Step out of your comfort zone and build relationships: Jo looks back at twenty-five years with AtkinsRéalis and what has shaped her career

Before joining AtkinsRéalis, Jo had left the comfort of working for a leafy London borough planning department, to work in South Africa as a volunteer with VSO, working with the planning team at Johannesburg City Council on economic development projects in Soweto.

One of her roles was helping to develop a Soweto Heritage Trail, a project that has since helped preserve and communicate Soweto’s history, making it one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.

I fell in love with South Africa and still miss it, she says. A vibrant and beautiful country. I loved every minute.

That was twenty‑five years ago. This month marks her quarter‑century at AtkinsRéalis.

The first reservoir in a generation

Jo is a Technical Director of Town Planning, based at our Nova North office in London with a national role heading up the UK Town Planning team. Day to day she provides planning support to major infrastructure and development projects, helps grow the team, and works across all markets, which she says, is what keeps the work interesting after all this time.

The project she’s proudest of is Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first reservoir to be consented in the UK for thirty years.

I led the planning strategy, the award‑winning consultation and engagement, and the successful planning applications, she says. She’s now supporting Portsmouth Water through the construction phase, and the lessons from how that consent is being delivered are informing current reservoir schemes in Kent, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire.

It’s work that matters. Our work demonstrates how strong technical expertise, paired with collaborative engagement, can unlock better outcomes for people and places. These projects can significantly affect local communities, so it’s essential to bring people along on the design journey, helping them understand what is proposed and showing them how they can shape the outcome.

Alongside the reservoir work, she’s been supporting Homes England with the preparation of a masterplan and planning application for an urban extension to Rugby.

Saying yes, a lot

Ask Jo how she’s built her career and the answer is disarmingly simple: she kept saying yes.

I’ve had lots of great opportunities and experiences over the last twenty‑five years just by saying ‘yes’ a lot. It can be daunting to put your hand up, but stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to grow.

The list speaks for itself. She’s worked in China on a station development scheme with teams in Shanghai and Beijing. She went to Singapore for an Urban Planning Network session, meeting and learning from planners across the company. She worked on a regeneration project in Johannesburg. She became an Operations Manager, bringing disparate teams across the UK into one national Planning team. She’s led successful major bids and she adds, honestly a few unsuccessful ones too.

I’ve worked on great projects with fantastic people from all corners of the company, some of which I’ve seen being built.

From Senior Planner to Technical Director

Jo joined as a Senior Planner and has progressed to Technical Director. Along the way, she put her hand up for different roles, including a stint in Operations that gave her a valuable insight into how the business works.

Getting involved in Operations gave me a really valuable perspective on how everything we do makes a difference, she says. I prefer a technical role now, but I also enjoy supporting work winning and business development.

Over the past year, that has included contributing to a parliamentary roundtable on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and a Royal Town Planning Institute roundtable on the National Planning Policy Framework, strengthening the link between planning practice and policy development. She also chaired a Women in Planning session on emerging devolution proposals.

Freedom, not permission

What keeps Jo at AtkinsRéalis after twenty‑five years isn’t any single thing. It’s the combination.

We have a truly collaborative and very friendly culture. People work together well, there’s a willingness to help each other. I’m always learning from my colleagues. It’s also somewhere where you can take control of your own destiny, there are plenty of opportunities if you want a change or a new challenge.

When she talks about what helps her do her best work, she keeps coming back to one word: freedom.

You don’t need anyone’s permission to contribute ideas, make suggestions, manage your workload, network, put your hand up. But the support is there if you ask for it.

“Relationships will keep you here”

Her advice for women building their careers is rooted in two and a half decades of experience.

Build relationships. Consultancy is a people business. Your technical skills will get you in the door, but relationships will keep you here and help you grow. Invest in networking with colleagues and clients. Remember names. Follow up. Volunteer for tasks. Make yourself memorable.

And she’s still learning, particularly she says, from the next generation.

I’m fiercely loyal to my team and try to foster a collaborative and inclusive culture where we’re all learning from and supporting each other. Over twenty‑five years I’ve learned so much that I’m always trying to pass along, encouraging others to step outside their comfort zone. But I’m still learning, especially from our younger generation of planners who bring enthusiasm, passion, curiosity and bravery to the roles they play. They really inspire me.

Whether you’re starting out or stepping up, your voice and ideas matter here. Explore roles at AtkinsRéalis and be part of shaping the future of our communities.