National Galleries of Scotland
Senior Project Manager
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(This role may suit individuals working at Project Director level)
Full-time and Fixed Term (3 years)
Salary £61,688 - £71,542 per annum
Plus generous benefits package
Hybrid / flexible working
About the role
We have a rare opportunity to join the team delivering The Art Works, one of the National Galleries of Scotland’s most significant capital projects and a major investment in the future of Scotland’s national art collection.
We are looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager who can operate confidently at both strategic and operational levels. You will bring strong project, financial and commercial acumen, with the judgement to manage risk, resolve issues, drive change and maintain focus on programme, cost, quality and outcomes.
Located in North Edinburgh as part of the wider Granton Waterfront development, The Art Works will create a new, free-to-visit experience and purpose-built home for more than 130,000 works of art, transforming how the national collection is cared for, researched, shared and accessed. Designed to Passivhaus principles, the project will also deliver important environmental, social and economic benefits for North Edinburgh and beyond. Having reached the end of RIBA Stage 4, the project is entering a critical phase, with enabling works planned to start before the end of 2026 and the main contractor due to be appointed for RIBA Stage 5 and the commencement of construction.
As Senior Project Manager, you will lead the day-to-day delivery of The Art Works through on-site enabling works, construction, handover, fit-out, move-in and readiness for occupation. You will provide strong client-side leadership across this complex and high-profile programme. Leading and coordinating multidisciplinary internal and external teams, you will work with professional advisers, the design team, contractors and colleagues across the organisation to ensure the project is delivered safely, successfully and in line with its objectives.
You must have a strong understanding of governance, value for money and compliance public-sector requirements. You will be confident providing direction through matrix management, bringing together different areas of expertise and overseeing external consultants and contractors.
An engaging and credible Senior Project Manager you will build trust and strong relationships across the organisation and with a diverse range of stakeholders. You will communicate with clarity and confidence, providing concise advice and recommendations to senior leaders and Board members, and bringing people together to achieve shared outcomes.
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This is an opportunity to play a leading role in delivering a project that will have a lasting impact on how Scotland’s national art collection is cared for and shared.
The difference you’ll make
Reporting to the Director - Major Capital Programme, your responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
- Providing leadership of multi-disciplinary internal and external teams.
- Leading on first stage resolution of any issues and/or conflicting priorities. You will initiate and progress formal change control as and when appropriate, ensure timely resolution and successful outcomes in line with the brief, programme and budget.
- Intervening and providing direction to mitigate risk, ensuring timely corrective action and escalation through project governance structure when appropriate.
- Driving proactive budget planning and management, financial reporting, public sector compliant procurement and reporting.
- Undertaking report writing including recommendations, presenting papers and doing presentations, (for example to the Extended Leadership Team, Leadership Team and at Board level).
- Chairing Project and Working Group meetings including defining agendas and papers to achieve outcomes.
- Presenting at other internal and external meetings as and when required.
- Working with the Learning & Engagement team including participating in relevant community engagement activities.
- Undertaking general administrative duties related to The Art Works project.
Who we are looking for
To succeed in this role, you’ll bring significant experience of leading the client-side delivery of complex, high-profile capital projects, together with the commercial, financial and leadership skills to operate confidently in a public-sector environment. You will also need the following range of knowledge, skills, and experience:
- A demonstrable track-record of successfully leading day to day delivery of major capital projects of a comparable scale and visibility through construction stage, move-in activities and readiness for occupation including coordinating handover from contractor to the in-house Estates and Operations teams.
- A degree and/or extensive experience in a built environment related discipline together with a professional chartered qualification in a built environment related discipline (e.g. RIAS, RICS, CIOB, APM).
- Strong knowledge and practical experience of public-sector procurement, governance, assurance, reporting requirements including obtaining and managing external technical and legal expertise where required.
- Excellent financial and commercial acumen, with experience managing significant project budgets within delegated limits. Providing robust financial management of project budget management and reporting.
- Experience working with JCT and/or NEC contracts and leading on negotiations to resolve contractual issues.
- Leading project risk management, reporting and escalation of risk, including active use of risk registers.
- Highly effective management ability for client-side day to day project deliverables including confidence in chairing client-side meetings, change control during construction, handover, defects management, ‘pack and move’, fit out, and readiness to occupy.
- Proven ability to lead and influence multidisciplinary teams and multiple internal and external stakeholders, including through matrix management to achieve project deliverables.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear, concise advice, reports and recommendations to senior leaders and Board members.
- Proven ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on operational project delivery, taking ownership of issues and driving them through to resolution.
- Experience of chairing client-side project and working group meetings, setting clear agendas and driving actions and decisions.
Get help with your application
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It would also be great if you have:
- Experience delivering projects with strong sustainability, social value, community and economic outcomes.
- Knowledge of Scottish Government Gateway Review Assurance process.
Please click Apply for more information.
The closing date for completed applications is 12 noon on Monday, 07 September 2026.
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