Project Manager - External Programmes

Canal & River Trust; Olney; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A notable charity organization in the UK is seeking a Project Manager to oversee a £20m program focusing on improving access to waterways. This role involves coordinating with stakeholders, ensuring compliance with safety policies, and managing project budgets. The ideal candidate will possess project management qualifications and experience in delivering multiple projects. Benefits include a salary of £35,000 to £39,000 plus a cash allowance, pension scheme, and flexible home working options.

Benefits

Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme

25 days paid holiday plus bank holidays

Home working flexibility

Free access to specialist counselling

Employee benefits including discounts

Paid volunteering leave

Free fishing facilities

Qualifications

• HND (or equivalent) in a related discipline, e.g., Civil Engineering, Project Management.
• Project/Programme Management accreditation or qualification is desirable.
• Valid UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Manage projects in accordance with the Trust's policies to ensure compliance.
• Capture project requirements and prepare a business case.
• Manage risks, issues, and changes on the project.

Skills

Project Management

Communication skills

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Education

HND in related discipline

APM Project Management Qualification

Prince 2

Tools

MS Project

Job description

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.

Key Responsibilities

• 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 promote inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust's policies and values.

Key Qualifications & Experience

• HND (or equivalent) in a related discipline, e.g., Civil Engineering, Project Management.
• Project / Programme Management accreditation or qualification i.e., APM Project Management Qualification, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), Prince 2 [Desirable].
• Valid UK driving licence.
• 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.
• 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.

Salary & Benefits

• Advertised Salary : £35,000 - £39,000 + car cash allowance (£4,860 p.a.) + 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.

EEO & Diversity Statement

The Canal & River Trust is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to providing an inclusive working environment.

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.

All roles are considered on a flexible working arrangement basis, and we welcome requests for reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and employment.