Dragados UK & Ireland
Senior Project Manager - Tunnelling
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Senior Project Manager - Tunnelling
Senior Project Manager – Tunnelling
Job Summary
The Senior Project Manager – Tunnelling is responsible for leading the successful development, procurement, planning, and delivery of major tunnelling and underground infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland.
This role spans both the pre-contract and post-contract phases, providing leadership throughout the project lifecycle—from opportunity development, tendering, and construction delivery through to commissioning and close-out.
The position demands extensive experience in planning and executing complex tunnelling works, including:
- TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine)
- SCL/NATM (Secant Pile Walls/New Austrian Tunnelling Method)
- Drill-and-blast methodologies
- Shaft construction
- Mined structures
- Cut-and-cover tunnels
- Underground stations
- Utility tunnels
- Associated civil engineering works
The Senior Project Manager must ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, sustainably, and profitably, while maintaining high standards of quality, environmental performance, stakeholder engagement, and client satisfaction.
A key responsibility is ensuring a smooth transition between tender assumptions and execution through structured handover processes and ongoing mobilisation support.
Key Responsibilities
Tendering & Preconstruction Leadership
- Lead the development of tender strategies, delivery approaches, and construction methodologies, aligning with client requirements, project constraints, and business objectives.
- Provide technical leadership in the preconstruction phase, including:
- Buildability reviews
- Methodology development
- Logistics planning
- Temporary works strategies
- Programme development
- Risk management (for complex tunnelling schemes)
- Coordinate multidisciplinary bid teams, integrating engineering, construction, commercial, procurement, HSWQE (Health, Safety, Wellbeing, Quality, Environment), and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) functions to develop robust, innovative, and competitive tender submissions.
- Lead value engineering, opportunity management, and risk workshops to optimise project solutions, improve delivery certainty, and maximise profitability.
- Support client engagement, Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), tender interviews, and stakeholder workshops, acting as a senior technical representative and nurturing long-term client relationships.
- Review contractual requirements, risks, operational constraints, and commercial assumptions to ensure full deliverability and alignment with business objectives.
- Ensure compliance with internal governance processes, including bid reviews, approvals, and strategic decision-making throughout the tender lifecycle.
- Lead mobilisation and handover processes, ensuring a smooth transition from tendering to delivery by transferring risk registers, methodologies, commercial commitments, program constraints, and stakeholder requirements.
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Project Delivery Leadership
- Oversee safe, successful, and profitable delivery of tunnelling projects from contract award to completion, ensuring achievement of:
- Safety, programme, cost, and quality objectives
- Client satisfaction
- Direct and coordinate multidisciplinary project teams, ensuring integration of engineering, construction, commercial, planning, procurement, and HSWQE functions.
- Manage project risks, opportunities, resources, and interfaces, implementing proactive mitigation strategies and driving timely decision-making.
- Maintain strong stakeholder relationships with:
- Clients
- Designers
- Supply chain partners
- Statutory authorities (acting as the senior project representative)
- Oversee project controls, governance, cost management, forecasting, and reporting, ensuring contractual compliance and performance monitoring.
- Lead commissioning, testing, handover, and close-out activities, guaranteeing contractual, technical, quality, and operational compliance while capturing lessons learned.
Leadership, Safety & Business Excellence
- Champion excellence in HSWQE performance, embedding a strong safety culture throughout both tendering and delivery phases.
- Promote sustainability, innovation, and continuous improvement, integrating ESG objectives into:
- Project planning
- Procurement
- Delivery activities
- Lead, mentor, and develop project teams, fostering:
- Collaboration
- Professional growth
- High-performance cultures across all functions
- Contribute to the growth of the UK & Ireland business by:
- Sharing knowledge
- Supporting strategic initiatives
- Strengthening tunnelling expertise in preconstruction and delivery functions.
Technical Skills & Competencies
✅ Extensive expertise in major tunnelling and underground infrastructure projects. ✅ Proven geotechnical engineering and risk management knowledge. ✅ Proven leadership of multidisciplinary project teams. ✅ Strong commercial and contractual awareness, particularly in:
- NEC (New Engineering Contract)
- FIDIC (Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs-Conseils) contracts ✅ Ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments. ✅ Exceptional communication, negotiation, and presentation skills. ✅ Strong project controls, planning, risk, and cost management expertise. ✅ Demonstrable experience managing major infrastructure projects in highly regulated environments. ✅ Deep knowledge of HSWQE management systems and ESG requirements.
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Qualifications, Certifications & Experience
✔ Degree in:
- Civil Engineering
- Construction Management
- Related discipline
✔ Preferred:
- Chartered Engineer (CEng)
- Chartered Construction Manager
- Equivalent professional accreditation
✔ Essential Experience:
- Major tunnelling or underground infrastructure projects
- Leading projects through both tendering and delivery phases
- Experience on UK infrastructure projects (e.g., rail, metro, highways, water, utilities, energy sectors)
✔ Certifications:
- SMSTS (Site Management Safety Training Scheme)
- CSCS Black Card (or equivalent) (Temporary Works and Tunnelling Safety training highly desirable)
✔ Industry Knowledge:
- UK CDM Regulations
- Relevant tunnelling industry guidance
Dragados Values
Our organisation thrives on the following principles: 🔹 Excellence – Driving innovation, development, training, and continuous improvement for high-quality project delivery. 🔹 Integrity – Upholding ethical transparency and demanding highest standards from employees, suppliers, and stakeholders. 🔹 Trust – Building strong, long-term relationships through mutual respect and collaboration. 🔹 Sustainability – Committing to ethical, efficient development for society and the environment. 🔹 Profitability – Ensuring business success while contributing value to communities.
Dragados – Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Dragados is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring:
- Equal opportunities
- Non-discrimination
- Respect for human rights
—In.) and UK CDM Regulations and industry guidance.
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