Senior Asset Sponsor

Shape a faster, smarter, safer future.

Are you ready to take up a vital role in shaping some of our exciting projects? How about joining our talented team, where everyone has a voice, and together we face our clients' problems head-on. It's a diverse and inclusive work environment where world-class talent knows no distinctions.

AtkinsRéalis, Balfour Beatty and Egis Road Operations UK are part of a consortium, creating Connect Plus Services, a unique partnership with a collective strength in highways asset care from finance, through to design, build, maintenance as well as day to day operation.

As part of our 30-year remit to manage and improve the capital’s orbital motorway network, we deliver major improvement projects, such as widening 38 miles of the M25, refurbishing tunnels and bridges, and installing hundreds of variable messaging signs and gantries, helping to maximise the use of the network and deliver more reliable journeys. We also manage the Dartford River crossing and operate and maintain 440 kilometres of motorway providing our customer and road user with a world-class highway service.

We value diversity and celebrate individual differences, believing that our inclusive culture helps the business continue to grow as a strong, dynamic, and innovative organisation.

Role:

The Senior Asset Sponsor is accountable for the strategic asset management, planning, and performance of the M25 DBFO portfolio including Paved Areas, Structures, Dartford Crossings and the wider Tunnels and Ancillaries portfolio.

This role supports the delivery of a TOTEX investment approach that is applied across Planned Maintenance, Lifecycle Renewals, and Improvements, with projected investments exceeding £70 million per annum over the remaining 15 years of the contract.

Providing strategic direction and leadership, the Asset Sponsor will interface with the specialist asset management teams across a diverse range of assets, including:

• Technology
• Tunnel mechanical and electrical systems
• Lighting
• Pavement
• Structures
• Drainage
• Vehicle restraint systems
• Road markings & signage

The Senior Asset Sponsor will also oversee and engage with the Asset Delivery team and Commercial Team supporting that agreed project, programme and portfolios plans remain on track in terms of time, quality and performance.

They will highlight and escalate delivery issues where necessary, ensuring the business is aware of any asset or operational impacts caused by delays or failures.

As a co-custodian of the Asset Strategy, the Senior Asset Sponsor will collaborate with the Asset Managers to ensure our forward looking positions exhibit strong alignment with business and asset management objectives and retain a strong focus on deliverability.

A key aspect of the role is effectively communicating the asset strategy—explaining decisions, priorities, risks, and opportunities to a diverse audience. The role also requires building and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including CPS functions, supply chains, and clients.

Your purpose:

• Provide leadership - across CPS Asset Managers, suppliers, and stakeholders to ensure that Asset Management Strategies are implemented and evidenced by our forward-looking Asset Management Plans.
• Act as the internal Client - for PDA Asset Portfolio, helping to define budgets for maintenance, renewals, and improvement activities.
• Ensure effective asset management - guiding specialist teams to identify, prioritise, and implement value-driven maintenance and renewal solutions. Ensure these are accurately reflected in the Asset Management Forward Plan (AMFP).
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement within asset delivery teams - Oversee maintenance and renewal delivery functions, refine integrated delivery plans, and monitor progress against time, quality, and cost metrics—escalating issues when necessary.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement within commercial and supply chain teams - Support and guide commercial information and development of robust spending forecasts.
• Oversee the implementation of key policies and documentation - including the Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP), asset management policies, methodologies, performance specifications and operating processes.
• Manage holistic risk plans - addressing potential impacts of change and ensuring resilience in asset operations.
• Drive environmental and sustainability goals- ensuring alignment with CPS commitments to net-zero and biodiversity net gain.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships - with internal and external stakeholders, including CPS functional areas, CP, and National Highways (NH), to align with M25 Tunnels portfolio delivery objectives.

What you can bring:

• A relevant professional qualification, ideally Chartered / Incorporated status with a recognised and relevant UK institution.
• Experience of asset investment and delivering value for money management in a construction-critical infrastructure environment.
• Strong stakeholder influencing and management skills.
• Project focussed leader with demonstrable experience building collaboration in teams for continuous improvement.
• Experience of working in a Joint Venture or similar arrangement (desirable).
• Experience of tunnels and/or highway structures asset management (desirable).
• Good grasp of data analytics and data driven decision making.
• Development / Use / Implementation of support to make the right choice Tools and Asset Management systems.

Why work for AtkinsRéalis?

Our Transportation teams are reinventing transport for a challenging yet exciting future. We're creating new ideas and smart solutions for cities, people and the environment. You'll be working alongside some of the top people in our industry, solving challenges that bring together traditional engineering and new technologies. As part of our organisation, you'll be in a privileged position, delivering what's right for governments and communities. You'll be helping us to improve our leading environmental performance while enabling others to do the same.

Security clearance:

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary, it will be discussed with you at interview. The vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer. If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance.

We are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves, thrive and develop. To help embed inclusion for all, from day one, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee networks to support staff from different backgrounds. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures and ability.

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