Name: Tom McDonald   Job: Senior Consultant – Sustainability & ESG at Mott MacDonald

What does your job involve?  Project management and advisory in various sectors including healthcare, facilities management, low carbon, circular economy, and defence. Developing and delivering of technical advisory services, stakeholder engagement, commercial management, and workshop facilitation. Other key parts of the role include securing funding, producing training modules, and strategic planning for net zero and sustainability initiatives.

What do you enjoy most about your job?  The variety of work in consultancy keeps the role fresh and exciting, constantly testing different skills. It involves strategic thinking, commercial management, business development, stakeholder management, and technical excellence, ensuring you are always learning and growing.

How did you get into this career?  I studied International Business at University, building strong skills in Strategic Thinking, Economics, Management, Accounting, Marketing, and Innovation Management. These have been vital across my various roles. During my degree, I took a placement year at TUI Group as a Product Assistant, overseeing strategy, pricing, cost analysis, and stakeholder relationships for 8 destinations with 300k+ passengers annually. After graduating, I worked in Risk Analysis for a FinTech, analysing and presenting risk data to large financial clients monthly. I then joined Mott MacDonald as a Graduate Consultant, working in Facilities Management, Healthcare Technical Advisory, and Defence Project Management for about 3 years. I also assisted in Sustainability Technical Excellence in the Buildings unit, which led to my current career in Sustainability & ESG at Mott MacDonald. The diverse work in consultancy has shown me the importance of adaptability, flexibility, and strong soft skills. With a can-do attitude, you can tackle almost anything in consultancy, which is what I love about it.

Have you got any advice for others looking to pursue a similar career?  It depends on your career stage. If you are still in school, focus on subjects that interest you as a foundation for your future career. Outside of that, understand your unique skills and don't underestimate their value. Have a can-do attitude and maximise your exposure early in your career. Building trust with people in your field is crucial; offer your help, and they will often reciprocate.