Senior Principal Airport Planner

Main Purpose of the Job:

Are you an airport planning expert ready to lead transformative aviation projects in one of the world’s fastest-growing regions?

Mott MacDonald is seeking a Senior Principal Airport Planner to join our aviation team in Saudi Arabia. This strategic leadership role offers the opportunity to work on high-impact airport developments, collaborate with global experts, and influence the future of air travel across the region.

Key responsibilities and duties are listed, but not limited to, the below:

• Technically lead multi-disciplinary teams to achieve the project requirements,
• Ensure compliance with the Mott MacDonald’s Business Management Systems on all projects and proposals,
• Act as the Project Technical Lead on projects, ensuring Technical Excellence and quality is delivered on projects, Undertake technical reviews on projects and provide feedback where required to ensure successful delivery
• Depending on the scale and complexity of the project, may act as the Project Manager or Project Principal and undertake the required duties for that role,
• Day to day management/coordination of all design engineering activities, including stakeholder management, budget control and reporting,
• Lead and maintain liaison with Client’s representatives for all design activities, being the first point of contact for technical issues,
• Act as a role model and provide on the job training to early career professionals,
• Identify risks and opportunities associated with design activities, identify mitigation items and ensure that these are communicated to the Project Manager and Project Principal regularly,
• Develop the capabilities of the team within Saudi Arabia,
• Harness and leverage global design centres in delivering projects,
• Promote Mott MacDonald and our Aviation Capabilities in the region,
• Act as the key point of contact for clients, potential clients and suppliers for delivering and winning work,
• Support the Client Director with undertaking business development activities,
• Ensuring Mott MacDonald’s best practices are implemented in an effective and economic manner.

Role Requirements:

• A degree in aeronautical engineering, civil engineering, architecture, air transport management, or airport planning. Candidates with economics, sustainability, finance or business-related studies may also be considered.
• Fluency in English – knowledge of other languages will be valued.
• Significant experience in the aviation industry, with a chartership qualification or the ability to demonstrate equivalent transferrable skills from another relevant industry.
• Demonstrable professional experience in multiple technical fields within airport planning (airfield & apron, operations, terminal, landside, utilities, airspace, etc.) is expected and required.
• Chartership is not essential to apply for this role but is expected that a candidate has qualifications aligned with a professional institution.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have experience in managing and lead teams, Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate experience in growing a team, either on a project or in an organisational capacity, 
• Proactive and with a learning mindset.
• Foster teamwork and collaboration in others as part of a multi-disciplinary team and a diverse range of projects.
• Methodical problem solver with critical thinking, with the ability to work efficiently and independently.
• Ability to organise, manage and supervise medium projects to large workstreams, including resources across various disciplines and locations.
• Expertise in project and programme management with contractual knowledge and the ability to deliver commercially successful projects.
• Ability to manage and supervise project teams, including the ability to train junior staff in developing new skills.
• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills, which allow you to confidently liaise with and present work to clients.
• Ability to build and nurture client relationships, to identify and secure opportunities for follow-on work and win new prospects.
• Excellent written communication and attention to detail, being able to produce accurate technical drawings and professional reports.
• Proficient in Word, PowerPoint and Excel (Power BI desirable). Ability to manage others to work efficiently in drawings platforms, such as AutoCAD Civil 3D, AviPlan, Infraworks, Navisworks, Revit, etc. to produce airfield and terminal spatial planning outputs
• Knowledge of simulation & modelling tools for airfield and terminal and the ability to manage others to use them to deliver capacity and demand analysis outputs. 

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Our Purpose
At Mott MacDonald, our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do; relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of our organisation. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate, rather take positive steps towards creating a diverse and inclusive working environment.

Flexible Working
At Mott MacDonald, we support our staff to create work-life balance which works for them and welcome candidates looking for career flexibility. We are open to discussing flexible working at interview stage.

We can offer:

• 90 calendar days’ paid maternity leave
• Competitive annual leave
• An annual professional institution subscription
• Annual company performance bonus scheme – Subject to company performance