Project Installation Manager

JOHN LEWIS; Darwen; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Herbert Parkinson, part of the John Lewis Partnership, is seeking a Project Installation Manager based at our Darwen office. You will plan and deliver on-site installations, manage teams and subcontractors, and ensure projects are on time and within budget while delivering an exceptional customer experience.

The role requires proven leadership of complex field installations, strong organisational skills, and a PRINCE2 or equivalent qualification, plus a valid site safety qualification.

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex physical installations in the field.
• Strong organisational skills with track record of managing multiple major site installations.
• Experience managing specialised sub-contractors on active work sites.
• PRINCE2 or equivalent project management qualification.
• Valid site safety management qualification.

Responsibilities

• Conduct pre-installation site surveys & assessments to assess readiness, access, layout and hazards.
• Prepare and enforce RAMS & Method Statements ensuring compliance with health and safety and regulations.
• Plan, recruit and onboard field team resources.
• Supervise on-site installation teams and subcontractors for quality and productivity.
• Be the primary on-site contact for issue resolution with customers and internal teams.
• Monitor daily progress, risks, and reporting to Customer Operations and end customer.
• Support commercial team in presentations at trade shows and events to generate opportunities.
• Assist Sales & Customer Operations from enquiry to PO, including tender support and stakeholder management.

Skills

Field installations

Organisational skills

Sub-contractor management

PRINCE2

Site safety

Job description

About the role

At Herbert Parkinson, a proud and historic part of the John Lewis Partnership, we are embarking on an exciting transformation journey to secure our long-term success. By investing in state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities, streamlining our operations, and creating broader, more fulfilling roles for our Partners, we are building a more sustainable and agile future. Join us as we continue to deliver exceptional quality and service for our customers while empowering our partners to thrive.

The Project Installation Manager will be responsible for planning and managing project delivery infrastructure. You will oversee on-site delivery, assembly, installation, and immediate defect resolution across all customer projects. Serving as the primary field contact, you will bridge communication between our customers and internal operations, ensuring complex installations are executed safely, on schedule & within budget to protect business margins and deliver an exceptional customer experience

• Expected salary - £48,600- £55,000 (dependent on experience).
• Contract type - This position is a Permanent role - 38.75 Hours per week
• Location - This role is based at our Herbert Parkinson Office in Darwen, Lancashire, when you are not out at customer sites.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct pre-installation site surveys & assessments to assess structural readiness, utility access, space layout, and potential site hazards
• Prepare & enforce site specific Risk Assessments (RAMS) & Method Statements (RAMS), ensuring full compliance with Health, Safety & local building regulations
• Take ownership of planning, recruiting and onboarding field team resources
• Supervise on-site installation teams and subcontractors to enforce exceptional workmanship standards, drive fitting efficiency, and maximise overall productivity
• Serves as the primary on-site point of contact for issue resolution, collaborating with internal teams and the customer to drive swift solutions while protecting business margins
• Monitor and manage daily installation progress against project milestones, delivering regular status updates, risk logs, and performance reports to the Customer Operations team & end customer
• Support the commercial team in the presentation of the Herbert Parkinson / John Lewis business at relevant trade shows & industry events to drive a healthy pipeline of business leads & customer interactions
• Alongside Sales & Customer Operations, you will manage client retention from enquiry through to PO, including supporting tenders, stakeholder management, client presentations and sample room installation

Essential skills/experience you'll need

• Demonstrable experience leading complex physical installations in the field
• Exceptional organisational skills; with a proven track record of managing multiple major site installations consecutively
• Experienced & confident in managing specialised sub-contractors on active work sites
• Relevant Project Management qualification - PRINCE2 or equivalent
• Valid site safety management qualification

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Advanced Project Management qualification
• Extensive knowledge of textile & manufacturing industry
• Comprehensive knowledge of soft furnishing industry - Made to measure (M2M) and Filled Goods

The partnership

We're the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We're not just employees, we're Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there's never been a more exciting time to join us.

We're ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we're free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note

It's important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you'll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.