Chief Engineer (Structures)

Job Details:

Job Reference: HCC625311
Salary Range: £68,070 - £76,341 per annum
Work Location: Elizabeth II Court, Winchester (Hybrid Working)
Hours per week: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 6 December 2026

Shape the future of Hampshire’s structures

Ready to lead one of the South's largest structures portfolios? At Hampshire Engineering Services, you'll oversee more than 1,750 highway structures, providing strategic and technical leadership on assets that communities rely on every day.

The Role:

As Chief Engineer (Structures), you'll combine technical excellence with long-term ownership of infrastructure, influencing investment decisions, leading specialist teams and delivering sustainable engineering solutions with visible impact across Hampshire. This is an opportunity to work on complex engineering challenges while helping shape the county's future.

What you’ll do:

This is more than a technical leadership role. It's an opportunity to take ownership of a critical public asset portfolio, influence long-term infrastructure strategy and lead engineering decisions that make a visible difference to communities across Hampshire.

Working at the intersection of asset management, engineering excellence and service leadership, you will:

• Lead Hampshire's Structures team, providing professional, technical and strategic leadership across a diverse portfolio of highway structures.
• Act as Hampshire's senior technical authority for highway structures, providing assurance on complex engineering decisions and approvals.
• Shape risk-based investment programmes that balance safety, resilience, sustainability and value for money.
• Drive innovation and best practice in asset management, inspection, design and maintenance strategies.
• Lead responses to significant structural events, providing expert advice to senior leaders, elected members and the public.
• Develop and inspire engineers at all career stages, supporting chartership, apprenticeships and professional growth.

What we’re looking for:

You will be a credible and collaborative engineering leader who can move confidently between detailed professional judgement, strategic asset decisions, service leadership and engagement with senior stakeholders including elected members.

• A degree, or equivalent recognised qualification, in civil or structural engineering.
• Chartered Civil or Structural Engineer status, or equivalent professional standing supported by substantial recent and relevant experience.
• Substantial senior-level experience in bridge or highway structures design, assessment, asset management and technical assurance.
• A strong understanding of technical approval procedures, relevant national standards, structural Eurocodes and risk-based decision making.
• Proven leadership of multidisciplinary professional teams, including workforce planning, performance, recruitment and development.
• Strong commercial and financial management experience, including business planning, budgeting, forecasting and delivery in a consultancy or fee-earning environment.
• The judgement and communication skills to explain complex engineering risks and decisions clearly to senior officers, elected members, clients, partners and the public.

Why join us?

• Deliver projects that shape Hampshire's future.
• Take real ownership of infrastructure and assets.
• Tackle complex engineering challenges with expert colleagues.
• Join a collaborative multidisciplinary practice that shares expertise and develops emerging talent.
• Enjoy flexible working and a healthy work-life balance.
• Build a rewarding career with visible community impact.

If you're looking for a role where you can apply your technical expertise, influence long-term infrastructure decisions and help shape the future of Hampshire while maintaining a healthy work-life balance, we'd love to hear from you.

As a forward-looking local authority, our commitment to delivering an exceptional quality of life to our Hampshire residents also extends to our employees. It is important to us that our staff feel supported in their work. As such we can offer you a good work-life balance through flexible working and our excellent benefits package including:

• Access to Local Government Pension Scheme
• 26 - 30 days annual leave entitlement (dependent on Local Authority service)
• Interest free travel loans and discounts
• Employee Support Service
• Family friendly policies

Additional Information:

Chief Engineer (Structures) Candidate Pack

Please note this post is Politically Restricted.

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:

Matthew Cheal MEng CEng MICE, Head of Engineering Services on matthew.cheal@hants.gov.uk or 07725 827206.