Project Manager

Rullion; England; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading project management firm is seeking a Rail Project Manager to lead critical rail projects as part of the Sizewell C initiative. The successful candidate will oversee the full project lifecycle, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest safety standards. This role offers hybrid working based in Suffolk and presents an opportunity to contribute to one of the UK's largest megaprojects focused on meeting future energy needs and supporting climate goals. Experience in managing multi-disciplinary projects is essential.

Benefits

Hybrid working option

Competitive daily rate

Qualifications

• Track record of delivering rail projects in complex environments.
• Able to engage with Network Rail and local authorities.
• Experience managing contractors and consultants in regulated environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for effective project delivery.
• Define work scope and maintain project communications.
• Ensure projects meet safety, quality, time, and cost requirements.

Skills

Delivering multi-disciplinary rail projects

High safety and environmental responsibility

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Contract management

Education

Degree and chartered status in engineering or related field

Tools

Earned Value Management tools

Document management systems

Job description

Job Title: Rail Project Manager

Location: Based in our Suffolk with hybrid working available

Contract length: until Dec 2026

Pay: £550-£600 per day via Umbrella

Vacancy Overview :

Are you looking for a career which is rewarding, at the cutting edge of project development and where you can really make a difference? Come and join our expanding Sizewell C (SZC) team and work on one of the most exciting and largest megaprojects in the UK, whilst being at the forefront of the UK’s climate change agenda and energy policy. Following on from the success of Hinkley Point C (HPC), the SZC Project is a nuclear new build project in Suffolk, which has obtained planning approval and Government financing support. The project has started construction and is now seeking private investment. When completed, it will provide dependable electricity to 6 million homes for 60 years, which along with renewables, will support Britain to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Job Purpose / Overview

Sizewell ‘C’ (SZC) is a vital part of the UK’s future energy strategy. As the second of the UK’s next generation of Nuclear power stations, SZC is both of high profile and high complexity. Its delivery will be reliant not only on innovative engineering and construction but also on the strongest of Leadership qualities amongst its Project Managers.

This role will provide leadership to ensure the effective delivery of one or more of the projects in the rail scope as part of the overarching Civils Programme of SZC- Associated Developments, whilst recognising and managing the impacts of the programme on the wider Project. The Project Manager role is to develop and deliver the Implementation plan for safely delivering allocated project(s) in the rail scope to cost, schedule and quality within the agreed constraints.

The overall purpose of Associated Developments is to establish the facilities and infrastructure improvements required to meet the needs of the SZC construction, whilst also reducing the impacts on the local community.

The scope comprises the following elements :

• AD1 Park & Ride Facilities
• AD2 Minor Road Schemes
• AD3 Major Road Schemes
• AD4 Rail Projects
• AD5 Campus Accommodation
• AD6 Main Site Development Roads
• AD7 Removal & Reinstatement (post completion of SZC construction)

The AD4 Rail Projects comprise the following principal elements :

• Upgrade of the Saxmundham to Leiston (SIZ) branch line and its junction with the East Suffolk (ESK) line
• Construction of a new, temporary, railhead in the Ancillary Construction Area (ACA)
• Construction of a new, temporary, single-track railway, from the SIZ branch line to the SZC construction site
• Construction of a new, temporary railhead in the Temporary Construction Area (TCA)
• Upgrades to the East Suffolk (ESK) line, including level crossings, track and signalling (delivery by Network Rail)

The Project Manager will be responsible for the direction and leadership of activities associated with the full life cycle delivery of the project(s), including investigation, design, procurement, enabling activities, construction, commissioning, handover and close out, in line with Project Requirements. This post will ensure planning and delivery shall be in accordance with all safety, quality, time, and cost parameters to meet the needs of the Project.

The Project Manager will report directly to the Senior Project Manager (Rail)

Principal Accountabilities

Define the work scope to be delivered within the contract or package of work and the interfaces to the other elements of the programme

• Assist in securing the required resources to meet their project requirements, ensuring the maintenance of SQEP for any assigned resource and promptly identifying any personnel shortfalls or issues within their project team
• Develop fully coordinated and integrated multi‑disciplinary solutions which are deliverable within implementation plan requirements
• Maintain effective communications with all stakeholders and executing the project or PEP strategies within their contract or package of work
• Act as project representative in external stakeholder working groups
• Drive the delivery of the contract or package activities to ensure they are delivered safely, on time, to budget, meeting business, technical and sustainability requirements. Monitor and manage the progress of the project, in line with SZC requirements - track progress against milestones, deadlines, budget and provide key stakeholders with reports on these matters
• Anticipate, manage, and resolve issues within the contact or package. Identify risks and facilitate the resolution of all issues raised, implement the SZC change control procedures for allocated project(s), develop and update the programme budget, and elevate any issues to the Senior Project Manager, Delivery Manager or Director (Programme Manager or Director)
• Ensure level 3 schedules are developed and maintained for the contract or package of work. Ensure such schedules are consistent with overall Project schedules (levels 1 and level 2). Escalate any discrepancies to the Project Controls Director, in consultation with the Senior Project Manager
• Review - Contractor supplied Level 3 and 16 week rolling schedules
• Ensure the List of Deliverables (LOD) relating to the scope of work is delivered, maintained, and controlled
• Apply the principles of Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Apply the principles of Continuous Improvement
• Ensure that lessons‑learnt and knowledge‑capture are practiced as business as usual
• Interface with other projects and programmes to:
• manage any interfaces to the benefit of the overall project
• to develop an understanding of how allocated projects fit into and influence the overall project
• to share best practice
• Ensure that contract or package contractual requirements are fulfilled and assured. Participate in audits where required
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all project team members

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Track record of delivering multi‑disciplinary rail projects within a technically complex and dynamic environment whilst ensuring high levels of safety, security, and environmental responsibility, ideally but not necessarily within the nuclear energy sector or similar regulated environment
• Demonstrate success in managing / developing:
• Engineering design, contract, and field execution strategies for project delivery
• Multi‑discipline EPCM projects
• Procurement and management of complex contracts
• Implementation solutions addressing environmental minimum requirements
• Control of costs; risk; schedule and change and proficient in the use of Earned Value tools
• Close out of commercial claims and the associated negotiations under statute and other contractual arrangements
• Experience of successfully engaging groups of stakeholders including, Network Rail, Local authorities, Office of Road and Rail, Internal design and management teams, Alliance supply chain contractors, and community stakeholders where required
• Able to lead and coordinate multi‑disciplinary solutions, including the ability to manage interfaces between disciplines and adjacent projects
• Working knowledge of key railway and Network Rail standards and procedures, such as GRIP, Engineering Management for Projects, AMP, DWWP
• Able to demonstrate strong management skills including project management, financial management, change management and facilitation. Proficient in the use of estimating scheduling, programming, and risk tools
• Experience of managing contractors, consultants, and other advisors throughout large and complex construction projects, in a regulated environment. Including NEC or FIDIC contracts
• Good presentation, influencing and facilitation skills. Excellent communication and organisational skills, able to develop relationships and maintain effective networks
• Strong numerical and analytical skills
• Able to work effectively with suite of Project data systems including Outlook 365 Suite, Microsoft TEAMs, Document management systems incl. A Site and Teamcenter, BIM – federated models and Geographical information Systems (GIS)
• Working knowledge of French language an advantage
• Degree and chartered status in an engineering, construction, or other related field
• Good knowledge of CDM Regulations
• Hold Personal Track Safety (PTS) qualification
• Hold suitable CSCS certification
• Can demonstrate experience of managing project through the project lifecycle from concept to handover
• Understand how to apply a graded approach to quality