Costain Group PLC
Senior Commissioning Manager
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Senior Commissioning Manager
Senior Commissioning Manager – Water & Wastewater Projects
About the Role
Costain have won extensive contracts in the water sector, supporting the Asset Management Period 8 (AMP 8) investment cycle for United Utilities. As one of seven partners in the Enterprise initiative—trapping £5.5bn in projects between 2025–2030 and beyond—Costain is tasked with delivering project management, design, construction, and commissioning services on design-and-build schemes across North West England and Cumbria.
This role focuses on leading the planning, execution, and delivery of commissioning activities for complex water and wastewater projects, ensuring systems, assets, and processes are safely and efficiently brought into operation while meeting regulatory, client, and performance requirements. You will collaborate closely with design, construction, and operations teams to deliver high-quality, compliant water treatment and distribution systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage commissioning activities across multiple water projects
- Develop and implement commissioning strategies, plans, and procedures
- Coordinate between design, construction, and operations teams to ensure seamless system integration
- Oversee testing, inspection, and validation of mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and control systems (MEICA)
- Ensure compliance with HSE, environmental, and regulatory standards
- Manage risk assessments, method statements, and commissioning documentation
- Provide technical leadership and guidance to commissioning engineers and site teams
- Liaise with United Utilities, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies throughout the process
- Champion a quality-first culture, driving improvement initiatives from the design phase
- Monitor project timelines, budgets, and resource allocation related to commissioning
- Report timely project performance and manage contract adherence
- Troubleshoot faults and optimise system performance
- Support project handover, including training and documentation for operations teams
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Requirements
Essential
- Degree/equivalent in Engineering (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related discipline)
- Extensive experience in commissioning within the water/wastewater sector
- Strong knowledge of water treatment processes (filtering, pumping, disinfection, sludge treatment)
- Proven leadership experience managing multidisciplinary teams
- Familiarity with MEICA and process control systems (e.g., SCADA, PLC)
- In-depth understanding of health, safety, and environmental regulations
- Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills
- Ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines
Desirable
- Chartered Engineer status (or active progression towards it)
- Two+ years’ experience on large-scale infrastructure/utility projects
- Knowledge of UK water industry standards (e.g., AMP programmes)
- Familiarity with commissioning digital tools and data-driven performance monitoring
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Key Competencies
✔ Leadership and cross-team collaboration ✔ Problem-solving and analytical thinking ✔ Stakeholder communication & negotiation ✔ Attention to detail & quality assurance ✔ Decision-making under pressure
About Costain
Costain designs and delivers smart infrastructure solutions across energy, water, transportation, and defence—backing UK clients whose programmes are strategically, legally, or operationally critical, such as:
- AMP 8/9 projects in the water sector
- Secure and resilient energy infrastructure
- Decarbonisation and asset efficiency enhancements
Our vision: Become UK’s leading smart infrastructure advisor, accelerating resilience, decarbonisation, and performance optimisation for assets throughout their lifecycles. Our approach combines: 🔹 Strategic consultancy (future-proofing assets) 🔹 Digital optimisation (AI, SCADA, remote monitoring) 🔹 Complex programme delivery (coordinated services from design to handover)
Our values and culture underpin everything we do.
Important Notes
- Due to high volumes of applications, we cannot provide individual feedback at the initial stage.
- The company offers interviews to all applicants (including disabled candidates) who meet the essential criteria.
- For further details on disability-friendly recruitment, visit the Disability Confident website.
Costain
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