Operations Director/Associate Director, Singapore

Purpose:

Accountable to the Asia Chief Operating Officer (COO) and responsible to the Managing Directors, the Operations Director is a member of the senior leadership team and is responsible for:

1. Operational matters associated with the running of the business and, together with the Business Line Heads (BLHs) and Finance Managers, is responsible for budget setting and delivery
2. Client engagement and added value across discipline projects, and with client relationships
3. Focusing and driving performance on Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ), operational excellence pillar, and budget.
4. Leadership of people in driving the business forward and, working with the BLHs, in

• Recruiting/retaining and developing the highest quality leaders and teams
• Driving business performance to meet expectations
• Project delivery excellence, exceeding Client expectations of performance and outcome
• Supporting and constructively challenging leaders in delivering their full responsibilities

Working with relevant senior colleagues, the Operations Director is responsible for contributing to the budget delivery, leading and reporting on the operational delivery. The Operations Director chairs the operational management team, as appropriate, and has the autonomy to make appropriate decisions to meet market and business needs; while working closely with the BLHs and other senior colleagues.

Key Responsibilities Area:

Accountabilities:

Leadership:

• Driving Ethics and Compliance, aligned to WSP’s core values.
• Driving Health and Safety, with a commitment to a zero-harm culture.
• Exhibits and demonstrates behaviours and attitudes in accordance with WSP core values through effective team working, with effective and transparent teamwork.
• Provides visible leadership and direction with a focus on the operational excellence pillar and budget performance.
• Engages others to develop a culture of client-centric operational excellence and innovation in project delivery to differentiate and raise market profile. Provides co-ordination within the discipline to ensure sharing of best practice, innovation, project delivery and operational skills.

Budgets (with the MDs)

• Accountable for annual business budget (all aspects), sign up and delivery
• Accountable for accuracy and overview of financial forecasts
• Accountable for identifying and managing risk
• Accountable for the operational performance of the discipline in accordance with the goals, policies and objectives set within the WSP Asia business.

Responsibilities:

• Acts as a partner and delegate/proxy for the BLHs.
• Implement best practices and continuous improvement initiatives by working closely with Business Line Heads and functional leads (Commercial, Legal, Finance, HR, Compliance, and other corporate functions)
• Implements action plans to deliver market leading operational, SHEQ and budget performance.
• Ensuring client engagement and relationship plans are being delivered and directly engage in client key accounts. Build relationships with Clients and add value through direct engagement on projects and interactions.
• Ensure plans in digital, standardisation, simplification, innovation, project management and operational process are developed and deliver enhanced value to clients and to WSP.
• Directly engages in decisions and bid winning strategies on High Risk/ Important prospects including market benchmarks, competitor knowledge and positive commercial strategies.
• Ensures regular overview and balance between workload, utilisation and resources across the discipline
• Promotes a culture of operational excellence, delivering synergies and improvements including the sharing and embedding of project delivery and operational best practice across the discipline.
• Establishing strong and positive relationships with discipline leaders, teams and project leaders.
• Oversee discipline budget preparation and delivery working towards stretch targets, with key shared metrics being Net Revenue, Operating Margin, EBITDA and DSO.
• Actively interrogate information and data on major project performance and develop strategies for support and drive intervention as required including regular liaison with the disciplines, with a co-ordinated programme of project reviews
• Focus on maximising operational performance from our complimentary resource centres
• Chairs and drives monthly and quarterly reviews of performance in the disciplines and provides support to the HOD in reporting, in line with the WSP Asia requirements.
• Develops and manages risk and opportunity registers for the disciplines.
• Deliver process improvements that deliver an enhanced client experience and overall performance for the business.
• Regularly carry out lessons learnt on Major Projects linking themes, issues and strengths to the wider portfolio.
• Disseminate lessons learnt through the wider business and encourage others to identify and discuss lessons learnt from other key projects.
• Maintain an active role in project governance including Project Director or project governance roles with a personal utilisation target of 20%; adding value for key projects and clients.

Key Competencies & Experience:

• Operations - Has an established track record of success leading and growing a P&L, as well as achieving superior profitability, in a competitive market.
• Leading People - Acts as a “role model” by encouraging others to embrace change and face new challenges. Has a positive, active mindset and can work and collaborate across all levels. Demonstrates excellent inter-personal skills with good leadership and management abilities.
• Inclusion and Performance - Promotes and engages diverse perspectives fostering inclusion in every area of business operations. Demonstrates courage in decision making and supports, coaches and develops others through respectful, actionable constructive feedback. Provides encouragement and development to allow all to reach their full potential and achieve maximum performance.
• Budget Delivery - Experience of successfully delivering budget performance during a variety of economic/business conditions.
• Thinking and Direction – ability to operate a business in accordance with clients’ expectations (sell for revenues, manage for profit, and deliver for satisfaction). Can identify, communicate, engage, and drive the implementation of operational, SHEQ or budget improvement plans.
• Projects - Possess a broad range of project experience, both within disciplines relevant to the BU and multi -disciplinary.
• Communication and Influence - Demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively and positive influence at all

levels as well as internally and externally. Actively champion sharing knowledge, ideas and intelligence.

• Strong presentation skills, training sessions and one to one learning.
• Problems (business and projects) – Able to assess performance and trends to take actions and support

areas/projects where problems manifest. Able to identify actions across people, process and practice to mitigate problem areas and drive improvements.

Professional Experience:

• Clear understanding of core expectations for leading a high-profile client facing business
• Proven people and client management skills; able to develop/maintain excellent relationships
• Excellent communication and listening skills with the ability to influence and deal with conflicting priorities and to offer positive solutions
• Clear operational acumen with understanding of consultancy services and models and key drivers to improve performance.
• Demonstrates strong leadership skills and abilities with focus on people management, accountability and succession.
• Coming from a relevant industry, consultancy or client organisation would be beneficial but not essential
• Flexibility to travel within Asia, as required.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

• Embody behaviours that support a strong health and safety culture.
• Take reasonable steps to ensure personal health and safety, as well as that of others affected by activities.
• Comply with safety rules, procedures, and instructions issued by the company or authorized persons.
• Make proper use of facilities, equipment, and clothing provided for protection.
• Identify significant hazards associated with activities and eliminate them where possible.
• Reduce and control remaining risks to prevent harm.
• Participate in necessary health and safety training.
• Take note of health and safety information and instructions provided.
• Rectify health and safety problems or defects where safely and reasonably possible.
• Report issues if unable to rectify them.
• Foster good working relationships and embrace diversity and inclusion.
• Support employees' overall wellbeing to create a healthy and productive workplace.

Self-Development

• Take the lead to establish personal career experiences, development and performance goals through regular and relevant Thrive conversations.
• Keep up-to-date with developments in your professional area.
• Make use of expert collaboration opportunities such as PANS to develop and maintain a network of technical/professional support and excellence.
• Achieve and/or maintain professional registrations/licences relevant to your role.
• Update the Capabilities Database for sharing capabilities and qualifications within the business.
• Regularly reflect on the contribution you make to your team culture to embrace diversity, strive for excellence and demonstrate our Guiding Principles.

About WSP Asia

WSP is one of the world’s leading professional services consulting firms. We are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower. Having been active in Asia since early 1970s, WSP has contributed to many of the region’s infrastructure, building and urban developments. With a staff complement of over 3,400 in 12 offices throughout major cities in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, we harness Asia’s unique opportunities and challenges through our collaborative force and innovative engineering solutions, fostering the sustainable growth of the region. wsp.com