Project Manager - HV Cables

Project Manager – High Voltage Cables (132kV–400kV)

5+ positions | England & Scotland | £80,000–£90,000 + car allowance | Contract: £400-£600 per day

The opportunity

We are exclusively recruiting for five or more Project Manager appointments with a specialist high-voltage cable installation and jointing contractor — a long-standing framework partner to the UK's major transmission and distribution network operators, delivering schemes up to 400kV.

The business is entering a significant growth phase, backed by a larger group with real ambition and a secure, funded pipeline of major network reinforcement work. These are the appointments being made at the start of that journey.

Projects mobilise in August and September 2026. Our client needs people now.

The projects

You will take ownership of one of the following live schemes:

/

South East England

Diversion of a 132kV cable circuit , removal of the existing circuit, excavation, ducting and installation of new cables

West coast of Scotland

Installation of four new 132kV circuits plus additional 33kV circuits

East Anglia

Project Manager appointment on a live 400kV cable installation

All schemes are delivered for major UK network operators. The work is cable and civils led, excavation, ducting, new cable installation, jointing and testing through to energisation.

What you will be doing

• Taking full lifecycle ownership of HV cable schemes from 33kV to 400kV — route proving, civils, ducting, cable pulling, jointing, testing, energisation and handover
• Developing and maintaining the project programme, and driving recovery where required
• Acting as principal interface to the network operator, alongside local authority, street works, highways and landowner stakeholders
• Discharging CDM duties, setting site safety standards and owning the HSEQ position on your scheme
• Administering NEC contracts, owning budget, cost forecasting and margin performance
• Leading site teams, jointers, civils crews and subcontractors

What we are looking for

Essential

• Minimum 10 years' experience as a Project Manager
• Proven HV cable delivery, 132kV and above preferred. Candidates with 20+ years at 33kV and a strong delivery record will also be considered
• Substation experience, including the cable-to-substation interface, terminations and energisation
• Demonstrable DNO and TO knowledge — operator standards, processes, authorisation regimes and safety rules
• Experience managing heavy civils alongside complex electrical transmission and distribution scope
• Working knowledge of NEC forms of contract
• Minimum HNC/HND in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline
• CSCS card and full UK driving licence
• Genuine willingness to work away where the project requires it

Highly desirable

• Current DNO or TO authorisations
• 400kV experience
• Cable jointing background, or close working knowledge of jointing operations
• NEBOSH Construction Certificate, SMSTS, CDM Principal Designer experience
• Offshore or subsea cable exposure
• APM PMQ, PRINCE2 or equivalent

Location

Our client will consider candidates based on or near the project patch, and equally candidates elsewhere in the UK who are willing to travel and work away. Travel, lodge and subsistence are supported.

What is on offer

• £80,000–£90,000 plus car allowance on a permanent basis
• £400–£600 per day, all-in, for contract candidates — permanent is preferred, but strong contractors will be considered
• A secure, funded pipeline of major schemes — not project-to-project uncertainty
• Work at the top of the voltage range, up to 400kV, on nationally significant network infrastructure
• A specialist business where HV cable delivery is the core discipline, not a side line within a general contractor
• Backing of a larger, growing group, with genuine progression as the business scales
• Free AI upskilling through Peak Intelligence for every candidate placed by embs. talent

The process

Two stages, run quickly. A technical and delivery interview with the hiring manager and Operations Director, followed by a short final conversation with the Managing Director where required. Given the August mobilisation, decisions are being made fast.

Apply

These roles are exclusive to embs. talent. For a confidential conversation, contact:

Helen Charteris Practice Director – Global Power & Energy, embs. talent helen@embstalent.co.uk | 07512 540612