a variety of complex deliverables throughout the lifecycle of multiple projects and programmes

- Manages the resources across an end market or practice area, all within the established budgets

- Responsible for internal and external networking

- Raising the company and professional profile as an industry leader and/or thought leader

- Actively manages and regulates project financial performance and takes corrective actions

- Acts as the APIC Project Director on at least one active project and manages projects using APIC and other systems as relevant

- Responsible for timely cash collection

- Responsible for ensuring that any additional work or changes in scope are approved by clients

- Ensures all deliverables comply with the PDS

- Complies with all QA requirements

-  Interprets benchmark data and presents to clients

- Performs quality control reviews of work developed by others

Team Management:

- Supports the Director in implementing the overall discipline strategic goals

- Responsible for working with the Team Leads and Principals in managing the team

- Provides effective communication of technical and business issues and communicates to all reporting staff and the broader teams

- Accountable for the results of the discipline and adhere to approved project budgets 

- Fully accountable for the team's utilisation targets

- Has management and leadership responsibilities for a specific discipline

- Supports business change management initiatives mandated by senior leadership

- Recruits, trains, mentors and evaluates the department's staff

- Advises local management on growth, staff recruitment and retention strategies

Project Management:

- Acts as Project Manager on large and/or complex projects or programme of projects

- Drives a culture of financial responsibility, ensuring maximum profitability

- Has a extended understanding of project delivery requirements and is well versed with AECOM's project delivery procedures

- Should be well versed in the use of Earned Value Management (EVM) to assess progress

Client Relationship Management:

- Actively involved with clients and leads business development initiatives, participating in preparing major bids and proposals on the commercial and technical side

- Maintains regular contact with the client to identify pre-released opportunities

- Applies acquired expertise and knowledge to solve business challenges and participates in the development of the technical strategy for proposals within the area of expertise

- Identifies trends, issues and opportunities for their area of the business, industry, service line or process.

- Presents to clients, senior leadership and other project stakeholders to demonstrate progress and clearly explain design principles 

Interdisciplinary Coordination:

- Ensures assigned teams effectively coordinate with the other disciplines to ensure there are no gaps, whilst providing fully coordinated design deliverables. This includes the support of the construction supervision teams

Qualifications:

Here is what we are looking for:

- Honours degree in built environment field of study with a minimum of fourteen (14) years' relevant post-graduate experience

- B-Tech degree in built environment field of study with a minimum of fifteen (15) years' relevant post-graduate experience

- National Higher Diploma in built environment field of study with a minimum of sixteen (16) years' relevant post-graduate experience

- National Diploma in built environment field of study with a minimum of seventeen (17) years' relevant post-graduate experience

- Tertiary qualification in Project Management related field of study, such as procurement, quantity surveying, engineering, architecture, planning, contracting, etc with a minimum of fifteen (15) years' relevant post-graduate experience

Required:

- Registration as PrCPM with SACPCMP (PrCPM), OR

- Certification as PMP / PgMP / PfMP / PMI-SP / PMI-ACP with PMI

At AECOM, you will have freedom to grow in a world of opportunity

At AECOM, our Freedom to Grow philosophy supports flexibility and balance to help our people thrive. As part of this approach, we ask all hybrid employees to work from an AECOM office at least three days per week.

About AECOM 

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, perks, flexible work options, well-being resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan. 

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients' complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. Learn more at  

What makes AECOM a great place to work 

You will be part of a global team that champions your growth and career ambitions. Work on groundbreaking projects - both in your local community and on a global scale - that are transforming our industry and shaping the future. With cutting-edge technology and a network of experts, you'll have the resources to make a real impact. Our award-winning training and development programs are designed to expand your technical expertise and leadership skills, helping you build the career you've always envisioned. Here, you'll find a welcoming workplace built on respect, collaboration and community - where you have the freedom to grow in a world of opportunity. 

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.