Technical Director - Business Case and Economic Appraisal

Role description: 

We are recruiting a Technical Director specialising in Business Case Development and Economic Appraisal to help clients secure funding and approvals for complex transport investment. The role will lead a small team that shapes robust, evidence‑led infrastructure business cases and appraisal that stand up to scrutiny, build stakeholder confidence, and accelerate decision‑making. 

You will support clients through the full investment lifecycle—from strategic case for change and option development through to appraisal, assurance, and approvals—on high profile, complex and technically demanding programmes. 

Our work spans National Highways, local and combined authorities, sub‑regional transport bodies and developers, alongside a growing international portfolio—supporting decisions on investment prioritisation, funding submissions, consent and programme delivery. 

You will work closely with our wider placemaking offer (including business transformation, buildings, environment and local government) to bring integrated advice—linking transport, place, sustainability and deliverability into a single, coherent case for investment. 

Role accountabilities: 

In this role, you will help clients make confident, transparent decisions by providing: 

• Business case advice and drafting that meets client governance and assurance requirements 

• Support to secure funding and approvals, building stakeholder confidence in the evidence 

• Scheme appraisal to quantify impacts and value for money 

• Create an environment and expectations for consistent high quality service delivery with a focus on exceeding client expectations and leads to repeat business.  

• To optimise use of Global Excellence Centres (GEC), based outside of the UK&I, and develop other methods of improving project margins and increasing efficiency of delivery  

The team operates across the United Kingdom, with offices in the South East, Midlands, North and South West of England, as well as Wales and Scotland. You will provide direction to delivery teams and work with clients on existing and upcoming commissions. 

This is a strong opportunity to grow a client portfolio and help shape the wider Arcadis placemaking offer—working across internal specialist teams to bring the right capability to each client challenge. 

You should be experienced in helping clients (public and private sector) to secure funding and approvals for complex transport investment—providing clear, evidence‑led business cases and economic appraisal that stand up to scrutiny. You will lead client engagements end‑to‑end: shaping the case for change, defining options, assuring appraisal, and guiding stakeholders through governance and assurance gates. 

Educated to degree level (or above), preferably in transport planning or traffic engineering, with experience leading or working within a relevant business function within a multinational engineering or professional services firm or public sector organisation. 

You will be confident presenting to clients and stakeholders and able to communicate complex evidence clearly and concisely. You will bring a rounded transport planning skill set, together with strong experience in business case development and the practical application of economic appraisal tools and guidance. 

Qualifications & Experience: 

• Proven experience shaping business case and economic appraisal strategies that meet governance and assurance expectations 

• Ability to build trusted client relationships and act as a senior point of contact 

• Experience leading delivery teams and managing programmes to time, cost and quality 

• Strong technical assurance capability—reviewing and signing off key client deliverables 

• Commitment to coaching and developing teams to deliver consistently high‑quality work 

• Excellent report writing and communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages to different audiences 

• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills across multiple client commissions and bids 

 Optional Role Accountabilities 

• Pedestrian modelling and urban space advice to support safe, efficient place outcomes 

• Scheme concept development and feasibility to identify the right options early 

• Masterplanning input that integrates transport, land use and deliverability 

• Sustainable travel planning (including walking and cycling) to support mode shift and health outcomes 

• Planning application support to secure consent, with clear evidence and audit trails 

• Public consultation support and expert witness services where required 

• Local Plan evidence and advice to support sound, deliverable growth strategies 

• Local operational modelling and access design to solve constraints and improve performance 

• Clear multimodal transport strategies that align investment with policy and outcomes 

• Future mobility strategies that are deliverable, affordable and evidence‑led