Project Manager

Southern Water; Worthing; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Water is seeking a Project Manager for their service delivery team, responsible for managing maintenance projects across operational sites. This role will require strong expertise in budget management, contract compliance, and fostering relationships with contractors to ensure health, safety, and environmental standards are upheld.

Qualifications

• Strong technical and operational experience in maintenance project delivery.
• Good understanding of regulatory and legislative frameworks.
• Experience in a utility environment, particularly with water or wastewater operations.

Responsibilities

• Managing work lifecycle, investigating cost-effective options, defining scope.
• Contract administration, overseeing costs and budgets.
• Maintaining budget and cost information, forecasting final costs.

Skills

Network building

Negotiation

Influencing

Cost control

Education

Project management experience

APM/Prince 2 certification

Health & Safety IOSH/NEBOSH certification

Job description

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There has never been a better time to join our organisation as we build towards a greener future, tackling climate change, minimising our environmental impact and reducing our carbon footprint!

We are excited to announce an opening within our service delivery team for a Project Manager. This role involves providing cost-effective maintenance solutions to Southern Water’s operational sites and supporting the delivery of our core works. You will be responsible for managing the work lifecycle, investigating cost-effective options, defining and communicating scope to contractors, and ensuring the quality, cost, and timely delivery of solutions, including post-delivery close-out.

Your responsibilities will also include contract administration of multiple projects, overseeing costs and budgets, ensuring contract compliance, reporting, cost verification, and monitoring H&S performance of contractors.

You will report to the Senior Project Manager for Service Delivery. The team comprises six project managers within the operational service delivery planned maintenance team, delivering operational capital projects valued at around £50M. Your role will involve applying your skills in financial and works management to maintain robust cost control and foster a culture of strong governance and financial discipline.

Your key accountabilities will include:

• Upholding the highest standards of health, safety, and environmental responsibility during project delivery.
• Managing contractor activities related to H&S, scope of works, and costs through governance processes, including audits, negotiations, and inspections.
• Maintaining budget and cost information, forecasting final costs, and conducting cost vs. budget analysis.
• Finding innovative solutions to balance operational needs with cost restraints, avoiding unnecessary 'gold plating'.
• Assessing payment applications against agreed costs and completed works.
• Visiting sites as required for cost verification and stakeholder meetings.
• Supporting the achievement of targets, milestones, KPIs, and Southern Water’s SIM targets.
• Building strong relationships with site owners, contractors, team members, and stakeholders.

To succeed, you should have strong technical and operational experience in maintenance project delivery, with a good understanding of regulatory and legislative frameworks, and knowledge of contract and commercial conditions. Your ability to deliver cost-effective solutions that meet operational and customer needs, along with excellent networking, negotiating, and influencing skills, will be crucial. This role requires high autonomy and engagement with contractors to ensure service and H&S standards are met.

Essential qualifications include project management experience in a utility environment, particularly with water or wastewater operations. Preferred qualifications include project-related certifications such as APM/Prince 2 and Health & Safety IOSH/NEBOSH, which you should be willing to obtain if not already qualified.