Project Manager - Major Water Projects

Sweco; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and hybrid working (Flexworks

Competitive pension contribution

Life Assurance

Private Medical Insurance

Company car or car allowance

Discretionary Annual Bonus Scheme

Professional subscriptions

25 days holiday + bank holidays (with

Cycle2Work Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Employee discounts via Sweco Benefit

Salary Sacrifice Electric Vehicle

Tree planting for new starters

Job summary

Sweco is seeking an experienced Project Manager – Major Water Projects in the UK. You will lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver large-scale water infrastructure, ensuring safety, quality, timely delivery, and compliance across the full project lifecycle.

The role emphasizes collaboration across commercial, planning and engineering teams, with a bias toward strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, and agile response to project challenges.

Qualifications

• Strong project management background on large construction projects (£30m+).
• Experience in water industry is beneficial but not required with strong construction background acceptable.
• Knowledge of Health & Safety, drinking water standards, and CDM regulations; IOSH qualification preferred.
• Able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• APMP qualification encouraged; strong communication & stakeholder management valued.
• Experience with NEC Option C contracts.
• Proven track record of leading and developing teams in a performance-driven environment.
• Ability to operate strategically and delegate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage teams delivering major water projects (£30m+).
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, to quality, and compliant with legislation and governance frameworks.
• Coordinate with Commercial and Planning to maintain cost/resource forecasts.
• Oversee proposed solutions for safety, viability and fit-for-purpose outcomes.
• Drive milestones like Project Rehearsals and Fit for Assembly.

Skills

Project management

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Multi-project handling

Education

APMP qualification

IOSH qualification

NEC contract knowledge

Job description

Job Description

We are gearing up for our most exciting and challenging Asset Management Period yet, known as AMP8, this will see us deliver a programme of work larger than we’ve ever delivered before. We’ll be embarking on a new kind of project delivery focusing on nature-based solutions like wetlands and urban drainage schemes.

We are driving change, empowering us to set global benchmarks and build a better environment, with the opportunity to offer enhanced growth and development to our workforce. We’re looking to build on our existing teams with an environment built for career progression.

With such an exciting portfolio of projects planned for AMP8 to keep the water flowing across the region, our ability to manage our work and outperform against our customer’s expectations will come under greater scrutiny.

We need aspiring driven talent to help us achieve our ambitious targets, are you ready to join us as we prepare to deliver the most creative and innovative AMP we have ever seen?

About Sweco

Transforming society together, we're planning and designing sustainable communities and cities of the future.

Solving the great societal challenges of our time is more relevant, demanding and inspiring than ever before. At Sweco, we bring together experts with different perspectives and skills to develop solutions that address the challenges of urbanisation, harness the positive power of digitalisation and make societies more sustainable.

We offer our clients a combination of global expertise and local presence, adapted to their business and reality. Our ambition is to be our clients’ most relevant partner, working together to help them solve their challenges, today and into the future.

To ensure we support our objectives of collaboration across the business whilst providing our workforce with the agility to achieve a healthy work/ life balance, we are asking our employees to have office or site presence on an average of three days a week.

We are looking for experienced Project Managers who have experience of delivering major projects ranging in value from £30m to £90m.

What you'll be doing:

As ‘Project Manager – Major Water Projects’ you will lead and manage teams responsible for developing and delivering solutions across some of the largest projects in Water (£30m+). You will ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, to quality standards, and in full compliance with legislation, Alliance governance, and processes. You will take ownership of major projects throughout their full lifecycle, resolving operational challenges and balancing competing priorities to achieve positive outcomes for all stakeholders.

Key responsibilities:

• Ensure CDM compliance across all schemes through the TOTEX Delivery Process, audits, checks, and peer reviews, championing a Zero Harm culture.
• Build and maintain a high performing, inclusive team culture, empowering engineers, commercial staff, and wider team members to think creatively and resolve issues.
• Translate programme-level strategy into clear, deliverable outcomes, ensuring teams understand their role in achieving success.
• Maintain accountability for the entire project lifecycle, from receipt of need and scoping through construction, handover, formal sign-off, and post-handover warranty management.
• Work closely with Commercial and Planning teams to maintain accurate cost and resource forecasts, escalating issues where required.
• Oversee proposed solutions to ensure they are safe, commercially viable, fit for purpose, and meet project requirements.
• Ensure delivery of key project milestones, including Project Rehearsals and Fit for Assembly.

What we are looking for:

• Strong Project Management background in large construction project (£30m+).
• Preferred experience in the water industry would be beneficial although a strong construction background would also be strongly considered.
• Knowledge of Health & Safety, drinking water standards, and CDM regulations, supported by an IOSH qualification.
• Comfortable managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ideally APMP qualified, with the confidence to professionally challenge stakeholders using strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Experience working within a commercial framework, including knowledge of NEC Option C contracts.
• Proven track record of leading and developing teams in a performance-driven environment.
• Ability to operate strategically when required, empowering your team through effective delegation, trust, and support.

Let’s transform society together at Sweco!

Employee Benefits

• Flexible and hybrid working (Flexworks Policy)
• Competitive pension contribution
• Life Assurance
• Private Medical Insurance
• Company car or car allowance
• Discretionary Annual Bonus Scheme
• Payment of two relevant professional subscriptions
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days per year)
• Cycle2Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme (wellbeing, mental health, financial and work advice)
• Employee discounts via Sweco Benefit Select (Faircare)
• Salary Sacrifice Electric Vehicle Scheme
• We plant a tree for all new starters!

A collaborative alliance, driving change. Empowering us to set global benchmarks and building a better environment for our customers. We strive to:

Empower our people; Delight our Customers; Embrace digital transformation; Deliver brilliance.

To bring environmental and social prosperity to the region we serve through our commitment to Love Every Drop we:

Build trust; Do the right thing; Are always exploring

Let’s transform society together at Sweco.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

It’s important to us that that all our colleagues thrive at work - we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects the contribution individuals can bring to Sweco. We aim to promote equality, inclusivity and diversity for everyone.

Here at Sweco we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly. To find out more.

We are an accredited Real Living Wage Employer which reflects our commitment to fair pay and support for all colleagues.

We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer, and will interview applicants covered by the Equality Act 2010 that opt into the guaranteed interview scheme on the application form and meet the minimum criteria for the role.

If I have a disability, can I get help (e.g. “reasonable adjustments”) with the application process?

In order to address your request the following information is needed:

• Name
• The best method for contacting you (Phone or email)
• The position title
• Requisition/vacancy number

Upon receipt of this information, we’ll respond to you promptly to obtain more information about your request.

Please note: we reserve the right to close vacancies before the advertised closing date.