Associate Director Building Services/Mechanical Engineer

Civic is a team of system thinkers in the built environment, creating positive impact for people, places and the planet.

We want our work to have a positive impact on the environment — helping people to live healthier, happier lives while respecting natural limits. We build without destroying, explore without exploiting, and seek to reuse rather than just consume. Above all, we listen, learn, and aim to create a lasting legacy.

Thriving together, today we have a team of over 200 members working across the UK, all united by our creative belief, bringing art and science together to solve problems. Our award-winning practice has studios in Manchester, London, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dublin.

We're looking for an Associate Director Building Services/Mechanical Engineering to join our award-winning team.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for an accomplished Building Services Engineer who is passionate about delivering high-quality, sustainable engineering solutions while supporting the growth and development of both people and projects.

As an Associate Director, you will lead the delivery of mechanical building services projects across a diverse range of sectors. You'll work closely with clients, multidisciplinary design teams and colleagues across our engineering, infrastructure and sustainability disciplines to deliver projects that make a positive impact on people, places and the environment.

Alongside technical and project leadership, you will play an important role in developing client relationships, supporting business growth, mentoring the next generation of engineers and contributing to the strategic direction of the practice.

Technical

• Lead the design and delivery of mechanical building services projects from concept through to completion.
• Oversee the design of building services systems, including HVAC, plumbing, renewable energy and low-carbon solutions.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to project teams, promoting best practice and innovative engineering approaches.
• Review engineering designs, calculations and technical documentation to ensure compliance with quality standards, regulations and project requirements.
• Champion sustainable design approaches and support the achievement of project sustainability targets.
• Advise clients and project teams on engineering solutions, procurement routes, risk management and technical best practice.
• Support interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, infrastructure and sustainability teams.

Project & People Leadership

• Lead multiple projects, ensuring successful delivery against programme, budget, quality and sustainability objectives.
• Act as a trusted adviser to clients and stakeholders, developing strong relationships throughout project lifecycles.
• Manage project resources effectively and monitor project performance.
• Support project financial management and contribute to budget planning and cost control.
• Lead, mentor and develop engineers and project teams, fostering an inclusive and collaborative working environment.
• Encourage technical excellence, knowledge sharing and professional development across the wider business.
• Support succession planning and the continued growth of the team.

Business Development

• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, collaborators and industry contacts.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for new and repeat business.
• Prepare and contribute to bids, fee proposals and tender submissions.
• Represent the business at industry events, networking opportunities and client meetings.
• Promote the wider services of the practice and encourage collaboration across disciplines.
• Support the growth of the mechanical engineering offering and contribute to the wider business development strategy.
• Share technical expertise and represent the practice through presentations, industry engagement and thought leadership activities.
• Work closely with senior leaders to help shape and deliver business objectives.
• Support the adoption of new technologies, processes and ways of working.
• Contribute to strategic planning, continuous improvement and the future growth of the practice.
• Help maintain our reputation for technical excellence, innovation and sustainable design.

Professional Commitment

• Participate in CPD activities, technical presentations and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Contribute to the Civic Academy and support the development of colleagues across the business.
• Demonstrate behaviours aligned with our values .

• Act as an ambassador for the practice, promoting professional excellence and positive outcomes for clients and communities.
  

Our Values

• Be Collaborative – Engage with other and collaborate positively
• Be Curious – Master your current role, seek and share knowledge and expertise
• Be Helpful - Demonstrate professionalism, willingly take on new responsibilities without necessarily being asked
• Be Passionate – Take ownership of your role and support others to achieve success in theirs
• Be Ingenious – Find ways to get results by adapting and innovating

💰A fair and competitive salary, taking into consideration market rates and your experience level

🫶Flexibility. Our core hours are between 10:30am-4:30pm, with an early Friday finish!

⚖️Hybrid working. Most of our full-time employees come into the studio 3 days a week

🌴Generous holidays! 26 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part time employees). An extra day when you reach 3 years’ service, and another at 5 years!

🌞Holiday options. Buy or sell a week of holiday each year, or create a sabbatical pot by banking a week’s holiday for 3 years to take a month off on year 4!

👪 Enhanced Family Leave. Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and neonatal care leave pay, plus 2 days paid dependency leave and 1 weeks paid carers leave

🌱Wellbeing support. Mental health first aider support, mindfulness sessions and access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

🩹Health benefits. Life Assurance, Health Care Cash Plan, Gym discounts and free Eye tests

🤒Sick Pay. 4 weeks enhanced sick leave, plus 2 mental wellness days

⭐DEI network. An established Equity, Diversity and Inclusion network with regular team activities, plus 2 days of paid volunteering leave each year to support causes close to your heart

💡 Professional Development. Paid professional memberships, 2 days paid study leave (+ extra for exams), Chartership Preparation Courses, Chartership completion bonus, in-house ‘Civic Academy’ training, Management Development Programmes and a Mentorship programme for all employees

💷Financial benefits. Access to our HMRC friendly Workplace Nursery scheme, plus enrolment to our workplace pension scheme

🚆Sustainable travel. Season Ticket Loans & National Rail Cards, plus two salary sacrifice cycle to work schemes and cycling facilities at all our studios (showers, bike racks etc).