Buro Happold is seeking an exceptional Director of Economics to join the UK Advisory team, with a focus on shaping and delivering economics-led advice to clients across priority sectors and driving growth in our economics capability. In this role, you will act as a visible market leader, build and lead a specialist team, and work closely with colleagues across Buro Happold to deliver evidence-based, commercially grounded insights that support strategic investment and development decisions.
More about the role…
You will provide strategic leadership for our economics offering within the UK Advisory team, setting the vision, goals and market focus for the service line, and integrating economics thinking into our multidisciplinary work. You will combine a strong external market presence with hands-on project delivery (a “seller–doer” model), building enduring client relationships and expanding our footprint in target sectors such as sports and entertainment, urban development, government and infrastructure, health and life sciences, and aviation.
Key duties
- Provide strategic leadership for the Economics Advisory capability, defining the service proposition, go-to-market strategy and growth plan within the UK Advisory team.
- Lead and deliver high-impact economics projects, through defining and developing a route to market for economics led propositions such as policy and strategy, business case and viability, real estate and planning, impact analysis and evaluation, and economic development.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders on economics and investment decisions for complex programmes and major projects across two or more of: sports and entertainment, urban development, government and infrastructure, health and life sciences, and aviation.
- Drive proactive business development as a clear market-maker, including originating opportunities, shaping pursuits, leading bids and proposals, and representing Buro Happold in client forums and industry networks.
- Build, lead and mentor a high-performing economics team, taking it from a small nucleus to a sustainable critical mass, including recruitment, capability development and performance management.
- Collaborate closely with colleagues across UK and Global Advisory in the fields of digital, capital projects and programmes, sustainability and climate resilience and across our wider engineering service lines in order to develop integrated, economics-led advisory offerings.
- Develop and refine tools, models and methodologies to strengthen our economics insights and create repeatable, scalable solutions for clients.
- Represent Buro Happold at conferences, events and thought leadership platforms, positioning the firm as a leader in applied economics within the built environment and infrastructure sectors.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of UK economic policy, funding and appraisal frameworks (e.g. HM Treasury Green Book / Magenta Book), and relevant international approaches, and share insights with colleagues and clients.
Your skills & experience
- Master’s degree or PhD in Economics or a closely related discipline; additional qualifications in fields such as finance, public policy, or urban planning are advantageous.
- Extensive experience in economic advisory or consultancy, with a strong track record in applied economics for the built environment and infrastructure sectors.
- Demonstrable experience operating as a “seller–doer”, including originating work, leading key client relationships and delivering major assignments end-to-end.
- Clear evidence of market-making capability: establishing or significantly growing an economics offering, developing new service lines or entering new sector/geographic markets.
- Experience working across at least two of the following: sports and entertainment, urban development, government and infrastructure, health and life sciences, and aviation, ideally on large and complex programmes and working direct with client orgaisations.
- Deep knowledge of UK markets, institutions and policy frameworks, with experience of UK public and/or private sector clients as a primary requirement.
- International experience in Buro Happold’s strategic markets (for example the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and wider Middle East, Europe or North America) is highly desirable.
- Strong leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building teams from early stage to critical mass and creating an inclusive, collaborative culture.
- Excellent analytical, quantitative and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex datasets and communicate clear, compelling insights to non-technical audiences.
- Outstanding communication, presentation and negotiation skills, with credibility at senior client and stakeholder levels.
- High levels of commercial acumen, including experience in pricing, contracting, risk management and managing portfolio and project-level financial performance.
- A strong commitment to sustainability, social value and inclusive economic growth, aligned with Buro Happold’s purpose and values.
What we offer:
- Attractive benefits package including, car allowance, pension (10% employer contribution), private medical insurance, life assurance and income protection.
- Annual Performance incentive scheme of up to 10% of salary.
- Eligibility to participate in our Director Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) scheme.
- Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts.
- Enhanced parenthood leave policies.
- 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.
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.
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