Associate - Transportation

The Vacancy About The Company At Nicholas O'Dwyer, sustainability is at the core of our work. If you are looking to advance your career in a socially responsible company, which has a proven track record over 90 years, and is committed to creating a sustainable planet, we invite you to be part of our team. Our mission is to provide innovative and reliable solutions using cutting edge technology and expertise, to ensure project success and employee satisfaction. We deliver infrastructure projects in water, wastewater, transportation, civil and structural engineering, flood protection, and energy including renewables. With headquarters in Ireland, we also operate in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. As part of the RSK Group, an amalgamation of over 200 companies with more than 17,000 employees, we benefit from a global network of opportunities while retaining our brand and autonomy. About The Role This is an exciting time to be involved in transportation in Ireland, with a pipeline of nationally significant infrastructure projects expected to be delivered over the next decade. NOD is well positioned to play a key role in supporting these programmes, bringing strong technical capability, multidisciplinary delivery expertise and trusted client relationships across the transport sector. We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Associate to join our Transportation team and help shape the successful delivery of this next generation of transport investment. The successful candidate will provide technical, project and commercial leadership across a diverse portfolio of roads, transportation, active travel, public realm, rail and ports projects in Ireland and internationally. Internationally, NOD has an established track record in the delivery of transportation schemes across Africa, including projects in Malawi, Rwanda, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya predominantly for Internationally Funded Institute (IFI) projects An aspect of the role will be supporting NOD in its role as Programme Delivery Partner on the MetroLink Project, one of Ireland’s most important public transport investments, contributing senior transportation, project delivery, coordination and stakeholder management expertise to this landmark programme. Key Duties And Responsibilities - Provide technical and strategic leadership in the planning, design and delivery of transportation and civil infrastructure projects through all stages of the project lifecycle. - Lead and oversee multiple projects, ensuring coordinated delivery to agreed scope, programme, budget, quality and commercial objectives. - Maintain broad technical literacy across transportation team, with sufficient depth to interrogate design assumptions, identify interfaces and risks, challenge technical decisions constructively, and provide authoritative direction on technical and contractual matters. - Guide engineers and project managers in selecting appropriate analysis, design and delivery approaches; review calculations, reports, drawings, specifications and technical submissions; and ensure that work is proportionate, coordinated, technically robust and compliant with applicable standards. - Provide senior technical oversight of geometric design for transport schemes, including horizontal and vertical alignment, junction and interchange layouts, cross-sections, visibility, access, active travel integration and coordination with drainage, structures, utilities, geotechnical and environmental constraints. - Provide senior technical oversight of pavement design and rehabilitation, including interpretation of ground investigation and traffic data, selection of pavement type and materials, pavement thickness design, assessment of existing pavement condition, constructability, whole-life performance, sustainability and coordination of specifications and maintenance requirements. - Plan resource requirements across existing and future pipelines of work, taking account of project programmes, capacity, utilization and financial needs, and working with the recruitment team to secure appointments where required. - Monitor project and portfolio performance, including risk, change, resourcing, cash flow, work in progress, invoicing, profitability, quality assurance and compliance with current technical standards and company procedures; identify and implement corrective actions where required. - Develop and maintain trusted client and partner relationships, identify emerging needs, convert opportunities into viable commissions and support the securing of repeat and new business. - Take responsibility for the financial management of projects, including fee and budget control, cash-flow forecasting, work-in-progress management, invoice coordination, payment tracking, sub-consultant costs and commercial reporting, in collaboration with team leaders and the Finance Department. - Business Development - Lead targeted business development activity in line with the approved Transportation strategy, including opportunity identification, pipeline planning and tracking, client engagement, commercial qualification and conversion planning. - Oversee pre-qualification and tender submissions, taking responsibility for bid strategy, technical content, fee preparation, commercial inputs, risk review, quality assurance and coordination with the Bid Department. - Work with other departments to support integrated tendering and service delivery, identify cross-company opportunities, and ensure that secured work is transitioned into commercially successful project delivery. - Demonstrate strong commercial awareness by understanding contractual obligations, managing scope and change, protecting fee recovery and margin, and escalating material commercial risks in a timely manner. - Provide visible technical leadership to engineers and project managers through coaching, structured reviews and day-to-day guidance; facilitate teams in solving complex problems, explain the basis for decisions, develop sound engineering judgement, and support succession and capability development. - Promote consistent application of NOD procedures, lessons learned, digital tools and relevant design standards, and create opportunities for staff to broaden their technical knowledge through mentoring, knowledge sharing, peer review and delegated responsibility. - Work with our HSQE department to ensure the transportation division, including site teams, adhere to Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Procedures - Contribute to the development and implementation of departmental and company strategy, technical standards, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. - Undertake additional duties as required to support project delivery and reflect the evolving needs of the business. Key Requirements - Degree in Civil Engineering or related discipline. - Chartered Engineer status, or an equivalent recognised professional qualification. - 12+ years of relevant post-graduate experience in transportation and civil infrastructure, with a strong record of increasing technical, project and commercial responsibility. - Recognised expertise in geometric and/or pavement design for transport schemes, supported by broad technical literacy across road drainage, geotechnical design, active travel and related interfaces. This should include the ability to review alignments, junction layouts, cross-sections, visibility requirements, pavement investigations, traffic loading, materials selection, pavement design and rehabilitation options, and to provide authoritative multidisciplinary direction. - Experience in the delivery of TII-funded projects and a strong understanding of the Transport Appraisal Framework (TAF) process would be a distinct advantage. - Experience in the delivery of IFI funded schemes would be advantageous. - Demonstrated experience in leading large or complex multidisciplinary projects, programmes or business sectors from project brief through to completion. - Strong experience in resource planning, programme management, financial management, risk management and commercial performance, including monitoring and improvement of project profitability. - Proven tender management and business development experience, including bid strategy, fee preparation and client relationship management. - Excellent verbal, written, presentation, negotiation and influencing skills, with the credibility to represent the company with clients and partners. - Demonstrated ability to teach, coach and guide engineering teams, facilitate the resolution of complex technical problems, undertake proportionate technical reviews, develop the judgement of others and maintain compliance with applicable technical standards. - Knowledge of Irish planning, public procurement and contract administration processes. - Familiarity with DMURS, the National Cycle Manual, TII Publications, the Traffic Signs Manual and other relevant Irish design standards. - Proficiency in relevant industry-standard design and project delivery software. Knowledge of Civil 3D, AutoCAD and traffic or transportation modelling software would be advantageous. - Leadership and Personal Attributes - You foster a working environment which supports co-operation, collaboration, diversity and inclusion, ownership and initiative. You understand group and social dynamics to build effective working relationships and can anticipate and address potential interpersonal issues before they become problems. You can create networks across cultures, organizations, internally and externally. - Proactive, accountable and capable of leading multiple priorities with minimal supervision. - Strong leadership and organisational skills, with the ability to build effective teams and networks across disciplines, offices and external organisations. - Confident in handling complex stakeholder matters, interpersonal challenges and difficult decisions objectively and constructively. - Committed to technical excellence, quality, professional development, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. This is an excellent opportunity for an established transportation professional to take a senior leadership role at a pivotal time for transport infrastructure in Ireland and to strategically guide the continued development of NOD’s Transportation department. This role offers the chance to shape departmental capability, market positioning and future growth, while contributing to nationally significant programmes, including NOD’s Programme Delivery Partner services for MetroLink, and supporting a diverse portfolio of domestic and international transportation commissions. About Us Our mission is to deliver sustainable solutions that transform communities and bring about lasting positive change. Through a blend of expertise, innovation and global dedication, we envision a world where sustainable engineering protects growing communities. Nicholas O’Dwyer provides professional services in engineering design, project management, environment and planning, construction supervision and technical and contract advisory. We are one of the most respected Irish consultancies operating in local and international markets, providing professional services to public- and private-sector clients. Whether in Ireland, the UK or internationally, we understand and solve major challenges associated with delivering and adapting infrastructure for an increasing global population while maintaining a sustainable environment for future generations. Nicholas O’Dwyer is part of the RSK Group, a leading integrated environmental, engineering, and technical services business providing dynamic, multidisciplinary services to a wide range of sectors. RSK was founded in 1989 and has grown considerably since then. At RSK, we operate as a group of businesses that work together seamlessly, aiming for growth through diversification. Our strategy helps us build a strong and resilient business, capable of weathering external challenges, while also providing greater value to our clients and more opportunities for our employees. Since the beginning, our philosophy has remained the same: employ, develop and reward talented individuals. People are crucial to our company, and we recognise that our success hinges on our colleagues' growth. We're committed to preserving RSK's people-first culture, promoting innovation, and fostering a supportive and caring environment for collaboration. At RSK, we want you to be part of our successes and help you reach your career aspirations. We take pride in offering employees fulfilling and challenging careers by promoting ongoing growth and empowering individuals to excel. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We firmly believe that embracing and celebrating the diversity in our workforce makes us a stronger and more innovative company. If you're passionate about making a difference, join us as we work together to build a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future for all. Do you have what it takes?