Senior Innovation Project Manager

United Utilities

Warrington

Hybrid

GBP 70,000 - 100,000

Full time

2 days ago

Be an early applicant

Application generator

A complete application in a minute — tailored resume and cover letter, ready to send.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

26 days leave

Pension up to 14%

Bonus up to 20%

Car allowance £5k

Company healthcare

Hybrid working

Job summary

United Utilities is seeking a Senior Innovation Project Manager to lead from the front, driving multi-disciplinary innovation across Commercial, Engineering and Capital Delivery. You will shape how ideas are identified, tested, scaled and embedded within a FTSE 100 organisation.

You will build relationships with senior stakeholders, mentor project managers, champion agile approaches and collaborate with external partners and funding bodies to deliver measurable benefits and carbon reduction.

Qualifications

Degree in a technical or engineering discipline.
Chartered membership of a recognised body.
Project management qualification (APM or equivalent).
Proven experience delivering complex project portfolios.
Strong stakeholder management with senior leaders experience.
Experience supporting bids or securing project funding.
Full UK/EU driving licence.

Responsibilities

Lead and deliver a diverse portfolio of complex, multi-disciplinary innovation projects.
Take ideas from concept through to adoption with measurable benefits and real-world impact.
Drive efficiency, sustainability and carbon reduction across the business.
Inspire and mentor project managers, championing agile thinking and innovative approaches.
Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, shaping decisions and influencing outcomes.
Collaborate with external partners and funding bodies including Ofwat, Innovate UK and Horizon Europe.
Manage delivery across risk, governance, resources and commercial performance.
Promote innovation across the business and drive adoption of new ideas.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Complex project leadership

Agile thinking

Innovation leadership

Strategic influence

Education

Technical degree in engineering

Chartered engineer

APM or equivalent project management qualification

Tools

APM Certification

Job description

Job number UU05864 Country United Kingdom Region Cheshire West and Chester Location name Lingley Mere (UU), Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 3LP Posting End Date 09/10/2026 Band 3 Role Type Permanent Work hours 37 Hours per Week Salary Competitive Salary

Shape the Future of Innovation in the North West

About us

Lingley Mere, Warrington (Hybrid)

Permanent | Full Time

Competitive Salary | Annual Bonus + £5000 Car Allowance

The role

At United Utilities, we don’t just deliver water — we deliver a better future for the North West. Our mission is to provide high-quality, sustainable water services that support a greener, healthier and more prosperous region.

Ranked #4 in The Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers, we are proud of our commitment to diversity, innovation and creating a workplace where people can truly thrive.

As we significantly increase our investment in innovation over the next five years, there has never been a more exciting time to join us.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for a Senior Innovation Project Manager to lead from the front — driving cutting-edge engineering innovation across our Commercial, Engineering and Capital Delivery (CEC) functions.

This isn’t just project delivery. You’ll be shaping how innovation is identified, tested, scaled and embedded across a FTSE 100 organisation — directly contributing to carbon reduction, efficiency and future sustainability outcomes.

We are expanding our award-winning Innovation and Outperformance team at United Utilities, bringing together innovation, decarbonisation, and standardisation to drive step-change improvements in cost and carbon performance mainly focused on our c.£7bn capital programme.

Our team explores innovations that deliver value and drives the deployment of these solutions at scale to unlock outperformance against our ambitious targets.

What You’ll Be Doing

Lead and deliver a diverse portfolio of complex, multi-disciplinary innovation projects
Take ideas from concept through to adoption, ensuring measurable benefits and real-world impact
Drive efficiency, sustainability and carbon reduction outcomes across the business
Inspire and mentor project managers, championing agile thinking and innovative approaches
Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, shaping decisions and influencing outcomes
Collaborate with external partners and funding bodies including Ofwat, Innovate UK and Horizon Europe
Manage delivery across risk, governance, resources and commercial performance
Promote innovation across the business, increasing visibility and adoption of new ideasEnsure outstanding Health & Safety performance, operating within CDM and DSEAR frameworks

What Makes This Role Different?

Be at the forefront of a rapidly expanding international innovation programme
Work on cutting-edge technologies and engineering solutions from around the World
Influence strategic direction within a FTSE 100 organisation
Play a key role in delivering sustainability and carbon reduction targets
Work across internal teams, supply chains and leading external innovation partners

What We’re Looking For

We’re seeking a visionary project leader who thrives in complexity, brings energy to innovation and knows how to turn ideas into reality.

Essential:

Degree qualified (or equivalent experience) in a technical or engineering discipline
Chartered member of an industry recognised organisation
Project management qualification (APM or equivalent)
Proven experience delivering complex project portfolios
Strong stakeholder management with experience influencing senior leaders
Experience supporting bids or securing funding for projects
Full UK/EU driving licence

What You’ll Get in Return

We recognise the value you bring — and reward it.