Assistant Project Manager / Project Manager

Vertical Recruitment Limited; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and hybrid working

Pension and private health insurance

Annual bonus opportunity

Professional development and chartered

Wellbeing initiatives

Direct access to senior professionals

Growth alongside expanding consultancy

Job summary

Vertical Recruitment Limited is supporting a growing regeneration-focused construction consultancy in Manchester to recruit for an Assistant Project Manager or Project Manager within their Project Management team.

The role offers flexible, hybrid working with progression opportunities as the consultancy grows, including ownership of projects and client relationships. The successful candidate will have relevant construction management experience and a commercial mindset.

Qualifications

• Degree in Project Management, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying or related field.
• Consultancy experience or transferable experience to consultancy.
• Exposure to the RIBA Plan of Work.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong programme, risk and project reporting skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Understanding of procurement and construction contracts.
• Progress towards professional accreditation (APM/RICS/CIOB) is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Support or lead projects across RIBA Stages 1-6, managing commissions or workstreams.
• Establish project scopes, programmes, deliverables and milestones.
• Coordinate clients, design teams, consultants and contractors.
• Prepare programmes, reports and management information; monitor cost and schedule.
• Manage project risk, change control and client governance processes.
• Support procurement, tendering and contract administration (JCT/NEC).
• Lead or contribute to client meetings and maintain relationships.
• Maintain project documentation, systems and KPIs; ensure CDM 2015 compliance.

Skills

Project management

RIBA Plan of Work

Stakeholder management

Programme reporting

Risk management

Procurement & contracts

Communication

Chartered progression

Education

Degree in Project Management / Construction Management / Quantity Surveying

Job description

We're supporting a growing, regeneration-focused construction consultancy in Manchester as they look to make another key appointment within their Project Management team.

Rather than recruiting to a rigid job title, the business is focused on finding the right person. That could be an Assistant Project Manager ready for more responsibility, or an established Project Manager looking for greater autonomy and the opportunity to have more influence within a growing consultancy.

This is a relatively young business, but one with an established team, live projects and clear plans for sustainable growth. They have invested in modern systems and technology, operate a genuinely flexible working model and are building the consultancy deliberately around the type of culture they want to create.

For someone joining now, there is an opportunity to become an important part of that growth rather than joining a large, established structure where progression and responsibilities are already defined.

Why This Opportunity?

The attraction of this role goes beyond the individual projects.

You'll be joining a consultancy at a stage where it is established enough to offer quality work, experienced people and a strong pipeline, but still early enough in its growth for individuals to have genuine visibility and influence.

The position can also be shaped around your experience.

At Assistant Project Manager level, you'll work closely with experienced senior professionals while being encouraged to take increasing ownership of projects, clients and delivery.

At Project Manager level, there is scope to operate more autonomously, lead commissions and client relationships and contribute more broadly to how the business develops.

Either way, the intention is to give you room to progress as the consultancy grows.

The Role

You'll work across a varied portfolio of construction, development and regeneration projects, supporting or leading commissions from initial feasibility and strategy through design, procurement, construction and completion.

Depending on your level of experience, responsibilities will include:

• Supporting or leading projects across RIBA Stages 1-6, managing individual commissions or defined workstreams within larger programmes
• Establishing project scopes, programmes, deliverables and key milestones
• Coordinating clients, design teams, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders
• Preparing project programmes, reports and management information, monitoring cost, programme, risk, quality and overall performance
• Managing project risk, change control and established client governance and gateway processes
• Supporting procurement, tendering and contract administration across forms including JCT and NEC
• Leading or contributing to client and project meetings while maintaining strong day-to-day client relationships
• Maintaining project documentation, internal systems and KPIs
• Supporting compliance with CDM 2015 and construction Health & Safety requirements
• Contributing to lessons-learned reviews and continuous improvement

As your experience develops, you'll be encouraged to take greater ownership rather than remaining in a supporting role indefinitely.

About You

There isn't one fixed profile for this appointment.

You could be an Assistant Project Manager with around 2-3 yearspost-graduate experience who feels ready to step up, or an established Project Manager looking for a consultancy where you can have greater responsibility and visibility.

What is more important is that you are ambitious, commercially aware and comfortable working as part of a client-facing consultancy team.

Ideally, you'll bring:

• A relevant degree in Project Management, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Building Surveying or another construction/property-related discipline
• Consultancy experience, or experience that translates well into a consultancy environment
• Exposure to projects across multiple stages of the project lifecycle and a good understanding of the RIBA Plan of Work
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary project teams
• Good programme, risk and project reporting skills
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• An understanding of procurement and construction contracts
• Progress towards APM, RICS, CIOB or another relevant professional accreditation would be beneficial

Most importantly, they're looking for someone who wants to develop with the business, take increasing responsibility and build a longer-term career, rather than simply move into the same role somewhere else.

The Business

The consultancy was established with the intention of creating a more modern and agile approach to construction consultancy.

Its focus is particularly strong around regeneration and development, working collaboratively with clients and wider professional teams to deliver projects from early strategy through to completion.

The business combines experienced senior leadership with modern systems, technology and a flexible approach to working. As the team continues to expand, there is also an opportunity for people joining now to contribute to the culture, processes and future direction of the consultancy.

It's a collaborative environment without unnecessary layers of management, giving people good access to senior colleagues and the opportunity to learn directly from experienced professionals.

Progression

One of the biggest advantages of joining at this stage is that your progression doesn't need to follow a predetermined structure.

An Assistant Project Manager joining now can develop towards Project Manager, taking on increasingly independent commissions and client responsibility.

For someone already operating at Project Manager level, the opportunity is to build towards more senior responsibility as the team and project portfolio continue to expand.

Professional development and training are actively supported, including progression towards relevant chartership.

Benefits

• Competitive salary aligned to experience and level
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Pension scheme and private health insurance
• Annual bonus opportunity and salary review
• Professional development, training and support towards relevant accreditation
• Wellbeing and social initiatives
• Direct access to experienced senior professionals
• Opportunity to grow alongside an expanding consultancy with increasing project and client responsibility

This is a particularly good opportunity for someone who likes the idea of joining a growing Manchester consultancy while there is still genuine scope to make an impact.

Rather than being recruited into a narrowly defined position, you'll be joining a business that can recognise where you are now, give you the appropriate level of support and responsibility, and create room for your role to develop as both you and the consultancy grow