Project Manager

ZipRecruiter; Darlington; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading company as a Project Manager for the UK's first large-scale lithium refinery, where you will oversee project delivery, manage budgets, and ensure compliance with health and safety standards. This role demands a hands-on approach, offering a competitive salary and significant growth opportunities, while playing a vital part in the UK's energy future.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Opportunity for growth and advancement

Supportive leadership team

Qualifications

• Proven track record in delivering infrastructure, industrial, or chemical projects.
• Experience managing FEED studies and preparing projects for investment decision.
• Strong understanding of engineering, procurement, and permitting workflows.

Responsibilities

• Full project ownership of scope, budget, schedule, and delivery.
• Lead the cost discipline: track, challenge, and control every line item.
• Report progress, risks, and cost status weekly to the CEO.

Skills

Attention to detail

Budget management

Cost control

Project oversight

Engineering workflows

Education

Degree in Engineering, Project Management, or related discipline

Tools

MS Project

Primavera

Excel

Job description

Job Description

Project Manager – Lithium Refinery Development

Location: Darlington, UK

Contract Type: Full-Time

Start Date: ASAP

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Project Background & About TVL

Tees Valley Lithium (TVL) is developing the UK’s first large-scale, merchant lithium hydroxide refinery — a critical component of Europe’s electric vehicle and battery storage supply chain. Located in Teesside within the UK Freeport zone, our project is strategically positioned to serve OEMs and cathode producers across Europe.

We are advancing through our Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study and preparing for Final Investment Decision (FID). With a CAPEX of ~$250 million and projected revenues of ~$150 million per annum, this is a strategically important but tightly scoped project — where accuracy and discipline matter. We now need a hands-on Project Manager who can drive delivery without layers of consultants or high-level abstractions — someone who understands the difference between managing a $250 million project to within ±£50k, not ±£5 million.

Role Overview

This is not a role for someone who delegates everything. We are looking for a practical, sleeves-rolled-up Project Manager who can personally oversee delivery of a complex industrial project while maintaining tight capital and operating cost control. You'll be embedded in the detail, responsible for tracking every pound, challenging cost assumptions, and driving progress through daily action.

You will coordinate engineers, vendors, and advisors while managing the schedule, controlling risk, and ensuring full integration of health, safety, and sustainability standards.

Key Responsibilities

·Full project ownership of scope, budget, schedule, and delivery across engineering, procurement, permitting, and early works

·Lead the cost discipline: track, challenge, and control every line item

·Personally manage key project inputs and outputs — not just oversee them

·Maintain the project schedule with real-time updates and milestone tracking

·Champion a proactive, visible approach to health, safety, and environmental performance

·Coordinate external contractors and consultants — but stay personally engaged in delivery

·Report progress, risks, and cost status weekly to the CEO and Board in a clear and actionable format

·Ensure sustainability principles are embedded in design, procurement, and construction readiness

Candidate Profile

Essential:

• Proven track record in delivering infrastructure, industrial, or chemical projects.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and cost control with extreme attention to detail.
• Experience managing FEED studies and preparing projects for FID and construction.
• Strong understanding of engineering, procurement, and permitting workflows.
• Proficient in project management software and cost control tools (e.g., MS Project, Primavera, Excel).
• Degree-qualified in Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline.

Desirable:

• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification.
• Experience with lithium, chemical, or battery materials projects.
• Familiarity with UK environmental regulations and sustainability reporting frameworks.

What We’re Looking For

• A doer who thrives on responsibility and ownership.
• A cost-control champion who watches every detail.
• A structured operator who brings clarity, process, and results.
• A calm communicator under pressure and uncertainty.
• A mission-aligned leader proud to build a critical asset for the UK’s energy future.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of delivering the UK’s flagship lithium refinery — first-of-its-kind.
• Join a dynamic, ambitious, and supportive leadership team.
• Work on a high-impact project with visibility across industry and government.
• Competitive compensation with significant opportunity for growth and advancement.