Associate Director - MPA. Major Projects Advisory, Commercial Advisory and Assurance

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional Associate Director to help expand our strategic partner capability across major projects, programmes and portfolio. This role is ideal for someone with broad exposure across complex programme environments - particularly those who have supported senior leadership in Chief of Staff, Business Manager, or Programme Strategy roles. You’ll work across the whole of Major Projects Advisory and the broader KPMG environment to co-develop our offer, build relationships and both support and lead some of our highest profile work.

There’s no on size for this role, but you will likely bring many of the following qualities and experiences:

• Strategic thinker with strong judgement: Able to synthesise information quickly, cut through complexity, and provide clear, reasoned recommendations. You bring a hypothesis-led mindset and can hold a strategic conversation at a senior level.
• Broad infrastructure exposure: You’ve worked across complex project or programme environments, often close to leadership, in consulting, delivery advisory, or internal strategy roles (e.g. PMO, Chief of Staff, Transformation Lead, Business Manager).
• Leadership-facing experience: Comfortable operating as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, shaping agendas, supporting decision-making, and influencing outcomes without always being the most senior person in the room.
• Highly adaptable and delivery-focused: Thrive in ambiguity and fast-paced environments. You’re comfortable working across topics, adjusting to different client cultures, and moving from framing to execution as needed.
• Exceptional communicator: Able to distil complex ideas into compelling narratives, whether written, verbal or visual. You’re confident crafting strategic documents, facilitation materials, or briefings that land with impact.
• Collaborative and low-ego: Strong team contributor with the humility to listen and the confidence to lead when needed. You’re motivated by shared success and can bring energy and clarity to a team.
• Entrepreneurial spirit: You bring initiative, curiosity, and a desire to build - whether that’s refining our offer, growing client relationships, or mentoring colleagues.

What We’re Looking For:

• Broad experience across major, complex infrastructure or capital project environments, ideally in consulting, client advisory, or Chief of Staff-style roles
• Strategic, analytical thinker with strong communication and influencing skills
• Ability to operate comfortably in complex, fast-moving, and ambiguous settings
• Proven experience engaging with senior stakeholders and shaping key decisions
• Genuine interest in major projects, leadership, and organisational performance

Desirable:

• Experience in regulated sectors (e.g. energy, transport, water)
• Exposure to portfolio, programme, or transformation governance
• Familiarity with project, programme and/ or portfolio frameworks

Our Deal

If the chance to work with interesting clients and innovative technology wasn’t rewarding enough, we’ll motivate you in other ways too. At KPMG you can expect real responsibilities and opportunities to grow professionally.

‘Our Deal’ sets out all the different ways you’ll be rewarded at KPMG. Among other things you can benefit from honest conversations about your career as well as a range of other rewards. In all these ways and more, we have created an environment that can bring out the best in you.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Our employees have many varied work schedules to suit their individual needs! Our intelligent working options range from role sharing and flexible start and finish times, to home working and more informal arrangements agreed within teams. Check out examples of KPMG employees enjoying different working patterns on our website and please do share your own individual requirements with us. We are proud of the value we place on individuality. We want you to bring your full self to work and maximise your potential. KPMG is a place where everyone can thrive, whatever their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and socio-economic background. We also value the wealth of experience and knowledge that people who have taken a career break can bring to us, so the role welcomes applications for individuals who have been out of work for 12 months or more and who have previous relevant experience.

Applying with a Disability

While some of our client-facing professionals can be required to travel regularly, and at times be based at client sites, we are supportive where possible of helping you to achieve a balance between your home and work demands. We are happy to discuss individual requirements and our range of flexible working arrangements could be of interest. Furthermore, as part of the recruitment process, we can put you in touch with people who work flexibly so you can understand from them what our culture is like.

Flexible Working

While our client-facing professionals are required to travel regularly, and often based at client sites, we are supportive where possible of helping you to achieve a balance between your home and work demands. We are happy to discuss individual requirements and our range of flexible working arrangements could be of interest. Furthermore, as part of the recruitment process, we can put you in touch with people who work flexibly so you can understand from them what our culture is like.

A final word from us…

Everybody likes to say they’re different... but we really think we are.

We’re hugely proud of what we’ve managed to achieve so far, but we’re only just getting started. We’re looking for people to grow with us and are committed to helping everybody reach their destination, regardless of what that is.   

Should you choose to join us, you can expect an attractive benefits package, which typically includes:

Financial

• A competitive salary
• Pension options
• Bonus scheme that reflects firm and individual performance
• Rail and Oyster Card reimbursement
• Staff discounts
• Access to preferential banking

Lifestyle

• 25 days holiday, with the option to buy up to an extra 10 days, plus an additional day of leave for your birthday
• Competitive maternity and paternity leave
• 6 days of work time each year for volunteering
• Daily lunch allowance
• Flextra – a flexible benefits scheme that allows you to choose benefits for you and your family, such as, travel insurance, critical illness insurance, dental insurance and discounted gym memberships

Health and Wellbeing

• Private medical insurance
• Personal accident insurance
• Life assurance of 4 x salary with the option to increase this via flexible benefits scheme
• Access to private, remote GP appointments anytime and anywhere via a smartphone
• Online health risk questionnaire
• BeWell employee assistance programme for confidential information, advice, or counselling for life’s daily challenges
• Group Income Protection

No matter what skills you bring to our team, you’ll be surrounded by spirited, naturally curious people. People who want to learn from you, and who’ll also teach you a thing or two along the way. It’s how we make a collective impact, greater than the sum of its parts.

And if this isn’t the role for you but you like what you see, keep in touch. There will be other opportunities to join us.

For more details about a career at KPMG, visit: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk