Western Cape: Head of Department (Structures) posted by Communicate Finance

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and seasoned Head of Department (Structures) to lead our specialist engineering department within a consulting context. The successful candidate will be responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership, translating complex technical challenges into structured project plans, and ensuring delivery excellence while managing time, cost, and scope constraints.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership to a specialist engineering department within a consulting context
• Translate complex technical challenges and client objectives into structured, deliverable-driven project plans
• Oversee multiple concurrent assignments, ensuring resources are allocated effectively across projects and deadlines are met
• Lead delivery excellence by maintaining high technical standards while managing time, cost, and scope constraints
• Collaborate closely with other technical leaders, project managers, and commercial teams to ensure integrated project delivery
• Act as a technical authority and escalation point on complex engineering matters across client engagements
• Support business objectives by contributing to project planning, fee management, forecasting, and reporting
• Engage with clients and stakeholders to provide senior-level technical input, manage expectations, and build long-term relationships
• Mentor and develop engineering professionals, strengthening both technical capability and consulting skills within the team
• Drive continuous improvement in delivery methods, quality assurance, and internal processes

Requirements

• Extensive experience in a senior engineering role within a consulting or professional services environment
• Proven ability to lead and manage technical teams across multiple client projects
• Strong project and resource management capability, including prioritisation in deadline-driven environments
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex engineering solutions to external clients
• Sound commercial awareness, with the ability to balance technical rigor against project budgets and timelines
• Confident communicator with experience engaging clients, consultants, and internal stakeholders at senior levels
• Decisive leadership style with the ability to guide teams through ambiguity and competing priorities
• Strong mentoring and people leadership capability within a professional services context

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, preferably with a focus on structural or materials engineering
• Professional registration with a recognised engineering body is advantageous
• A doctorate will be considered beneficial but is not a prerequisite

Salary & Benefits

Not applicable