Advance Automated Systems Ltd
Project Manager
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Project Manager
Advance designs, builds, tests and installs bespoke conveyor and automation systems in-house from our Newton Aycliffe sites, delivering for customers across warehousing, logistics, food and beverage, automotive and manufacturing.
We're looking for a robust, experienced Project Manager to take full ownership of projects from order handover through design, procurement, manufacture, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), installation, commissioning and customer sign-off - working hand in hand with our Design team and Project Engineers throughout. This is a hands-on role for someone who is comfortable leading from the front - keeping programmes on track, protecting margin, and being the trusted point of contact for our customers throughout delivery.
The role joins our existing Projects team, currently supported by a Project Co-ordinator. As the team grows, a key part of the role will be supporting the development of the Project Co-ordinator role and helping build project management capability within the team.
This is an office-based position at our Newton Aycliffe facility, with regular site travel across the UK and Europe, reporting to the Head of Commercial & Client Experience.
Project Delivery
- Take full ownership of the whole project lifecycle - from contract award, procurement and budget management through to site delivery, handover and everything in between - ensuring delivery on time, to budget and to specification
- Run internal kick-off and handover meetings with Sales, ensuring scope, commercial terms and customer expectations are fully understood from day one
- Build and manage project programmes, milestones and resource plans, tracking progress and acting early on risks or slippage
- Liaise closely with the Design team for support on initial designs and ongoing technical assistance throughout the lifecycle of the project
- Work alongside our Project Engineers, who oversee manufacture, allowing them to feed in on manufacturing progress, build decisions and any issues affecting the programme
- Coordinate assembly and FAT with our Assembly and Installation teams, ensuring systems are fully tested and ready before leaving site
- Plan and oversee installation and commissioning on customer sites, including Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) and final sign-off
- Work to and help continually improve Advance's standard project process, keeping trackers and documentation accurate and current
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Commercial & Financial Control
- Manage project budgets, monitoring costs against forecast and protecting margin throughout delivery
- Identify, price and agree variations and change requests with customers, ensuring they are captured and recovered
- Own project procurement, managing purchasing and supplier performance to programme and budget, supported by the Project Co-ordinator
- Manage subcontractors and partners, ensuring quality, safety and programme requirements are met
- Contribute to invoicing milestones and project close-out, including final account reconciliation
Customer Management
- Act as the main point of contact for customers throughout delivery, building strong, trusted relationships
- Lead progress meetings and provide clear, timely reporting to customers and internal stakeholders
- Handle difficult conversations with confidence, resolving issues quickly and professionally
- Ensure a smooth handover into our aftercare and service team, identifying opportunities for service agreements, spares and future work
Team Development
- Work day to day with the Project Co-ordinator, delegating purchasing, order chasing and project administration effectively
- Support the development of the Project Co-ordinator role, sharing knowledge of the project process and helping grow future project management capability within the team
- Help build a consistent way of working across the Projects team, sharing best practice and supporting a standard project process
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Health, Safety & Quality
- Ensure all site works are planned and delivered safely, with suitable RAMS in place and compliance with CDM responsibilities
- Work to Advance's quality processes, ensuring documentation, technical files, O&M manuals and UKCA/CE requirements are completed
- Coordinate site inductions, permits and contractor requirements with customers and site teams
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Proven experience managing engineering projects end to end within a manufacturing or engineering environment
- Strong track record of delivering projects to programme and budget, with confident commercial awareness
- Robust, resilient approach - comfortable taking ownership, making decisions and holding others to account
- Excellent communication and customer-facing skills, including managing expectations and difficult conversations
- Good working knowledge of site health and safety, RAMS and CDM
- Well organised, able to manage multiple projects and priorities at once
- Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Project or similar)
- Full UK driving licence and valid passport, with willingness to travel and stay away as required
Desirable
- Experience in conveyor systems, materials handling, intralogistics or automation
- Experience managing installation and commissioning on live customer sites
- Experience mentoring or developing junior team members
- Formal project management qualification (e.g. APM, PRINCE2 or similar)
- SMSTS, SSSTS or equivalent site safety qualification
- Experience working with European customers or on international sites
- Mechanical or electrical engineering background
Location & Working Pattern
- Based at our Newton Aycliffe site, County Durham
- Reports to the Head of Commercial & Client Experience
- Office-based role
- Regular site travel across the UK and Europe, including overnight stays when required
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