Delay Director

An expanding consultancy is seeking to appoint a highly experienced Delay Director to join its expert witness division in Manchester.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior disputes professional with strong delay expertise to take a leading role within a highly reputable consultancy. The successful candidate must have experience either acting as the appointed expert or operating as the lead assistant or number two to a testifying delay expert.

You will join a respected forensic and expert advisory team working on high-value domestic and international disputes. This role would suit a commercially minded expert who enjoys preparing robust analysis, advising clients and legal teams, and contributing to the strategic growth of a specialist expert practice.

Project Details

The Delay Director will play a key role in leading, managing and contributing to delay expert commissions within the forensic expert witness team. This will involve developing and discussing solutions, presenting findings internally and externally, and driving efficiency, value creation and best use of resources across the team.

The successful candidate may also take on their own appointments, including expert, contentious and non-contentious matters, either independently or in collaboration with the wider team, ensuring effective delivery and senior oversight.

Typical assignments are likely to relate to formal dispute resolution proceedings including litigation, arbitration and adjudication. In addition, the Delay Director will provide strategic advice in relation to live projects, commercial negotiations, settlement discussions and mediations in both the UK and international markets.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Represent the consultancy in dispute resolution proceedings

• Act as the appointed expert or as lead assistant to the primary Delay Expert on major disputes

• Prepare high-quality expert reports and supporting delay analysis

• Lead and contribute to complex expert witness assignments from inception through to resolution

• Participate in senior leadership meetings and help shape team strategy

• Support business development activity and help promote the consultancy’s brand and services to clients and potential recruits

• Build personal market profile and work towards further establishing a reputation as a testifying expert

• Oversee team administration and resource planning where required

• Support, mentor and develop junior and mid-level team members

• Deliver strategic delay and forensic planning advice to clients, legal teams and other stakeholders

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal processes, technical standards and service delivery

Desired Skills and Experience

• Highly competent in drafting expert reports and presenting clear, well-supported delay opinion

• Previous appointment in an expert witness capacity and or experience acting as number two to a lead expert on multiple occasions

• Strong background across a variety of construction and engineering sectors, dispute types and delay matters

• Experience working on major high-value disputes

• Ideally able to demonstrate a track record of securing expert witness appointments

• Testimony experience would be advantageous, although this is not essential

• Excellent client-facing skills and the ability to develop and maintain strong professional relationships

• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide strategic advice on complex matters

• Confident communicator with the credibility to operate at senior level with clients, solicitors, counsel and industry experts

• Strong leadership capability with experience mentoring and developing others

Qualifications/Educational Requirements

• Degree qualified in Construction Management, Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Law or another relevant subject

• Ideally Chartered with a relevant professional institution such as CIOB, ICE, RICS or similar

• Additional specialist qualifications are advantageous but not essential

Employing Company Overview and Profile

The hiring company is a leading advisory and expert witness consultancy operating within a wider multidisciplinary professional services group. The business provides expert advisory and forensic expert witness services to the construction and infrastructure sectors, supporting clients across the full dispute lifecycle, from early dispute avoidance and strategic commercial advice through to formal proceedings including adjudication, arbitration and litigation.

The team is recognised for delivering clear, robust and well-evidenced delay analysis on complex and high-value matters, often working alongside solicitors, counsel and other technical experts. The organisation offers an excellent platform for career progression, high-quality training and a collaborative working culture that supports ongoing professional development, including chartership and further study such as MSc and LLM programmes.

A full client overview will be provided to suitable candidates.

Additional Benefits Package and Incentives

• Competitive salary up to £160,000 depending on experience

• Annual bonus

• Pension

• Private medical cover

• Life cover

• Professional membership fees paid

• Flexible working and ability to work from home