Crawford takes up the role of National Highways Director, responsible for the group’s strategic relationship with National Highways.

Her appointment comes as the Galliford Try’s Highways business broadens its offering within three streams comprising National Highways, Local Authorities and Major Projects exceeding £100m.

Crawford brings with her more than 15 years’ experience in overseeing programme management operations as well as developing and implementing strategic policies, plans and roadmaps to drive organisational performance, and meeting customer needs.

She joins the Galliford from HS2 where she worked for a year as Sponsorship Director.

Before that she spent six years at the then-named Highways England, first as a programme manager and more latterly East regional delivery director.

David Lowery, managing director of Galliford Try’s Highways business, said: “This is a really exciting period for our Highways business.

“We have a high-quality order book, bolstered by number of recent opportunities and I look forward to working with Julie and her counterparts in Local Authorities and Major Projects, as we deliver on our ambition.”

Crawford becomes the fourth woman to sit on the Highways business’s senior leadership team, joining Local Authority Director Liz Bell, Pre-Construction Director Alison Chippington and HR Lead Martha Splevings.