Principal Project Manager

Buckinghamshire Council; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangements

Employee Assistance Programme

Mental Health First Aiders

Discounts on cafés, restaurants, shops

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Council is seeking a Principal Project Manager to lead delivery of highways and transport infrastructure programmes. You will establish robust governance, manage performance, and oversee budgets across a large portfolio, collaborating with senior officers, elected Members, contractors and partners.

The role sits within the Infrastructure and Capital Schemes service and involves developing management systems, reporting frameworks and forward investment plans while ensuring

Qualifications

• Substantial experience delivering major highways and transport infrastructure programmes.
• Strong understanding of governance, reporting, risk management and assurance processes.
• Experience managing capital budgets, contracts and consultant/contractor relationships.

Responsibilities

• Developing and implementing programme management systems, dashboards and performance reporting frameworks.
• Monitoring programme performance, risks, budgets and delivery objectives.
• Procuring and administering consultant and contractor appointments.
• Reporting programme performance, risks and issues to project boards and Members.
• Developing forward capital investment plans and project pipelines.
• Providing advice on project and programme management matters.
• Ensuring compliance with legislation, quality standards and health and safety obligations.

Skills

Programme management

Governance

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

Budgets

Education

Degree

Professional qualification

Job description

We are looking for an experienced, strategic and delivery-focused Principal Project Manager to play a leading role in the management and oversight of Buckinghamshire's highways and transport infrastructure programme.

This is a senior position within the Infrastructure and Capital Schemes service, responsible for developing programme management systems, overseeing project performance and supporting the successful delivery of major transport and highways investment programmes. You will provide professional leadership, manage key stakeholder relationships and ensure robust governance, financial management and programme controls are in place across a complex portfolio of projects.

This is a highly visible role requiring strong programme management expertise, commercial awareness and the ability to engage confidently with senior officers, elected Members, contractors and partner organisations.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is responsible for one of the country's largest and most diverse highway networks. We are committed to delivering a transport network that supports sustainable growth, economic prosperity and thriving communities.

The Infrastructure and Capital Schemes service leads the development and delivery of the Council's capital investment programme, working across highways, transport infrastructure, road safety and place-based improvement initiatives.

Our teams work closely with consultants, contractors, government bodies, funding organisations and local communities to deliver high-quality infrastructure projects that improve outcomes for residents across Buckinghamshire.

About the role

As Principal Project Manager, you will support the delivery of major highways and transport infrastructure programmes by establishing effective programme controls, performance monitoring and governance arrangements.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing programme management systems, dashboards, resource plans and performance reporting frameworks.
• Supporting the delivery of major transport infrastructure projects and programmes.
• Monitoring programme performance, risks, budgets and delivery objectives.
• Managing and overseeing project risk registers and escalating strategic issues appropriately.
• Supporting the development of forward capital investment plans and project pipelines.
• Providing technical and professional advice on project and programme management matters.
• Managing budgets and ensuring expenditure aligns with approved capital programmes.
• Procuring and administering consultant and contractor appointments.
• Reporting programme performance, risks and issues to project boards, senior leaders and Members.
• Developing and maintaining productive relationships with elected Members, suppliers, partners and stakeholders.
• Supporting the recruitment, development and performance of project delivery staff.
• Ensuring compliance with legislation, quality standards, corporate requirements and health and safety obligations.
• Preparing project briefs, business cases, financial reports and programme updates.

You will play a significant role in shaping future investment programmes, improving programme management capability and helping to ensure that major infrastructure projects are delivered successfully and efficiently.

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

You will be a highly experienced infrastructure professional with strong programme management capability and a proven record of delivering complex projects within large organisations.

We're looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Substantial experience managing major highways and transport infrastructure projects and programmes.
• Strong understanding of programme governance, reporting, risk management and assurance processes.
• Excellent knowledge of highways, transport infrastructure and relevant legislation.
• Experience managing significant capital budgets, contracts and consultant or contractor relationships.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to develop innovative solutions.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Experience working with senior leaders, elected Members and external partners.
• Ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining a strong focus on delivery.
• Experience of workforce leadership, staff development and resource management.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of procurement and contract management processes.
• Excellent communication, presentation and report-writing skills.

You will be educated to degree level (or equivalent experience) and hold a relevant professional or vocational qualification. Experience managing large-scale capital programmes and budgets of significant value would be advantageous.

If you are looking for a role where you can influence and shape the delivery of major infrastructure investments that will benefit Buckinghamshire communities for years to come, we'd like to hear from you.

Other information

For further information on this role please see the attached job summary.

We offer hybrid working arrangements

Interview date: TBC

Interview-type / process: In Person

We understand that applicants may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

We are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

About the Business Unit

Our Communities directorate works across the county to deliver a number of the key customer-facing services that our residents, businesses and visitors rely on every day.

This directorate includes a wide range of services, including:

• collecting and disposing of waste and recycling
• maintaining our roads and Rights of Way network and parking
• ensuring the delivery of school transport, and supporting sustainable travel including public bus services and School Crossing Patrollers
• managing Country Parks
• leisure facilities, museums, theatres and libraries, as well as developing our Cultural Strategy
• Licensing, Environmental Health and Trading Standards
• Cemeteries and Crematoria

The customer is central to how we develop and deliver all of these services, which help promote our rich and vibrant culture and special environment.

We are looking for enthusiastic, ambitious and committed individuals to join our team and help us to continue to make Buckinghamshire a great place to live, work and visit. This is an exciting time for us as we bring together the services previously run by five separate councils before Buckinghamshire Council was created. Whilst making major changes to contracts affecting residents across Bucks, we continue to focus on delivering great customer service. You will join us on our journey of continuous improvement - whether that’s through developing strategies and ways of working or delivering services on the ground, every person in Communities is a valued member of the team.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.