Director - Durban Office at Turner & Townsend

Company Description

At Turner & Townsend we’re passionate about making the difference. That means delivering better outcomes for our clients, helping our people to realize their potential, and doing our part to create a prosperous society.

Every day we help our major global clients deliver ambitious and highly technical projects, in over 110 offices worldwide.

Job Description

As Durban Office Director you will join our Durban team to provide services that help our clients devise strategies to deliver successful business solutions prior to sanction, achieve confidence around project delivery, ensure projects are effectively managed & controlled and facilitate the capture and transfer of knowledge.

Role Purpose

You will have wide-spread exposure to the business environment and our clients.  You will have authority to act in the name of Turner & Townsend and your actions will have a considerable impact on future business and direction. The successful incumbent will have a proven track record in the real estate and/or infrastructure industry. You will also have a proven track record in managing people/teams, business development and client management in the consulting environment, and have an excellent understanding of industry best practice across the life cycle of projects and will be based permanently in Durban.

You will have the responsibility, amongst others, for the service stream in terms of Project Resourcing, Best Practice and Knowledge Management, Tool & Systems, Key Account Management, Service Opportunity identification and Service Development. You will continue to promote the interests of Turner & Townsend giving the full benefit of your knowledge, expertise and skills to all your business undertakings.   

Service Delivery

You will ensure total service delivery to all clients.  Your reporting structure will ensure that you are best placed to direct resources to maximise return.  Your focus will be continuous improvement at a service level and coordinating with the Turner & Townsend business to maximise opportunities available with our Key Accounts.  You will also be expected to implement and or update requisite tools and systems to ensure staff are able to deliver a professional and efficient service. 

People Management

The leadership of people is a key role.  You will determine the resource planning at the start of the financial year and revise accordingly any increased headcount requirements in line with new clients.   In particular you will:   

• Have the ability to differentiate Turner & Townsend from our competitors in the market place and explain our key differences in a positive and non-disparaging way during interview

• Represent the Turner & Townsend culture

• Attract and interview candidates to join Turner & Townsend through your  demeanour, your positive attitude and your ability to promote Turner & Townsend

• Conduct effective quarterly development reviews with employees reporting to you

• Conduct annual staff appraisals and work with the Regional Director to produce the Performance Agreements for all other staff reporting to you

• Determine salary changes and application of discretionary bonuses for those reporting to you

• Be involved with disciplinary, misconduct and dispute cases of your employees  

Business Development

You will continue to build relationships with your network of clients.  You will share industry best practice and assist other Turner & Townsend offices to develop opportunities with your clients who have presence in their regions.  

You will be attuned to potential client needs within your industry sector or business unit and will work collaboratively with other Directors to optimise service offerings of total program management to one another’s clients. 

You will take a proactive approach to conceiving initiatives to sell Turner & Townsend service offerings to existing and new clients.  You will make decisions on new initiatives and conduct cost benefit analysis on diverting resources to new fee intensive initiatives that can be rolled out to clients in the future. 

Behaviour

You are expected to maintain at all times a professional and focused conduct when engaging with clients, competitors and colleagues.  At all times during your employment with Turner & Townsend, you should act as an ambassador of the global organisation. 

As Office Director you are responsible for supporting a positive and confident atmosphere within the Turner & Townsend offices.  Your business approach will influence your colleagues and team members and it is therefore important that you reflect the Turner & Townsend standards in your leadership, verbal and non-verbal communication, in your general conduct, your attire and your attitude.

Confidentiality

You shall not (except so far as is necessary and proper in the ordinary course of your employment) make public or disclose to any person any information on Turner & Townsend business dealings or affairs. As Office Director you will treat all client information that is not public knowledge as confidential.  You will not give any unauthorized people access to this information.  When working with particular clients you may be required to sign their specific Confidentiality Agreements.

Client Relations 

When interacting with Clients you will always display integrity, competence, and objectivity, using a professional approach at all times, and placing the best interests of the client above all others. It is important that you understand your relationship with clients and act in a manner that represents Turner & Townsend positively.     

When occasion arises for you to serve as an expert advisor, you shall only express an opinion when it is founded upon adequate knowledge of the facts, upon a background of technical competence, and upon honest conviction. It is important that you recognise your boundaries and upwardly delegate when appropriate.  Cross-checking with colleagues is an important skill in terms of risk management in Turner & Townsend and is not an indication of poor judgement or ineffective leadership.  

You have ultimate responsibility for the client care charters and delivering quality management.

Qualifications

We are interested in motivated, performance oriented and engaging individuals with relevant experience. We need self-starters, capable of using their own initiative, who are credible and confident with a broad range of stakeholders including C-suite.

Key Requirements:

• BSc QS or BSc Construction Management (or similar qualifications)

• Post-Graduate qualification advantageous

• Professional Registration is essential

• 15 years of overall working experience gained preferably within the built environment with a minimum of 7 years’ experience gained in a senior role in the built environment

• Experienced in Business Development and delivering successful projects in Southern Africa 

• Must have a proven track record of having successfully delivered large projects in the real-estate and/or infrastructure sectors. Experience to additional sectors such as oil & gas and mining & metals may be beneficial.

• Must have working knowledge of commonly used contracts including FIDIC, NEC and / or JBCC

• Proven ability to analyse complex problems, interpret operational needs and develop integrated, creative solutions

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to manage and lead effectively in a team environment

• Must be willing to travel for business purposes