Associate Director - Risk - Defence

At Turner & Townsend, we are committed to helping you thrive — both professionally and personally.  Our culture is founded on trust, flexibility and the belief that people perform at their best when they feel supported and empowered.

We are united by a core principle: making the difference matters. Joining us means becoming part of a purpose‑driven organisation where diverse expertise comes together to serve, support and protect those who serve and protect us.

From your first day, you will be exposed to unique and complex environments. You will contribute to programmes across air, land, sea, cyber and space, gaining experience that strengthens your capability and advances your career. You will work alongside leading professionals in the defence, aerospace and security sectors, all aligned to a shared vision of being the premier international partner in our field.

As part of our growing team, you will play a vital role in supporting clients to deliver major programmes that enhance national capability and transform the defence landscape. You will be based from your local office, working in a hybrid model and collaborating with colleagues and client teams across the UK.

This is an opportunity to contribute to work of national importance — and to grow within a business that values expertise, collaboration and long‑term relationships.

We have exciting opportunity for an Associate Director level, to join our vibrant busy and expanding Defence team we are seeking a highly developed capable Risk Manager ideally with QRA experience, based in our Southwest and Wales Defence team, we are undertaking duties on a range of high profile projects across the Region and across the UK.

Owing to the complex nature of the works involved, this role will suit Risk Manager with Project or Programme delivery experience from a rail/aviation, water/utilities, highways, defence or nuclear background with proven experience and understanding of the processes to be based in our Bristol Office. 

MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE:

Implement or support the implementation of an integrated risk management framework across a major capital programme or project. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Facilitate identification, assessment and prioritisation of threats, opportunities and issues within the sub-programme.     
• Maintain visibility of threat/opportunity trigger points to facilitate risk cost profiling, timely drawdown of risk budget or retirement of threat/opportunity.
• Use risk data to inform investment planning or business case development.                                                     
•  Assist with the identification and recording of appropriate management responses which are measurable and specific, along with assessing the post mitigated positions.                                                                    
• Monitor overall risk exposure and assess against the remaining risk contingency or budget.
• Proactively manage the completion of management responses to help deliver target positions.          
• Work with contractors to assess contractor held risks and their views on client held risks that impact upon them.                      
• Produce risk reports as required, in a timely manner, to support the effective communication of threat & opportunity status.   
• Conduct quantitative risk assessment (cost and schedule) to inform project contingency levels.
• Candidates will be expected to demonstrate experienced levels of competence with tools such as PRA, @risk, Safran or similar.
• Familiarity with web-based database tools – ARM, Predict, Risk Hive, Tableau and Power BI

Further, candidates are expected to have excellent communication skills (oral and written) and be genuinely committed to finding new and more effective ways of working.                                                   

• We are looking for candidates with proven experience in a risk delivery role on major infrastructure projects/programmes. APM/IRM/MoR risk certified.

Important: Due to the sensitive nature of these projects, you must hold or be able to obtain UK MoD security clearance - Hold a British Passport

Security Requirements

Due to the sensitive nature of the work involved in our specialist defence projects, candidates will be required to hold, or be eligible to obtain, Security Clearance (SC). To meet the criteria for this level of clearance, applicants must:

• Be a  British National
• Hold a valid UK passport
• Hold 5–10 years of continuous UK residency, depending on the level.

• SOX control responsibilities may apply to this role and must be adhered to where relevant.

Hybrid Working

We embrace a hybrid approach to work. This means you may collaborate with colleagues from:

• Home
• A Turner & Townsend office
• Client sites across the region (on a weekly basis)

We use technology to stay connected, collaborate effectively, and deliver excellence — wherever we are. Our hybrid working approach gives you the flexibility to balance your professional and personal life, supporting wellbeing and long‑term sustainability. At the same time, there will be moments when in‑person collaboration is essential, and you will need you to travel when required typically 2- 3 days per week

Your Growth & Wellbeing

At Turner & Townsend, you’ll build a career with purpose and possibility where you can expect the following

• Competitive packages with a range of benefits that are reviewed every year

• Meaningful, high impact work
• Lifelong learning and development
• A supportive, people focused culture
• Recognition for your contribution

We believe in balance, sustainability and creating a workplace where you can truly belong

Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our success. We’re proud of a culture where people with different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds come together to achieve excellence. We believe that when everyone feels they belong, everyone thrives.

SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time. 

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.