Project Sponsor – Highways

Essex County Counci; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Working for Essex is looking for a Project Sponsor - Highways in Chelmsford to lead delivery of critical highway projects. This fixed-term/secondment role is hybrid, with office presence required in Chelmsford and engagement across the operational area.

The successful candidate will hold a degree or professional PM qualification with accreditation and demonstrate change management and stakeholder engagement in complex environments. A driving licence is required.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification with PM accreditation.
• Experience leading projects and programmes with governance and reporting.
• Knowledge of Prince2 or equivalent project management methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to development of strategies and plans for project delivery.
• Lead and coordinate project scope, milestones and resources within budget.
• Develop and maintain project control documentation and reporting.
• Manage risks, changes in scope, and contingencies to meet deadlines.
• Deliver progress reports to Portfolio Manager and Project Board.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure quality criteria are met.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Change management

Driving licence

Education

Degree or professional PM qualification

Job description

Project Sponsor - Highways

Fixed Term / Secondment (12 months),Full Time

£48,129 to £56,622 per annum

Location:Chelmsford*

Closing Date: 29th November 2026

*This is a hybrid-working role contractually based in Chelmsford. You will work from the Chelmsford office at least one day a week and across our operational area on other days, depending on business need.

Please note this role will be offered as an 12 month fixed-term contract or secondment. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role, so applicants must have current, unrestricted right to work in the UK for this duration.

The Infrastructure Delivery team will develop and deliver the capital programme for Essex County Council.

Responsible for the overall strategy, direction, coordination, implementation, execution, control and completion of specific projects within budget and to strict deadlines; whilst ensuring consistency with business strategy, commitments and goals.

With professional accreditation or a deep understanding of project management methodologies and the ability to demonstrate this in the delivery of projects/programmes. This role will also have experience of developing and maintaining project plans, setting key milestones and deploying and managing resources to meet these.

Accountabilities

Responsible for contributing to the development of strategies and plans to effectively manage stakeholder expectations. Ensuring successful delivery of quality project outcomes within agreed constraints, in support of function Business Plans.

Work in collaboration with senior leaders and stakeholders to define and agree project scope, critical success factors and deliverables in support of wider strategic goals.

Develop and deliver the project control documentation and agree reporting requirements with the client. Ensuring currency and compliance of project documentation, in line with agreed guidelines, to enable audits to be carried out.

Develop strategies to manage progress of the project plan, identifying risks, changes in scope and potential issues. Devise contingency plans to mitigate risks and elevate as necessary.

Deliver progress reports to the Portfolio Manager and/or Business Owner and Project Board, advising if project tolerances are being exceeded, informing and shaping decisions, presenting options and challenges as required.

Manage and monitor progress of the project budget, identifying opportunities for efficiency savings and value for money benefits, producing accurate forecasts and reports.

Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to deliver work streams and projects to agreed quality criteria and parameters. Quality assuring standards and challenging as required.

Contributes to the revision/updating of project governance and management processes to reflect industry best practice and adhere to the Council's policies. Gains an understanding of new and emerging methodologies, associated tools and techniques.

Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

Educated to degree level in a relevant subject or professional qualification, or equivalent by experience.

Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.

Professional accreditation or deep understanding of project management methodologies e.g. Prince 2, or demonstration through experience.

Demonstrates theoretical knowledge and understanding of the technical,

behavioural and contextual elements of project management and an ability to evaluate value to projects/programmes.

Good understanding of Change Management theories and experience of practical application.

Experience of developing and maintaining an agreed project plan, including key milestones with evidence of planning and managing the deployment of resources to meet project milestones.

Ability to build strong relationships and partnerships which encourage collaboration and engender delivery.

Experience of delivering organisational change in a complex environment.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

To read more about us please visit: Policy, Economy, Investment and Property - Working for Essex

Why Essex?

Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us here.

Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We're also committed to interview allveteransandcare leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you've secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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