Rail & Major Programmes Architecture Director

The Rail & Major Programmes Architecture Director is a senior technical and project leadership role responsible for fronting major rail design programmes across the UK & Ireland.

The role provides senior leadership on flagship rail programmes and major pursuits, complex regulatory environments and multi-partner delivery models within live operational stations.

Operating in close collaboration with Market Sector Leadership and Client Account Managers, the role has a primary focus on project leadership, delivery assurance and bid credibility, providing confidence and continuity from early concept and statutory stages through procurement and transition into delivery.

This role requires a recognised rail architecture expert with a strong industry profile, deep technical competence, and the gravitas to lead major pursuits and represent AECOM credibly at executive client and stakeholder level. We would expect the right candidate to have active contacts with key decision makers at Network Rail, Transport for London, TfGM, and other transport authorities to help build our expanding rail business.

The overall aim for this position is to ensure AECOM is recognised and enhanced reputationally as a high-quality design partner in the rail industry, and is firmly in the minds of key decision makers as a consultancy to engage with at all stages of significant projects.

The successful candidate will:

• Engage with and further develop our current mid to long term development strategy prepared by our current multi-disciplinary team of experts.
• Work collaboratively with our existing team of senior personnel to build our expanding rail business.
• Critically assess our current operational model and consider how it can be improved and evolved to support business development and expanding market share.
• Tangibly increase in the near and mid-term the number of commissions we have and expand our multi-disciplinary scope of services as part of those projects.
• Expand our business with high quality and committed personnel added to our team based on a sustainable revenue uplift from new commissioned projects.
• Position AECOM to successfully capture key design frameworks for the rail business (for example, the GLA Architecture + Urbanism Framework).

Key Responsibilities - Project Leadership & Delivery

• Lead the multi-disciplinary delivery of large-scale rail programmes, including stations, depots, and ancillary assets such as headhouses and OCS systems within live operational rail environments, ensuring quality, safety, innovation, and client satisfaction.
• Oversee multidisciplinary coordination across architecture, rail systems, civils, structures, MEP, fire, security, digital, and specialist transportation systems.
• Serve as Design Lead / Project Director on complex rail projects or wider rail development programmes.
• Ensure compliance with rail regulations, including rail station planning principles, passenger flow strategies, security requirements, and operational and commercial constraints.
• Manage risk, project governance, technical reviews, and quality processes.

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the primary senior interface with rail authorities, operators, concessionaires, developers, contractors, and regulatory bodies.
• Influence early-stage strategy, rail station concepts, optioneering, and masterplanning decisions.
• Represent AECOM in workshops, steering groups, executive reviews, and project governance forums.
• Build long-term relationships that drive repeat work and client trust.

Business Development & Bids

• Act as the accountable multi-disciplinary design lead and a visible differentiator on major rail pursuits, adding sector credibility and technical authority.
• Shape winning strategies for Major Pursuits, ECI bids, frameworks, and design competitions, and long-term rail programmes and partnerships.
• Collaborate with our Work Winning team to develop proposals, presentations, and client engagement plans.
• Identify new business opportunities across UK and international rail networks, emerging rail technologies, and major rail redevelopment and expansion programmes.

Technical Leadership

• Lead and mentor teams on stations planning, wayfinding, passenger experience, flows, resilience, security and operational readiness.
• Operate effectively within highly regulated environments, including DCO processes, operational change, security compliance and safety-critical interfaces.
• Drive innovation in digital delivery, including BIM, computational design, digital twins, and simulation.
• Champion sustainability, low-carbon solutions, and AECOM's ESG commitments within Rail environments.
• Provide specialist guidance on station planning, constructability, logistics, forecourts and multi-modal access

Team & Practice Development

• Work closely and collaboratively with our existing senior multi-disciplinary B+P Design team
• Mentor the next generation of rail architects, engineers, and project leaders with a focus on high-quality design, project delivery, major bi

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