Associate/Associate Director – People Movement (Sports & Events Focus)

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?

At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

A little more about your role...

Why Are We Hiring?

The People Movement team has undergone rapid growth over the last three years – in part mirroring WSP’s global growth – but also due to the team pro-actively pushing into new areas to unlock this vast potential from our colleagues and clients.  As a result, we need to hire again!

The UK’s People Movement team is by far the largest team globally within WSP to offer pedestrian movement analysis services. As such, we are considered a Centre of Excellence and collaborate with colleagues from around the world on Rail, Sports, Aviation, Cultural, High-Rise Buildings, Major Event Planning, Masterplanning and many other sectors, providing a diverse range of challenges and experiences.

Whilst we have a strong pipeline of work to deliver, we are also very much focussed on what’s coming next.  WSP has been expanding its footprint within the Sports sector, bringing in new clients and opportunities. In addition, our team has considerable sports and events experience and so we feel we are ready to actively engage with clients in this sector in all aspects of design, operational planning and temporary overlay with regard to crowd movement.

This Associate/Associate Director role can be based from any WSP UK office, with hybrid working allowing for a mix of office and home-working.  

About the Role – Technical

Our core work is pedestrian modelling, so a background in modelling techniques would be beneficial in order to engage effectively with both clients and our team.  You may have been (or still are) a hands-on modeller or will have strong familiarity with typical outputs from pedestrian modelling software as well as understanding its strengths and weaknesses.

We foresee this role being a blend of active engagement in projects, coupled with long-term business development activities aimed primarily (but not exclusively) at the Sports and Events sector. Therefore, you will have significant experience in this sector and will be able to identify and have in your network key players and stakeholders, including designers, operators and regulators.

As part of your typical day-to-day activities, you will have the chance to interface with other disciplines in order to obtain latest design and operational inputs as well as to inform them of pedestrian modelling and other outputs from our work.

You will be asked to create the technical scope, programme and budget for bids and projects, monitoring financials and technical progress on an ongoing basis, acting as either Project Manager or Discipline Lead according to the project.

About the Role

In addition to delivering project work, this role includes several other elements:

• Business Development
  • networking with WSP colleagues in the UK and overseas
  • contributing to or creating marketing material
  • external clients – reaching out to existing and new contacts via social media, attending conferences or personal  introductions in order to expand your and our team’s regular engagement in the Sports and Events sector
  • long-term strategic planning – working with team management to identify longer-term opportunities/goals and developing a path to achieve those ambitions
• Researching new technologies and trends in people movement data capture and analytics.
• Staff coaching/training – we are committed to developing our junior staff capabilities for their career progression and to enhance the team’s offering, as it is a vital part of creating, retaining and growing a strong team for the future.
• This role offers a great degree of flexibility – we are a relatively young (in structure), growing and evolving team with high ambitions for the future, which when combined together provides the ingredients to shape your own role over the next 5-10 years.

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate…

• Pedestrian modelling skills/knowledge – particularly Bentley Legion – but experience in PTV VisWalk, MassMotion or CAST would be particularly advantageous. Complementary (but not essential) software skills could include Pathfinder, VISSIM/VISSUM, S-Paramics, AIMSUM, ArcGIS, Power BI, coding in any language and understanding of 3D CAD software, such as Revit, Rhino, MicroStation and interoperability of IFC models
• Experience of managing pedestrian movement projects to a high standard with an understanding of client/project goals and objectives and how your work and advice has helped to achieve them.

Key Skills and Qualifications

• An undergraduate degree in a numerate, transport or planning-related discipline (such as Ggeography), or equivalent qualification
• Awareness of the application of relevant pedestrian planning guidance (e.g. LUL’s Station Planning guidance, The Green Guide, Network Rail Station Capacity Planning Design Manual) and static capacity assessment techniques (e.g. PCL)
• Accomplished communication skills with experience of presenting ideas to a non-technical audience – through written reports and formal presentations.
• Strong analytical/critical thinker able to interpret numerical results and extract understanding and not afraid to challenge outputs.
• An ability and willingness to develop relationships with people and build a network – both internally and externally.

Don't quite meet all the criteria? Apply, and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities within the team.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.

Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 80,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.

With us, you can. Apply today.

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We are one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Our passionate people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion. With over 11,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, we are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

Work-life balance

At WSP, we understand that work is just one aspect of your life. It’s important to make time for you, your family, friends, interests and your community.

Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.

Inclusivity & Belonging

We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences. We enable rewarding careers by encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work so that our work represents the fullest spectrum of society. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP. We have our employee resource groups bring together employees and allies with different backgrounds to promote a culture of inclusivity.

Health & Wellbeing

We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.

Our Virtual GP service gives you access to an NHS or Irish Medical Council GP at a time and place that suits you – giving you peace of mind and quick access to medical advice when you need it most. We also provide reasonable workplace adjustments for those in need. Additionally, you can benefit from the Gymflex scheme, which offers up to 40% off annual gym memberships through our WSP flexible benefits program, as well as a comprehensive menopause support package.

Flex your time

To enhance work-life balance, WSP offers the “WSP My Hour,” allowing you to take one hour each day for personal activities, with the flexibility to make up the time earlier or later that day.

We also provide part-time and flexible working arrangements, the option to purchase additional leave, and the ability to use your bank holiday entitlement to suit you.

Your development

We understand the importance of development and training to you. That’s why we foster a supportive environment that invests in your growth, whether through training, mentoring, or Chartership.

#WeAreWSP

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.