Project Leader

Laing O'Rourke; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Laing O'Rourke is delivering the Sizewell C backfill package in Ipswich and will coordinate across alliance teams to deliver engineered backfill. The Project Lead will own pre-construction development and drive design coordination, 4D planning, temporary works, and logistics for a major nuclear civil works package.

The role requires strategic leadership, technical authority, and delivery oversight to enable construction across the nuclear island, with site visits to Suffolk as required.

Qualifications

• Expertise in excavating and backfill activities on site.
• Experience leading large civil engineering project teams.
• Ability to work across design, planning, safety, and delivery functions.
• NEC4 SC/ECC contract experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead pre-construction and delivery activities for the backfill scope.
• Coordinate with client, alliance design teams and engineering function.
• Provide guidance on temporary works, ramp access, and backfill designs.
• Own the 4D backfill model and ensure accurate planning and sequencing.
• Manage budgets, risks, and subcontracts within the package.

Skills

Backfill leadership

Large civil project leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

NEC4 contract experience

PM bodies membership (APM/PMI)

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 takeownership of the pre‑construction development and delivery of the backfill programme within the Main Civil Works of Sizewell C. As a critical enabler of the entire nuclear build, this scope 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, this 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 coordinating 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

Why SZC?

This is your chance to contribute to one of the UK's most ambitious infrastructure projects, shaping the future of energy while working in a supportive, dynamic environment. Be part of a team that values innovation, safety, and sustainability at every stage of the journey—from investment to construction and beyond.

About Us

Laing O'Rourke are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the‑art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality – this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

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