Principal Airport Planner

Location/s: Madrid, ES
Recruiter contact: Ainsley Anstess

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the business unit 
We help conceive, drive, and implement transport solutions for cities, regions, and asset owners/operators around the globe. From preparing the business case and advising on related issues - such as revenue, procurement, and environmental legislation - to delivering the completed infrastructure and helping maintain it. Our planning, engineering, environmental and management skills cover the whole project cycle. We play a major role in developing and delivering the Global Transport Sector Strategy. 

Overview of the role
Our specialist aviation team is based in London, UK and Madrid, Spain and delivers major airport planning and development projects globally, working collaboratively with our regional offices.

We are seeking a Principal Airport Planner with a relevant qualification and professional aviation industry experience to join our aviation team, based in the UK.

The candidate will be part of a globally respected and diverse team of airport planners, airfield engineers and forecast, capacity and business analysts.

We are looking for a flexible and motivated person with a genuine passion for the aviation industry and a desire to make a difference in the world, with an appreciation for sustainability.

Key responsibilities and duties include:

• Be responsible for the management and delivery of a variety of projects including airport masterplans, airport facility planning, capacity and demand analysis and simulation modelling
• Deliver, coordinate and manage airport planning & capacity tasks in all aspects of airports including airfield and apron, terminals and satellite buildings, landside transport, ancillary/support facilities and utilities
• Take on responsibilities of a Project Manager for medium to large-sized projects and significant technical airport planning workstreams
• Continue to learn and practice new people management skills including managing larger planning project teams and nurturing and developing junior members of staff as a line manager
• Be able to pass on your technical knowledge to new graduates, training them up on projects that you are managing
• Nurture relationships with clients and key project stakeholders on the projects you manage, to ensure successful delivery and satisfied customers, while seeking to identify new opportunities.
• Be responsible for the co-ordination, management, production and submission of quality proposals, winning work for the team
• Collaborate with and learn from other disciplines in our aviation team, including airfield engineering, transaction advisory, forecasting, project & asset management, and business planning

Candidate specification
We are looking for a flexible and motivated professional with experience and a genuine passion for the aviation industry.

Mott MacDonald is an equal opportunity employer, and we do value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate, and we take positive steps to create an inclusive culture.

To apply for this position, you must have:

• A degree in aeronautical engineering, civil engineering, architecture, air transport management, or airport planning. Candidates with economics, sustainability, finance or business-related studies may also be considered
• Fluency in English – knowledge of other languages will be valued
• Significant experience in the aviation industry, with a chartership qualification or the ability to demonstrate equivalent transferrable skills from another relevant industry
• Demonstrable professional experience in more than one technical field within airport planning (airfield & apron, operations, terminal, landside, utilities, airspace, etc.) is expected and required
• Chartership is not essential to apply for this role but is expected of a candidate who has qualifications aligned with a professional institution

We are looking for candidates with the following characteristics:

• Proactive and with a learning mindset
• Foster teamwork and collaboration in others as part of a multi-disciplinary team and a diverse range of projects
• Methodical approach to problem solving and with the ability to apply critical thinking
• Ability to organise, manage and supervise medium projects to large workstreams, including resources across various disciplines
• Expertise in project and programme management with contractual knowledge and the ability deliver commercially successful projects
• Ability to manage and supervise more junior staff members, including the ability to train them in developing new skills
• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills, which allow you to communicate effectively with colleagues and clients
• Excellent written communication and attention to detail, being able to produce accurate technical drawings and professional reports
• Ability to build and nurture client relationships, to identify and secure opportunities for follow-on work and win new prospects
• Proficient in Word, PowerPoint and Excel (Power BI desirable)
• Ability to manage others to work efficiently in drawings platforms, such as AutoCAD Civil 3D, AviPlan, Infraworks, Navisworks, Revit, etc. to produce airfield and terminal spatial planning outputs
• Knowledge of simulation & modelling tools for airfield and terminal and the ability to manage others to use them to deliver capacity and demand analysis outputs

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

Agile working 

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

• Competitive annual leave
• Pension scheme 
• Life insurance
• An annual professional institution subscription
• Private medical insurance 
• Optional benefits via salary sacrifice (restaurant voucher/transport card/day care voucher)
• Continuous development opportunities – because we want you to thrive  
• Agile/flexible working – because life isn’t 9-5  
• Annual bonus scheme  
• Wellbeing support including access to an independent Employer Assistance Scheme, wellbeing champions and access to learning and support resources 
• Access to our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability and parents/carers communities 
• The opportunity to make a difference; learn more about our social outcomes

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.