South East Water UK
Senior Project Manager
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Summary
Are you an experienced Senior Project Manager ready to head a major flagship water infrastructure project?
Do you have the expertise to manage a £500m+ portfolio across complex PPP/PFI frameworks and NEC contracts?
We are seeking a Senior Project Manager to take ownership of a major workstream within a landmark clean water infrastructure scheme, encompassing a new reservoir, water treatment works, pipelines, and pumping stations.
Reporting directly to the Head of Major Projects, you will be fully accountable for driving safe, on-time, and on-budget delivery across a portfolio valued at approximately £500m. This role demands strong commercial and contractual acumen—specifically in administering NEC contracts and navigating PPP/PFI finance structures—alongside technical assurance skills to oversee planning, resourcing, and quality from concept to completion.
In addition to day-to-day contract governance and technical oversight, you will act as the principal lead for complex risk management and high-level stakeholder engagement. You will align multi-disciplinary engineering teams, contractor partners, and regulatory bodies to ensure rigorous quality standards, clear resource forecasting, and smooth operational integration at every stage of the project lifecycle.
Main Responsibilities
Project Leadership & Delivery
- Strategic Project Leadership & Execution: Direct the entire project lifecycle (initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure) of a multi-faceted clean water infrastructure program. This encompasses defining the comprehensive project scope, developing and maintaining robust integrated schedules, rigorously tracking and reporting on progress, financial performance, risks, and critical issues to the executive management team.
Stakeholder Management & Governance
- Strategic Stakeholder Management & Corporate Governance: Effectively liaise with a wide range of critical internal and external stakeholders (e.g., regulatory bodies, key contractors, customers, and local authorities). Lead multi-disciplinary delivery teams, provide unwavering assurance for the gated regulatory submission process, and secure corporate approval for all project business cases.
Expert NEC Contract Management
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- Expert NEC Contract Management & Governance: Lead the administration and strategic governance of contracts (primarily from the NEC4 suite of contracts). This involves proactively managing all contractual obligations, including the submission and resolution of Compensation Events, Early Warnings, programme submissions, and final account negotiation to ensure rigorous compliance.
Risk, Quality, and Safety
- Risk, Quality, and Safety Stewardship: Proactively identify, assess, and strategically mitigate project risks (including ownership of the Early Warning process). Ensure all deliverables meet stringent technical and quality specifications, and champion a non-negotiable Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) culture in full compliance with regulations such as CDM 2015.
You will need
Skills/Qualifications/Experience
- A degree in a relevant field (e.g., Civil/Mechanical Engineering, Construction/Project Management) or equivalent demonstrable practical experience.
- NEC3 or NEC4 Project Manager Accreditation (ECC) OR extensive, hands-on experience successfully managing multiple projects as a Project Manager under NEC3/NEC4 ECC conditions.
- Professional Project Management qualification (e.g., APM PMQ/PPQ, PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner) and/or Chartered Status (e.g., ICE, IMechE).
- A demonstrable history of successfully delivering large infrastructure projects on time and within budget.
- A strong understanding and commitment to Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) regulations, with an in-depth practical understanding of CDM 2015.
- Strong skills in planning, organising, and executing tasks efficiently using tools like MS Project to meet strict deadlines.
- Proficiency in budget management, cost control, and financial forecasting for a £500m CAPEX/OPEX project.
- Proficient in identifying, assessing, and mitigating project risks and proactively seeking project opportunities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, coupled with the ability to lead, motivate, and coordinate multi-disciplinary teams.
- Strong analytical, decision-making, and sound engineering judgment to implement effective solutions under pressure.
- Extensive experience managing infrastructure or Major projects, preferably within the water industry, utilities, civil engineering, or construction sectors.
- Prior working experience as a Project Engineer or in a water distribution/similar industrial environment is highly desirable.
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Employee Requirements
- Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.
Grow a career with a meaningful purpose.
We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment, and career progression with South East Water.
Benefits package
- Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
- 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
- Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
- Paid volunteering days.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Health cash plan.
- Life assurance.
- Wellbeing related benefits.
What can you expect from your recruitment?
To apply for this position, please submit your CV on our careers website. It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water. Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.
If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, apply now!
South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.
Compensation package
- Up to £90,000 p.a. dependent on experience. Plus car allowance.
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