Project Manager - External Programmes

Canal and River Trust; Remote; GBP 35,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent UK charity is looking for a Project Manager to oversee a £20m programme focused on improving access to waterways. This remote position requires travel across the network. The ideal candidate will have a relevant HND and experience in managing multiple low/medium complexity projects. Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills are essential for success. The role offers a competitive salary and various employee benefits, making it a rewarding opportunity for passionate individuals.

Benefits

Car Cash Allowance

25 days paid holiday

Free access to specialist counselling

2 days paid volunteering leave

Employee discount programs

Qualifications

• Previous Project Management experience of managing multiple low/medium complexity projects.
• Knowledge of project management processes and systems.
• Experience of financial control of project delivery.

Responsibilities

• Manage projects in accordance with Health and Safety policy.
• Develop, implement, and monitor project activities and milestones.
• Provide financial management and cost control.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Time management

Education

HND in Civil Engineering or Project Management

Tools

MS Project

Job description

About the Trust

We're one of the UK's biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?

Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.

Job Title: Project Manager

Advertised Salary: £35,000 - £39,000 + car cash allowance (£4,860 p.a.) + benefits (see 'what we offer' section)

Location: Remote, with regular travel across our West Midlands & North Wales canal network. See our network map here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network

We are currently looking for a Project Manager to join our high-performing delivery team; overseeing our £20m programme of externally funded projects.

Our projects focus on ensuring more people have access and the ability to use our towpath and waterway network and ultimately benefit millions of people across England & Wales. Towpath improvement schemes funded by DfT, Sustrans', local authorities form the core of the work, but National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England and a wide range of other funders allow us to deliver a range of projects including biodiversity improvements, interpretation and listed building work.

You will use your skills and expertise to develop projects from start to finish, work with our teams of third-party funders, heritage managers, ecologists, engineers, funders and local communities and of course our contractors. You will look for efficiencies and opportunities and be accountable for project safety. Delivering to the highest standard.

As one of our Project Managers you will be within the Asset Improvement Team and play an important role in supporting our vision and delivering our Waterways and Wellbeing strategy ensuring our national waterways, are improved, managed & maintained for our visitors, customers & service users to benefit from. You may be new to project management; we will provide training and support from our Senior Project Managers.

Location & coverage

Offered on a remote working basis, with a requirement to attend our main hub spaces as and when required for team working and collaborative meetings. Significant travel throughout the regional waterway network will also be expected to enable site visits and to conduct improvements. You would be ideally located between Birmingham and the M4 corridor. Locations include; Birmingham, Roundhouse, Gloucester or Milton Keynes.

Regular accessibility to this network is essential. See our network: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network

About the role

In this role you will be working with a diverse range of stakeholders and partners planning and delivering our third party funded projects. You will be managing projects of low/medium risk and/or low/medium complexity by applying processes, methods, knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the project objectives. Activities will range from £20,000 to £100,000 in value and be delivered by a range of consultants who have already been commissioned and approaching the final milestones within their workstreams.

You don't need to have worked in a charity before, but we believe we can offer you an exciting change of environment and impactful projects to support and manage. Our towpaths and various historic assets provide a refreshing backdrop and unique working environment. As a Project Manager with the Canal & River Trust you will further develop your skill set and project management career alongside our canals and waterways, in an organisation that values wellbeing and work life balance.

Key accountabilities

• Manage projects in accordance with the Trust's Health and Safety policy and defined standards to ensure compliance. Work safely at all times, ensuring the safety of others and contribute to safe working in all activities.
• Capture project requirements, assess customer and stakeholder impact, and prepare a business case to justify investment in a project.
• Develop, implement and monitor a schedule of project activities and key milestones to achieve the project objectives.
• Provide financial and cost management, budgeting and cost control. Estimate and justify project costs, whilst controlling actual costs and forecasts against the agreed budgets.
• Manage risks, issues and changes on the project.
• Maintain communications with stakeholders and the project team / organisation to satisfy their differing needs.
• With assistance from others, manage all contracts applicable to the project (e.g., NEC ECC, NEC PSC), administering all their aspects to ensure commercial control and compliance. Carry out the role of the Project Manager and Supervisor as defined in the NEC.
• Provide environmental management by appraising the environmental impact of the project activities and ensuring that all controls and requirements are implemented and actioned.
• Handover and closure of the project in a controlled manner highlighting any areas for improvements or elements of good practice to be considered in future projects.
• Always display the Trust values and behaviours at all times. Ensure that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust's policies and values.

About you

Qualifications

• HND (or equivalent) in a related discipline, e.g., Civil Engineering, Project Management
• Project / Programme Management accreditation / qualification i.e., APM Project Management Qualification, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), Prince 2 [Desirable].
• Valid UK driving licence - Car Cash allowance & regional/national travel, including to remote locations is expected.

Experience

• Previous Project Management experience of successfully managing multiple low/medium complexity projects
• Knowledge of project management processes and systems.
• Some experience of administration of NEC ECC form of contract.
• Experience of finance control of project delivery.

General skills

• Possess good communication skills both verbal and written. Be able to manage stakeholders, taking account influence and impact.
• Ability to prepare and maintain schedules for activities and events for projects, taking account of dependencies and resource requirements.
• Develop and agree budgets for projects and control forecast and actual costs against budget.
• Be good at problem solving and be able to resolve conflicts.
• Open, positive, can-do attitude which builds confidence and credibility both within the team and stakeholders.
• Possess good IT skills. Use of MS project would be an advantage.

If you have any questions about the role please contact [e-mail]

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What we offer

In addition to your salary of £35,000 - £39,000, you will benefit from a Car Cash Allowance of £390 per month, a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, great holiday entitlement and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits, all of which can be found here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits).

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing with years of service to up to 30 days after 5 years, plus holiday purchase scheme.
• Home working status with 'hub' facilities available should you need the flexibility to work outside of home.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.
• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.

We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. All roles are considered on a flexible working arrangement basis, and we welcome requests for reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and employment. If you require any adjustments or have specific needs, please let us know - we're here to support you.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

At the Trust, we empower our people to flow and thrive both on and off the water. Our colleagues enjoy a variety of benefits that enhance their lives while working in a place that positively impacts others. We take pride in our people, protecting heritage and preserving wildlife, and we're all about the future of our colleagues and the future generations who love and use our network. Inspired by people, we harness the different ways of working and thinking, ensuring our teams grow and reach their full potential.

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us