At Buro Happold, we are shaping the future of aviation infrastructure—delivering complex, multidisciplinary projects across the UK and globally. We are now seeking an experienced Aviation Project Director to play a leading role in driving our aviation sector forward.
This is a unique opportunity to combine project leadership, sector growth, and strategic business development, while helping to re-establish and lead our Airport Consulting capability.
The role
As an Aviation Project Director, you will take ownership of major aviation projects, acting as a senior client-facing leader and subject matter expert. You will play a pivotal role in both delivering high-profile commissions and growing our aviation offering, working closely with senior leaders across the business.
Initially, you will lead key flagship projects (including major international programmes), before helping to shape and build a specialist team delivering airport planning, airfield design, and advisory services.
What you’ll be doing
- Project Leadership & Delivery
- Act as Project Director on complex, multidisciplinary aviation projects
- Lead project performance, including quality, programme, and financial outcomes
- Serve as a trusted senior advisor to clients across the aviation sector
- Set design direction and ensure alignment with client and project objectives
- Sector Growth & Work Winning
- Lead and contribute to major bids and strategic pursuits within aviation
- Identify and build relationships with new clients and partners
- Support the growth of aviation consultancy services, including new service offerings
- Help position Buro Happold as a leading global aviation consultant
- Leadership & Team Development
- Build, mentor, and lead high-performing teams
- Support the development of a specialist airport consulting capability
- Contribute to the strategic direction of the business unit and wider aviation sector
- Collaboration
- Work across disciplines including Advisory, Civils, Infrastructure, MEP, Structures, and Sustainability
- Collaborate internationally with teams across Europe, the Middle East, India, and the US
About you
- We’re looking for a highly credible aviation professional with a proven track record of delivering major projects and growing client relationships.
- You will bring:
- Significant experience delivering large-scale aviation or airfield projects
- Strong understanding of airport planning, infrastructure, and client organisations
- Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and complex programmes
- Commercial awareness, including fee negotiation and contract management
- Experience in work winning and developing client relationships
- Broad engineering understanding with the ability to engage at a strategic level
- Interest or experience in low-carbon and sustainable aviation infrastructure
What we offer you
Bring your knowledge and expertise to one of the world’s most respected consultancies.
- Hybrid working arrangements.
- Attractive salary and benefits package including, private medical insurance, life assurance and income protection.
- 10% Car allowance
- Holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum (exclusive of bank holidays) and flexible holiday arrangements.
- Generous company pension scheme.
- Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts.
- Enhanced parenthood leave policies.
- 3pm finish on the last Friday of the month.
- A strong commitment to your continuous development. Whatever stage in your career, we have a learning and development programme that will enable and empower you.
- Entitlement to two memberships to professional bodies or subscriptions
- A commitment to your wellbeing through a comprehensive employee assistance programme and wellbeing activities. A supportive and inclusive environment that will welcome you through social and outreach activities from the Young Employees Forum to mentoring.
- An international culture that wherever your career takes you at Buro Happold, you won’t be far from the exceptional. #LI-TG1 #LI-Hybrid
Apply today and be where exceptional is everywhere. #
A place for everyone
Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.
Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.
We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.
Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.