Application Guide

How to Apply for Technical Director, Capture Management Lead - Water

at AECOM

🏢 About AECOM

AECOM is a global leader in infrastructure and environmental solutions, committed to delivering a better world through innovative and sustainable projects. With a strong focus on the water sector, AECOM offers the scale and resources to tackle complex challenges while fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture. Working here means being part of a team that builds legacies and makes a tangible impact on communities.

About This Role

As Technical Director, Capture Management Lead for Water, you will own and drive high-value pursuits (typically £25m+) from opportunity identification to submission, shaping the strategy that wins business. This role is impactful because it directly influences AECOM's growth in the water sector, requiring you to align global resources, build client relationships, and lead cross-functional teams to secure transformative projects.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a virtual check-in with your pursuit team, reviewing progress on a £30m water treatment opportunity. You'll then meet with a key client to discuss upcoming tenders, followed by a strategy session with regional leaders to align on resource allocation. Later, you'll analyse competitor intelligence and refine the win plan, ensuring governance milestones are on track.

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🎯 Who AECOM Is Looking For

  • Proven capture manager with 10+ years in the water or infrastructure sector, specifically leading £25m+ enterprise-level pursuits.
  • Strategic thinker who can develop and execute win strategies, leveraging deep understanding of the UK water market and regulatory landscape.
  • Strong leader with experience mentoring teams and driving cultural change in pursuit management, fostering collaboration across geographies.
  • Excellent client relationship builder, with a track record of positioning and winning work with key water clients (e.g., water utilities, regulators).

📝 Tips for Applying to AECOM

1

Tailor your CV to highlight specific water sector capture wins, quantifying the value and your role in the pursuit strategy.

2

In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience with AECOM's mission of sustainable legacies and your understanding of the UK water industry challenges.

3

Research AECOM's recent water projects and key clients (e.g., Thames Tideway, Anglian Water) and reference them to show genuine interest.

4

Emphasise your ability to lead virtual, global teams given the remote nature of the role, providing examples of cross-border collaboration.

5

Prepare a one-page summary of a past pursuit you led, including the win strategy, team structure, and outcome, to attach or discuss in interview.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Demonstrate your deep expertise in capture management within the water sector, citing specific high-value wins and your strategic approach.', 'Highlight your leadership in fostering collaboration across global teams and driving operational excellence in pursuit governance.', "Show alignment with AECOM's values of sustainability and innovation, linking your experience to their commitment to building legacies.", 'Convey your ability to build and nurture client relationships, particularly with UK water authorities or regulators.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review AECOM's annual report and sustainability commitments to understand their strategic priorities in water and infrastructure.
  • → Familiarise yourself with AECOM's key water projects in the UK, such as the Thames Tideway Tunnel, Anglian Water's Strategic Pipeline, or work with United Utilities.
  • → Study the UK water regulatory environment, including Ofwat's price reviews (e.g., AMP8) and current industry challenges like net zero and resilience.
  • → Look into AECOM's global capture management framework and any published thought leadership on pursuit best practices.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a time you led a major water sector pursuit from identification to submission; what was your strategy and outcome?
2 How do you approach competitive analysis and positioning for a £25m+ opportunity in the UK water market?
3 Give an example of how you've driven cultural change in a pursuit team or implemented best practices in capture management.
4 How would you build a diversified pipeline of qualified water opportunities for AECOM in the UK?
5 Discuss a challenging stakeholder engagement scenario with a water client and how you resolved it.
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic application without referencing AECOM or the specific water sector context, which signals lack of interest.
  • Overemphasising technical engineering skills rather than capture management, strategic growth, and client relationship expertise.
  • Failing to provide concrete examples of leading large pursuits; vague statements about 'involvement' will not suffice.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

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Good luck with your application to AECOM!

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