Jack is a Project Director responsible for our Landscape and Visual team. Jack relocated to Ireland to complete his Master’s degree in Coastal and Marine Environmental Science at the University of Galway. Since joining MKO in 2020, Jack has progressed to Project Director and manages a team of 15 people.
Can you share a little about your background and what brought you to MKO? ?
I grew up in Scotland before spending several years living in Australia. Throughout my twenties, I travelled and worked across a wide range of industries, from agriculture and construction to logistics, manufacturing and events. A short stint at a coastal engineering company on the Gold Coast sparked my interest in environmental science and motivated me to pursue further education. At 30, I relocated to Galway and completed a Master’s in Coastal and Marine Environmental Science (Policy, Practice and Processes) at the University of Galway. After graduating, I wanted to stay in Galway and apply my new skills in the consultancy sector, that’s when I joined MKO.
How did the experience of working abroad prepare you for your current role at MKO?
The variety of roles I’ve held, the places I’ve lived, and the people I’ve worked with have all shaped how I approach my work today as a Project Director. My background in project management, people management, and general business across multiple sectors has given me a wide range of transferable skills I use every day. I’d like to think that having such diverse experience has made me adaptable and a strong problem-solver, two qualities that are essential in a dynamic, fast-paced environment like MKO. The industry is constantly evolving, whether it’s the types of projects we work on, the challenges we face, or the legal and policy landscape. That constant change keeps things exciting. I really enjoy the pace and the challenge.
What prompted your decision to come to Ireland and then why MKO?
I moved to Galway from Australia initially to do my master’s degree. Being from Scotland, Ireland felt familiar but also exciting and the surfing was definitely a draw, as it’s been a long-term passion of mine since I was about 16. I didn’t plan to stay after college, but I’ve grown to love Galway and it feels like home now. Getting the job at MKO was a huge milestone, it was my first opportunity to work in a field I was truly passionate about, on projects that matter, where I could put my newly gained knowledge and skills into practice. You can’t put a price on enjoying where you work and what you do every day.
What skills or experiences from your previous career have you found transferable to your current role at MKO?
Much of my past experience was rooted in practical, hands-on work, from construction sites and factories to agricultural inspections, and that gave me a strong grounding when I started out at MKO doing a lot of fieldwork. It also helped me develop a deeper understanding of how the world works on a practical level, which I still draw on today. Working in previous project-based roles also gave me effective time management, coordination and delivery skills, with a strong focus on getting things done on time, on budget and on brief.
Now, as Project Director of the Landscape and Visual team, I manage four sub-teams across Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA), Graphics, CAD, and Drone Surveying. The mix of technical and creative skills I’ve picked up over the years has been a big asset. GIS is a key technical tool used by my team, and discovering it at university was a revelation for me. I also have a creative background; I’ve worked as a carpenter, and my hobbies include painting and filmmaking. That creative side has definitely helped in LVIA and graphics work, where design and visual communication are an important part of the process.
How has your career progressed since joining MKO?
I’ve been fortunate to experience a rewarding career progression at MKO. When I finished my master’s and joined the company over five years ago, I was essentially new to the environmental and planning sector. MKO has an entrepreneurial spirit. Hard work, ambition, good instincts, and the ability to get things done are all recognised here. In my case, that recognition came with strong mentorship and support, which helped me grow into my current role as Project Director, managing a team of 15. That progression has been personally very rewarding. I feel valued, the work I do matters, and there’s real opportunity to continue developing here.
What kind of training opportunities are available at MKO that have directly impacted your professional journey?
I think different training works for different people in different ways. For me, learning on the job has always been the best training but that needs pairing with great mentorship and feedback, which I have been fortunate to receive lots of during my time at MKO. I think our friendly company culture plays a key role in this. Everyone is so open, friendly and genuinely helpful. We are all one big team at the end of the day. For me, it has always been comforting to be surrounded by so many experienced and knowledgeable colleagues to help me with things outside of my expertise or experience and this has been a very positive impact on my professional journey.
How does cross team collaboration with our in-house multidisciplinary teams enhance your work?
I believe building relationships and having regular interactions with other multi-disciplinary teams within the company, such as discussing and solving problems on projects, has been incredibly valuable for my growth and development as a planning and environmental consultant, giving me a well-rounded and holistic perspective on the work we do. On a day-to-day basis I collaborate with the Environmental and Planning teams. Our drone surveying and remote sensing service has a lot of overlap with many other teams including ecology, ornithology, GIS and Project Management teams.
What excites you most about the variety of projects you get to work on at MKO?
What excites me most is the diversity and complexity of the projects we take on. No two are the exact same, and each one brings fresh challenges. That variety keeps the work engaging and gives us the chance to contribute to projects that align with MKO’s vision to address the environmental and societal challenges of our time.
Whether it’s a small-scale LVIA or a large strategic infrastructure project, every piece of work feels purposeful. It’s also been incredibly rewarding to see how our own Landscape and Visual team has evolved, especially with the addition of our drone and remote sensing service. Using new technology and innovative techniques to add value to our work, and support other teams across the company, has been a real highlight. That kind of dynamic environment also gives everyone in the team room to grow, with opportunities tailored to their individual strengths and experience.