Project Leader

Laing O'Rourke; England; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Laing O'Rourke is seeking a Project Lead for the Backfill scope on the Sizewell C Project in Ipswich. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in excavating and backfill activities and managing large civil engineering projects. Responsibilities include overseeing pre-construction, collaborating on designs, and ensuring compliance with quality standards. This role is vital for the successful delivery of over 3 million m³ of engineered backfill. Located in the UK, the position offers a challenging opportunity to contribute to a significant nuclear project.

Qualifications

• Expertise in excavating and backfill activities on site.
• Experience leading a large project team on major civil engineering projects.
• Proven ability to collaborate with wider project teams for shared outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Leads pre-construction and delivery activities for the backfill scope.
• Collaborates with the client's consultant to shape designs meeting safety and quality requirements.
• Manages technical support for backfill designs and material quality control.

Skills

Expertise in excavating and backfill activities on site

Leading a large project team on large civil engineering projects

Working transversely with wider project teams to achieve shared desired outcomes

NEC4 SC and ECC contract experience

Member of APM, PMI or similar project management bodies

Job description

Project Lead – Backfill

Location: Ipswich (with site visits to Suffolk as required)

Join the exciting journey of one of the UK's largest nuclear projects at Sizewell C! The Civil Works Alliance (CWA) is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Project Lead to support the successful delivery of the Backfill scope on the Sizewell C Project. CWA, appointed by the Sizewell C client, brings together three leading delivery contractors — Laing O'Rourke, Bouygues, and Balfour Beatty — to deliver the civils scope including Enabling Earthworks, Main Civil Works, and Marine and Tunnelling.

We are seeking a Project Lead to take ownership of the pre‑construction development and delivery of the backfill programme within the Main Civil Works of Sizewell C. This critical enabler of the entire nuclear build involves placing more than 3 million m³ of engineered backfill following the ‘big dig', establishing the platforms, interfaces and access routes needed for all subsequent structures. The role demands strategic leadership across design, 4D planning, temporary works, logistics, monitoring and delivery; the individual will own the strategic leadership, technical authority and delivery oversight required to enable successful construction across the nuclear island and safeguard programme certainty.

Key Responsibilities

• Leads all pre‑construction and delivery activities for the backfill scope, ensuring rigorous technical preparation, planning, coordination, and compliance before construction begins.
• Collaborates with the client’s consultant, alliance design teams, and engineering function to shape permanent and temporary works designs that meet safety, sustainability, buildability, and quality requirements.
• Provides expert guidance to the excavation and backfill technical team, ensuring designs, temporary works, and technical solutions are robust, coordinated, and fit for purpose.
• Manages the Technical Lead and oversees technical support to the development of backfill designs by the Responsible Designer, temporary works for ramps, accesses, and retaining structures, material quality control, monitoring schemes, and site trials.
• Owns and updates the 4D backfill model, ensuring construction rates, assumptions, sequencing, and methods are valid, integrated, and approved by CWP and RD.
• Contributes technical judgement within the Backfill Steering Group, supporting decisions on material types, suitability, constructability, and pragmatic solutions.
• Leads cost estimation activities with alliance estimators and the TOC Manager, contributing to the TOC process and ensuring planning and execution strategies are accurate and achievable.
• Monitors budgets throughout delivery, investigates variances, identifies mitigation measures, and escalates issues where required.
• Develops subcontract scopes of work, compiles required documentation, and leads tendering activities, including technical evaluations and clarification processes.
• Participates in subcontractor negotiations with the alliance purchaser and supports final contract formation with the alliance commercial team.
• Defines the delivery strategy for the backfill package during pre‑construction and authors the Project Execution Plan, supporting the TOC Manager in securing Notice to Proceed.
• Establishes and integrates the logistics strategy into overall delivery planning.
• Leads delivery performance, ensuring works are executed safely, on programme, to budget, and in compliance with business, technical, and quality standards.
• Tracks progress against milestones, deadlines, and budgets, providing reporting and analysis to key alliance stakeholders.
• Reviews and authorises subcontractor and supplier payment applications.
• Ensures appropriate resource levels—technical, operational, and logistical—are provided to meet delivery demands.
• Works with the CWA head of quality to determine the appropriate inspection structure and manages the CWA quality inspection team on day‑to‑day issues, escalating problems as needed.
• Identifies, manages, and resolves issues and risks within the package; updates budgets and forecasts and escalates concerns where necessary.
• Ensures construction schedules are developed, maintained, and aligned with programme requirements.
• Ensures all List of Deliverables (LOD / MIDTP / TIDP) related to the scope are completed and compliant.
• Embeds lessons learned and knowledge capture as part of routine delivery processes.
• Ensures all contractual obligations are met and manages potential compensation events in collaboration with alliance commercial.
• Manages interfaces with adjacent works and coordinates activities across earthworks, temporary works, and construction of neighbouring structures to ensure cohesive, conflict‑free delivery.

What skills & experience are we looking for?

Essential

• Expertise in excavating and backfill activities on site
• Leading a large project team on large civil engineering projects
• Working transversely with wider project teams to achieve shared desired outcomes
• NEC4 SC and ECC contract experience
• Member of APM, PMI or similar project management bodies

Desirable

• Experience working in alliances/joint ventures within construction
• SMSTS or IOSH managing safety

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long‑term conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme’. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. We want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all.