Lead Project Manager

Department:

Capital Delivery Treatment Salary (£): Competitive Lead Project Manager

As a Lead Project Manager, you’ll lead, support and develop a team of Senior Project Managers, Project Managers, Assistant Project Managers and Project Co-ordinators, making sure the right skills, capacity and support are in place to deliver against our commitments.

You’ll oversee the delivery of a portfolio of capital projects, ensuring they are properly planned, resourced and governed. You’ll provide delivery oversight and challenge, manage risks and issues, and step in where projects need senior support, direction or escalation.

A big part of this role will be driving consistency across how we deliver. You’ll embed project management standards, governance, controls and assurance, while supporting continuous improvement across the project management community.

You’ll also work closely with internal teams, senior stakeholders and delivery partners, making sure priorities are clear, decisions are well informed and projects continue to deliver safe, high-quality outcomes for our customers and communities.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

In this role, you’ll:

• Lead, coach and develop a team of project professionals, supporting performance, wellbeing, development and engagement.
• Take accountability for the successful delivery of a portfolio of capital projects.
• Make sure projects are appropriately planned, resourced, governed and controlled.
• Lead resource and workforce planning across your project portfolio.
• Oversee risk, issue and dependency management, ensuring the right level of visibility, ownership and escalation.
• Drive strong financial management, forecasting, reporting and cost control.
• Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders, delivery teams, contractors and supply chain partners.
• Represent the project management function in relevant forums, contributing to planning, resourcing and continuous improvement.
• Champion health, safety and wellbeing across project teams, ensuring CDM requirements and organisational standards are embedded.
• Support buildability, constructability and risk reviews so that safety and delivery considerations are built in from the start.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, including the use of AI and better ways of working.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE ROLE

We’re looking for someone with strong leadership experience and a proven background in capital delivery, infrastructure, utilities or another complex delivery environment.

You’ll have experience leading project management teams and overseeing multiple projects or a portfolio of work. You’ll be confident managing performance, developing capability and making sure teams have the right support and structure to deliver.

You’ll also bring strong commercial awareness, with experience of budget management, forecasting, contract management and risk management. Experience working with NEC contracts, or similar project delivery frameworks, would be really valuable.

You’ll be a confident communicator who can build strong relationships across senior stakeholders, delivery teams and external partners. You’ll be organised, proactive and comfortable moving between strategic thinking and practical delivery.

Most importantly, you’ll be someone who leads with care, curiosity, courage and pride, creating a high-performing team environment where people feel supported, challenged and clear on what good delivery looks like.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Proven experience leading project management teams within a capital delivery, infrastructure or complex delivery environment.
• Wastewater and ideally, bioresources, technical experience desirable but not essential
• Experience overseeing the delivery of multiple projects or a project portfolio.
• Strong resource planning, performance management and people development experience.
• Experience managing risk, contracts, budgets, project controls and governance.
• Knowledge of NEC contracts or similar project delivery frameworks.
• Strong understanding of CDM regulations, health and safety standards, project governance and delivery best practice.
• Confident stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong IT skills, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Power BI.
• A project management qualification, or equivalent experience.
• GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths.
• Full UK driving licence.