Properties & Buildings Director - Switzerland - Swiss...

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.

WSP is one of the world's leading engineering and environmental professional services firms providing technical consultancy to the built and natural environment. We create innovative solutions to the challenges the future will bring to the communities and environments where we live and work. With approximately 3,700 talented colleagues across Central Europe, we engineer, consult on and manage projects that will help societies grow for lifetimes to come.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Swiss Managing Director (SMD - Western Region), the P&B Director for Swiss Romand is a member of the Swiss Leadership Team supporting on country wide strategic matters, with principal focus and accountability overseeing and leading the Swiss Property and Building operations, which consists of approximately 120 employees, with presence in 4 locations (Lausanne, Geneva, Fribourg, Sion). Property & Buildings accounts for 20% of overall net revenue.

The P&B Director will contribute to the business unit strategy, working closely with the Swiss MD and the Swiss German P&B Director , shaping for growth both internally and externally, embedding a strong culture around excellent standards in project delivery with a strong focus on clients and financial performance. This could include merger and acquisition activities that deliver the strategy with their team of Unit Managers deployed across Swiss Romand and Switzerland.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Inclusive Leadership

• Leadership in Ethics & Compliance, aligned to WSP’s core values.

• Leadership in Health and Safety, with a commitment to a Zero Harm culture.

• Leadership in ESG including, Future Ready, Net Zero (carbon) and Social Value

• Exhibits and demonstrates behaviours and attitudes in accordance with WSP core values through

• effective team working with transparent and open communication.

• Provides visible leadership and direction with overall accountability for strategic growth,

• integration, and development of their discipline towards market-leading excellence.

• Leads and engages others to develop a culture of client-centric technical excellence and innovation to

• differentiate and raise market profile for their discipline. Provides co-ordination of P&B to ensure sharing of best practice, innovation and project delivery skills.

Commercial and Financial

• Accountable for annual discipline budget sign up and delivery.

• Accountable for discipline financial performance.

• Accountable for accuracy and overview of financial forecasts.

• Accountable for working capital management.

• Accountable for identifying and managing risk within P&B

• Manages the operational performance of P&B in accordance with the goals, policies and objectives set within Switzerland, including overseeing achievement and maintenance of a satisfactory competitive position with its discipline market.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Growth – supports discipline and sector, national and international business development activities through participation in external market profile raising activities and through direct involvement with Clients.

• Project Management Discipline and oversight – drives operational excellence regarding Project management, is a role model and oversees competence development in the area within P&B Swiss Romand.

• Client engagement and relationships – responsible for ensuring key client relationship / engagement plans are in place for P&B Swiss Romand under their responsibility. Reviews key client accounts and builds relationships with client leadership.

• Organises business-to-business meetings with partners to strengthen associations, working partnerships and future opportunities.

• Technical Excellence and Integration – leads P&B to embed a culture of integrated technical excellence and innovation, coordinates synergies with other Business Lines and the German speaking P&B business

• People – oversees inclusive human capital strategies and maintains a positive and ethical work climate that is conducive to attracting, retaining and motivating a diverse group of top-quality employees at all levels.

• In association with HR, develops and implements succession planning across P&B and ensures there is clarity of objectives for employees and that they follow WSP standards and measures of performance.

• Ensures there is a focus on the safety and wellbeing of staff and establishes strong working relationships at all levels.

• Oversees ethics, working culture and behaviours that support collaborative working and integration across the Swiss, Western Europe environment.

• Delivery – of a personal billable utilisation target of between 20 to 40 %.

WHAT IF IT WAS YOU?

• Strong background ideally in Properties and Building technical consulting, building operations and rigorous project management.

• Entrepreneurial - Leading People, Culture and Transformation, acts as a “role model” by encouraging others to embrace change and face new challenges. Works collaboratively with all stakeholders.

• Operations – has an established track record of success leading and growing a P&L, as well as achieving superior profitability, complexity and scale operating in a competitive market.

• Embraces diversity of nationalities, cultures and perspectives. Demonstrates managerial courage. Provides “actionable” positive and constructive feedback to others in a respectful manner and encourages devolved, empowered leadership. Fosters a culture that generates long‐term learning, cooperation and development of capability. Guides, encourages and supports employees, peers and others in their development by providing feedback and encouragement so they can reach their full potential and achieve a higher level of performance.

• Strategic Thinking and Direction – ability to grow the business with commercial acumen, ensuring that profitable delivery follows in accordance with clients’ expectations (sell for revenues, manage for profit, and deliver for satisfaction). Forward thinking, capable of visualising and planning for the medium term. Designs, communicates, engages and drives the implementation of design and technical initiatives and strategies.

• Innovation and Change - open to new ideas, to ideas “not invented here” and to new ways of working. Challenges the status quo, always strives to improve and has a continuous improvement mindset. Prioritizes value creation for clients and the business.

• Technical Skills – understands highly technical professional services business models and business, as well as large capital expenditures projects. The P&B Director has experience using multiple levers to drive sustainable employee engagement and growth; and in developing the organization into one where the best resources want to come and work.

• Communication – communicates effectively and uses own knowledge to support and coach others as required. Actively champions sharing knowledge, ideas and intelligence and challenges concepts. Strong presentation skills. Influential and persuasive internally and externally; encourages open dialogue and feedback both within their business unit(s) and with industry peers and clients.

• Relationship Building – able to establish, build, sustain and share strong, professional relationships with relevant internal and external groups. Driven to exceed Client expectations. Demonstrates a compelling leadership style and a readiness to directly persuade and influence others to obtain their buy‐in. Takes a stand to resolve important issues on client projects and internal issues.

• Operations and Results - demonstrates a sense of personal ownership and responsibility for achieving results for clients and WSP. Holds others accountable by delegating tasks or decision‐making authority to the appropriate levels.

• Problem Solving – able to reason logically and apply a systematic process to finding solutions; is proactive in responding to problems; able to apply sound logic in situations of ambiguity and employs problem solving methodologies across a range of circumstances.

• An understanding and appreciation for digital technologies and how they will continue to impact how WSP delivers its services and design for the built environment. An ability to translate digitalisation into new services and delivery methods advise on solutions for clients.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Experience leading a scale organisation with a focus on driving top-line growth and profitability in a sustainable and responsible way, through disciplined project management.

• Experience leading initiatives that have led to increased revenue generation, increased market share and business success.

• Technical Expertise: Lead and oversee complex projects in the properties and buildings sector, ensuring technical excellence and adherence to industry standards. Provide expert guidance on architectural esign, structural engineering, and sustainable building practices.

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture, Civil Engineering, or a related field.

• Proven experience in the properties and buildings consulting industry, with a focus on technical and market knowledge.

• Held a senior leadership position with both technical, operational and financial/commercial capability, empowered to make decisions and allocate resources.

• Coming from the Swiss Romand side of Switzerland and located in the region. Strong commercial network in the area. Fluent in English and French

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 73,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.

WHAT YOU’LL LIKE ABOUT US:

• A working environment inspired by diversity , driven by inclusion.

• Our flexible working policy - We recognise the importance of work-life balance and encourage you to find yours.

• WSP is about making the world around us a better place , including the environment, transport infrastructure, buildings and land use.

• Excellent career prospects. We're growing fast, and every day we strive to outdo ourselves. We are open to your ideas and want to try new things. We have a supportive environment that invests in your development and training.

• WSP is about embracing a culture of collaboration with colleagues who stand out for their skills . Come and discover our fantastic team!

OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS:

1. Telephone interview: We'll start with a telephone interview to get to know you better and discuss your experience.

2. Senior Manager Interview: You will meet with our TA team and the department manager to assess your technical and cultural skills.

3. Interview with the Business Unit Director/Leadership : A meeting with the Business Unit Director to discuss your potential role and our strategic vision.

ABOUT US:

We are one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Our trusted employees share a common goal of making a positive and lasting impact on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity and inclusion.

Are you hesitating to apply? Go for it! We are proud to promote diversity, equal opportunities and professional integration within our teams, and we are convinced that our differences and an inclusive working environment contribute to our development. All applications will be carefully considered.

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