Construction Manager

Ardour Associates Ltd; Bristol; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Ardour Associates Ltd in Bristol is seeking an experienced Construction Manager to lead the SBIM team delivering bridge maintenance across the M48 Severn, M4 Prince of Wales, and M5 Avonmouth structures. You will manage site operations, coordinate multidisciplinary teams and contractors, and ensure work is safe, on programme and within budget.

The role requires working at height, strong leadership, and a focus on quality and compliance with CDM, Health & Safety regulations, and National Highways

Qualifications

• HNC/HND in Civil Engineering or related field.
• SMSTS (5 Day) or SSSTS (2 Day) qualification.
• Temporary Works Supervisor or Temporary Works Coordinator qualification.
• Experience on highways/bridges/heavy civil projects.
• Strong knowledge of CDM Regulations and Principal Contractor responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the safe delivery of bridge maintenance, inspection support, renewal and improvement projects.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety legislation, CDM Regulations and National Highways requirements.
• Develop and maintain a positive safety culture across site activities.
• Plan, programme and supervise construction activities to deliver on time and within budget.
• Coordinate labour, plant, materials and contractors to maximise efficiency.
• Manage day-to-day site operations and resolve technical and safety issues.
• Review methodologies, RAMS and temporary works proposals for safe implementation.
• Oversee lifting operations and working at height activities.
• Ensure quality through inspections and site reporting.
• Support commercial teams with forecasting and resource planning.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Project planning

Reporting

Team leadership

Education

HNC/HND in Civil Engineering or related

SMSTS or SSSTS qualification

Temporary Works Supervisor/Coordinator qualification

Full UK Driving Licence

Personal Highway Safety (PHS) qualification

Job description

Construction Manager

Location: Bristol

Job Type: Permanent

Hours: 40 hours per week

The Opportunity

Our client is looking for an experienced Construction Manager to join its Specialist Bridges Inspection & Maintenance (SBIM) team, supporting the safe delivery of maintenance, renewals and improvement works across three of the UK's most iconic bridge structures:

• M48 Severn Bridge
• M4 Prince of Wales Bridge
• M5 Avonmouth Bridge

Working on behalf of National Highways, the SBIM contract is responsible for maintaining these strategically important structures, ensuring they remain safe, resilient and operational for the millions of road users who rely on them every year.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key leadership role in delivering complex civil engineering and structural maintenance projects within a challenging live highway environment. You'll lead site operations, coordinate multidisciplinary teams and contractors, and ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards.

Due to the nature of the role, you will be required to work at height and must be comfortable operating in safety-critical environments.

The Role

As Construction Manager, you will take responsibility for the planning, coordination and successful delivery of bridge maintenance and renewal works across the SBIM portfolio.

Leading teams of Supervisors, Engineers, Operatives and Specialist Contractors, you'll ensure works are completed safely, on programme and within budget while maintaining the highest standards of quality and operational performance.

Working closely with Project Managers, Designers, Commercial teams and National Highways, you will coordinate resources, manage site activities and proactively resolve engineering and operational challenges to minimise disruption to the strategic road network.

This is a hands‑on leadership role requiring excellent organisational skills, strong technical knowledge and the ability to make confident decisions within live operational environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the safe delivery of bridge maintenance, inspection support, renewal and improvement projects across the SBIM contract.
• Ensure full compliance with Health & Safety legislation, CDM Regulations, company procedures and National Highways requirements.
• Develop, promote and maintain a positive safety culture across all site activities.
• Plan, programme and supervise construction activities to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time and within budget.
• Coordinate labour, plant, materials, specialist contractors and temporary works to maximise operational efficiency.
• Manage day-to-day site operations, resolving technical, operational and safety issues as they arise.
• Review construction methodologies, contractor RAMS and temporary works proposals to ensure safe implementation.
• Oversee lifting operations, working at height activities and specialist access arrangements.
• Ensure quality standards are maintained through inspections, site audits and compliance checks.
• Measure, value and record completed works, supporting commercial reporting and project cost control.
• Capture resource utilisation using digital management systems and provide accurate site reporting.
• Support estimating, planning and commercial teams with project forecasting and resource planning.
• Mentor Supervisors, Engineers, Apprentices and Trainees, supporting their professional development.
• Build strong relationships with National Highways, subcontractors and internal stakeholders.

About You

You’ll be an experienced Construction Manager, Site Manager or Senior Supervisor with a strong background delivering highways, bridge or heavy civil engineering projects.

You’ll be confident managing multiple workstreams within live operational environments and leading teams to deliver projects safely, efficiently and to the highest professional standards.

Essential Skills & Experience

• HNC/HND in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• SMSTS (5 Day) or SSSTS (2 Day) qualification.
• Temporary Works Supervisor or Temporary Works Coordinator qualification.
• Experience managing construction projects within highways, bridges or heavy civil engineering.
• Strong understanding of CDM Regulations and Principal Contractor responsibilities.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary site teams, subcontractors and specialist contractors.
• Knowledge of lifting operations, working at height and complex construction activities.
• Ability to manage programmes, resources, quality, cost and site safety simultaneously.
• Strong leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Competent in project planning, delivery and reporting.
• Personal Highway Safety (PHS) qualification.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

Ardour Associates values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are more than happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business.