Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer - Water Sector

Licensed sponsor Worcestershire Full-time Posted 3 hours ago

The Opportunity

What does it take to shape the future of an entire engineering discipline? At Stantec, we're looking for a senior engineering leader who can bring technical authority, commercial thinking and strategic vision to our growing Midlands Water business. This is an opportunity to take a leading role in shaping our Mechanical Engineering capability, influencing how we deliver some of the UK's most significant water infrastructure programmes.

Our teams are supporting major frameworks and partnerships across the UK, including Severn Trent Water, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, United Utilities, Northumbrian Water and Wessex Water. With a substantial forward pipeline of work and ambitious growth plans, we're looking for a Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer to help lead the next chapter of our success. Based in Birmingham, Redditch or Derby, you'll have the opportunity to influence regional strategy, strengthen key client relationships, develop future engineering leaders and play a significant role in the direction of our business. This is a high-profile leadership position with the potential to take on wider regional and discipline-level responsibilities.

About The Role

As a Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer, you'll provide strategic and technical leadership across our Midlands Mechanical Engineering team, taking responsibility for engineering excellence, team development and the successful delivery of major water and wastewater infrastructure programmes.

Working closely with regional and national leadership, you'll help shape the direction of our MEICA capability, ensuring we have the technical expertise, people and resources to deliver our growing portfolio of work.

Your Responsibilities Will Include

Providing strategic leadership and direction for Mechanical Engineering across the Midlands, supporting the development and delivery of regional business plans.
Acting as a senior technical authority, providing oversight and assurance across complex mechanical engineering projects and programmes.
Building and strengthening relationships with key clients, identifying opportunities to expand our involvement across existing frameworks and secure new work.
Leading and developing senior engineering teams, identifying future leaders and building a strong succession pipeline.
Influencing engineering strategy, technical standards, governance and best practice across the wider Water business.
Supporting business development, bids and strategic pursuits, working collaboratively with regional and national leadership.
Driving innovation, operational efficiency and continuous improvement across our mechanical engineering delivery.

YOUR IMPACT

This is an opportunity to influence the future of Stantec's Mechanical Engineering business, not simply oversee individual projects. Your leadership will help position our Midlands team for continued growth, ensuring we maximise the opportunities available through our major water frameworks and deliver lasting value for our clients.

You'll play a pivotal role in developing our people, strengthening our technical reputation and building the relationships that underpin long-term business success. Through your strategic insight and engineering experience, you'll help shape investment decisions, influence industry standards and ensure our teams are equipped to deliver the next generation of water infrastructure. Your contribution will extend well beyond the Midlands, helping shape the wider direction and success of Stantec's national Water business.

Essential

ABOUT YOU

Degree qualified (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering.
Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
Extensive senior-level experience within the UK water sector, with a strong background in mechanical engineering.
Proven experience providing strategic and technical leadership across major water and wastewater infrastructure programmes.
Demonstrable experience leading, developing and managing senior engineering teams.
Strong commercial awareness, with experience supporting business growth, client relationships and strategic opportunities.
Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at senior and executive level.

Desirable

Experience in regional, discipline or business leadership within an engineering consultancy.
Experience leading business development strategies, major bids and framework relationships.
A strong network of industry relationships and experience developing long-term client partnerships.
Experience influencing engineering strategy, operational performance and organisational growth.

WHY JOIN US

We put people first: We're proud of our friendly, inclusive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and driven to succeed.

We are driven to achieve: Named in the top 50 companies to work by Glassdoor 2025. Recognised by Corporate Knights as one of the world's top 10 most sustainable companies 2025. Named ‘Best Place to Work’ and ‘International Consulting Firm of the Year’ at the NCE Awards 2024.

We do what is right: Industry leading training and development as well as paid for professional subscriptions. A professional progression plan, supporting you to become chartered with ICE.

We are better together: A supportive and collaborative team environment and Early Careers peer group and wider ERG network (see more on our ERGs here: Stantec Employee Resource Groups).

Growth: We're on an exciting growth journey across the UK - we want you to be part of it!

Great Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus schemes, enhanced pension plan, annual leave with the option to buy/sell additional days, private medical insurance, group income protection & life assurance included as standard as well as discounted gym membership and lots more.

Hybrid / Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible working.

If you're an experienced engineering leader looking for an opportunity to influence business strategy, develop exceptional teams and shape the future of Mechanical Engineering within the UK water sector, we'd love to hear from you.

About Stantec

The Stantec community unites more than 34,000 employees working in over 450 locations across 6 continents. We have been working with our clients and communities in the UK for over 150 years. We plan, design, deliver and manage the development and infrastructure needed to support the creation of sustainable, healthy and prosperous communities.

Our teams provide effective and relevant solutions, translating our clients’ vision into valued consents, deliverable plans for projects and programmes, and efficient designs for delivery, based on technical excellence and deep market insights. We deal with today’s challenges, but also keep a fairer, better tomorrow in sight, looking at how we deliver clean growth, support radical changes in our economy and meet the needs of future communities.

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment.

Building an inspired, inclusive work environment that attracts, supports, and develops world-class talent is a crucial key to our success. If you are excited by this role but worry that your experience doesn’t exactly align, we encourage you to apply.

At Stantec we want you to perform your best at every stage of the recruitment process and are committed to ensuring it is accessible to all. If you need any support or require adjustments to be made then please contact [email protected] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.