Associate Project Manager

At Bute Energy, our mission is to create renewable energy projects that deliver a wealthier, healthier Wales – we want to make the Welsh weather work for Wales through the biggest business investment in the rural economy in a generation. We will create thousands of jobs, give millions of pounds a year to community funds and help rural communities get ready for a net zero future. All of this while helping to reduce energy bills in the long term – onshore wind is the cheapest electricity on the grid.

Bute Energy has built up a market-leading pipeline of Energy Park projects in Wales, which will combine the latest technology for onshore wind and solar generation to provide projects that will be delivering the biggest business investment in rural Wales in a generation.

At Bute Energy, our core values of courage, passion, community and integrity are central to our mission to work towards a sustainable world, now and for future generations; and to deliver green energy generation and infrastructure that benefits local communities and society as a whole.

We are a business that truly has people at the heart of everything we do, and we work hard to ensure that our people are supported and encouraged to succeed. We are proud of our culture and values and strive to ensure that every one of our people have that "feeling of belonging” and can bring their whole selves to work. This is an exciting opportunity to join a high growth business and contribute to helping Wales reach its Net Zero targets.

What you can expect as a Bute Energy colleague

• Flexitime with the ability to work core hours and take time back in lieu throughout the week
• Fridays are allocated as ‘no meeting’ days to ensure down time at the end of the week
• 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Private Medical Insurance from day 1 with cover for immediate family including spouse or partner and children, including direct mental health pathways and support
• Annual pay review and discretionary bonus
• Employer pension contributions up to 7%
• Ability to opt into the Pension Salary Exchange scheme equating to an extra 0.7% of employer pension contributions
• Electric car scheme via salary sacrifice
• Life assurance cover and income protection
• Travel insurance
• Suite of enhanced policies and provisions to support colleagues through all the moments that matter
• Regular team socials, activities, sporting events and charity fundraisers.

SALARY: Starting from £38,000 per annum (Skills and experience dependent)

LOCATION: Cardiff, flexible working options

Main Responsibilities

• Provide direct support to the Cluster Project Managers to deliver Project workstreams in line with the development strategy from land identification through to consent and pre-construction;
• Responsible for day-to-day support of the Senior Project Managers (SPM) and Project Managers (PM) in delivering Project schedules (as maintained and controlled by the Project Management Office (PMO) Scheduler) in line with strategy from land identification through to consent and pre-construction;
• Manage assigned onshore wind Project workstreams to ensure:
• feasibility studies, technical surveys, and environmental impact assessments are completed on time and to associated budgets;
• action lists and risk registers are kept up-to-date throughout the life of the Project and any issues are reported to the relevant PM or SPM;
• third party contracts/relationships are maintained;
• regular internal reporting (eg. Monthly Project Management Reports – PMRs) for assigned Project workstreams is completed using appropriate tools and reviewed and approved with PMO;
• liaise with other functions across the business including the Commercial Team, and the Community Investment and Communication Team.
• Support assigned Project and Technical Managers in the management of stakeholder engagement and all activities required to gain planning permission;
• Supporting the Project Team in the appointment and management of various external consultants, co-ordinating with the Strategic Planning & Consents Director and the Head of Procurement and Contracts, to include the tendering, and contracting of lead services associated with stakeholder consultation, Project, scoping, EIA, and all planning application submissions, together with procurement of any other required consents or related planning applications;
• Input to each Project’s communications plan, with support from the PMs and SPMs, and the Community Investment and Communication Team, focused on obtaining support and an understanding of proposed Projects, whilst retaining and promoting Bute Energy’s reputation;
• Take ownership of the management of and drive forward assigned tasks/workstreams within Projects, helping ensure all objectives/plans are met/exceeded
• Be a key player in driving all operational requirements and management of third parties, managing considerations related to Project budgets on an ongoing basis and taking proactive actions to address commercial issues as they arise
• Support each Project’s schedule of activities, control costs, cost-reporting including supporting PMs with Project Accounting (Drafting Contract Approval Forms (CAFs); raising Purchase Orders (POs); receipting POs; managing their Budgets) and scope of works assigned and manage associated project governance, including:
• Ensuring consultants are tracking spend against contractual value;
• Financial month ends.
• Support and input to land assembly efforts, grid connection deliverables, schedules (as maintained and controlled by the PMO Scheduler), cost management and overall project governance
• Support Cluster Project Team in the development and drafting of key standalone documents – ready for submission (eg. collaborative benefits report, economic benefits report etc.);
• Management of assigned Project workstream third-party feasibility studies, environmental assessments, elements of planning submissions, together with supporting the procurement of any other required consents, for onshore wind farms
• Identify and work to mitigate Project risks to maximise Project deliverability;
• Ensure high standards of governance and project management on all assigned workstreams;
• Support the SPM and PM through assigned tasks/workstreams to deliver Projects to the target development milestones on time and on budget
• Co-ordinating with the PMO to ensure that the DNS Tracker is regularly updated
• Keeping a track of document reviews for key milestones, ensuring review times and receipts of chapters are scheduled in calendars for the relevant people
• Lead Cluster meetings, have a clear agenda and track actions with consultants.

What we look for in return

Knowledge & Skills

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills
• Strong personal resilience and ability to adapt to different situations
• An understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with onshore wind development
• Knowledge of planning processes (including under the Town & Country Planning Act, and the DCO / DNS regimes)
• Ability to manage project documentation, including action lists, risk registers, and reports, ensuring accuracy and timely updates
• Excellent organisation skills, and an eye for detail
• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple workstreams without compromising on quality or project timelines.
• Handling and coordinating specialist and technical inputs from external consultants and project team members
• Proficient IT skills in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Project
• Have an ability to manage a wide and complex workload with good problem-solving abilities
• Hold a full UK driving licence and be willing to travel across Wales (and nationally if required)
• Knowledge of Environmental Impact Assessment regulations and / or planning policy relating to renewable energy would be advantageous
• Welsh language skills would be an advantage.

Experience & Qualifications

• Experience working in-house in a development company or consultancy; with a track record in inputting to the project management efforts, environmental impact assessments, and planning applications associated with the development and assessment of large-scale renewable energy projects
• Exposure to and experience in dealing with external stakeholders, including members of the public, contractors, external consultants and team members
• Association of Project Management (APM) Certification – PFQ, or working towards – is preferable.

What does our culture mean to us and you?

At Bute Energy we are committed to having a workplace that encourages and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion. This means taking account of social or personal challenges that some colleagues may face and making available, the right workplace environment, resources and opportunities, which allow all of us at Bute Energy, to THRIVE.

Our culture and the way we do things is centred around ‘belonging’ and we hang everything off #belongatbute. We believe that everyone should be able to be their true authentic self at Bute Energy and encourage this through promoting an inclusive environment which values and encourages different perspectives, thoughts, ideas and backgrounds, to ensure a truly innovative and exciting place to work.

We do not accept any discriminatory attitudes or behaviours. Every single colleague and potential colleague who wishes to join us, should feel confident in equality of opportunity and be free from any bullying, discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We hope and encourage all suitably qualified individuals to feel comfortable and energised to join our dedicated team and contribute to Wales’ shift towards sustainable energy solutions.