The contractor is aiming to recruit a further 1,000 staff over the next 18 months, on top of the 750 new staff who joined last year after significant major project wins.

To help manage this rapid growth, former civil engineering boss Thomas Faulkner joins the UK executive management team as vice president of the utilities, cementation and the facilities services businesses.

His step up to the expanded executive follows the appointment of Greg Craig and Kelly Gangotra in February.

The appointments enlarge the existing executive management team of president and CEO Mike Putnam, executive vice presidents Roger Bayliss, Paul Chandler, Harvey Francis and Mark Galloway.

Bill Hocking has left the Skanska executive team and will join Galliford Try in September.

In a strategic promotion, Peter Jones moves from his current position as managing director at utilities to head up Skanska’s team seeking to secure work on the vast HS2 railway project.

These senior move also bring a round of promotions below with three men joining Skanska’s senior management team

James Richardson, who has been with the firm since 2001, is promoted to managing director, civil engineering, from his current role as operations director.

Andrew English takes over as managing director of utilities, after acting as commercial director of civil engineering for over four years.

Adrian Cooke becomes managing director of infrastructure services, promoted from his current role as Senior Operations Director.

“These changes come at an important time for Skanska as we continue on our path of profitable, sustainable growth,” said Mike Putnam, Skanska UK president and CEO.

“They also demonstrate our commitment to nurturing our talent and promoting from within.”

New work includes the contract to build the New Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, as well as several water framework contracts at Thames Water, Welsh Water and Anglian Water.

Skanska also recently secured a place as the civil engineering partner on the Wessex Capacity Programme, delivering major improvements to the railway network between London Waterloo and the south of England.

The management changes take effect at the start of next month.