Senior Project Manager

OCS; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead refurbishment and building services projects within live operational buildings.

You will oversee a portfolio up to £3 million, with typical project values from £10,000 to £500,000, coordinating design, procurement, construction and handover across multiple sites. Strong client management and leadership are essential.

Qualifications

• Five years+ in construction project delivery.
• Experience as PM / Senior PM with multiple concurrent projects.
• Background in mechanical, electrical or building fabric works.
• Refurbishment/fit-out in occupied buildings required.
• Experience managing budgets, programmes and procurement.
• Phased works in live environments with minimal disruption.
• Strong knowledge of design development and pre-construction.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple projects within a portfolio up to £3m.
• Oversee programmes, budgets, resources, risks and commercial performance.
• Act as senior client contact, manage expectations and escalations.
• Develop scopes, design briefs and contractor proposals.
• Coordinate design and pre-construction activities.
• Oversee site surveys and access planning in occupied buildings.
• Plan phased refurbishments ensuring business continuity.
• Manage tender packages, procurement schedules and supply chain.
• Ensure governance, risk registers and construction docs are maintained.
• Drive construction programmes and address delays and conflicts.
• Lead project teams and ensure safety competence.

Skills

Project delivery

Stakeholder management

Client relationship

Planning and scheduling

Problem solving

Team leadership

Risk management

Tools

Microsoft Project

Excel

Word

Outlook

Teams

PowerPoint

Job description

About The Role:

We are looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager to lead refurbishment and building services projects, overseeing a project portfolios worth up to £3 million.

You will manage multiple projects concurrently, with individual project values typically ranging from £10,000 to £500,000. Works will include office refurbishments, fit-outs, HVAC upgrades, mechanical and electrical installations, and building fabric improvements within live operational buildings.

Experience delivering refurbishment and upgrade projects within existing, occupied buildings is essential. Candidates must demonstrate relevant refurbishment experience alongside any new-build project experience.

Working closely with the Operations Manager, Regional Operations Director and Pre-Construction team, you will take responsibility for delivery from initial client brief through scoping, design development, pricing, procurement, construction, commissioning and final handover.

Key responsibilities

• Lead multiple projects across an account portfolio worth up to £3 million, with individual works typically valued between £10,000 and £500,000.
• Maintain oversight of programmes, budgets, resources, risks and commercial performance across the portfolio.
• Act as a senior point of contact for clients, managing expectations, resolving escalations and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Develop client requirements into clear scopes of work, design briefs and contractor proposals.
• Lead design coordination and pre-construction planning appropriate to each project.
• Oversee site surveys, identifying existing building constraints and operational requirements.
• Plan phased refurbishment works within occupied buildings, managing access, service interruptions and business continuity.
• Manage subcontract tender packages, procurement schedules and supply chain appointments.
• Ensure project execution plans, risk registers and construction phase documentation are prepared and maintained.
• Develop and monitor construction programmes, addressing delays and resource conflicts promptly.
• Lead and support project teams, direct employees, subcontractors and supply chain partners.
• Ensure personnel have the competence, training and resources required to deliver safely and effectively.
• Deliver projects on time, within budget and to the agreed quality standards.
• Oversee commissioning, snagging, certification and final handover.
• Chair client and project progress meetings, ensuring decisions and actions are recorded and followed through.
• Monitor costs, forecasts and margin performance alongside the Commercial team.
• Manage variations and contractual changes, ensuring timely assessment, reporting and agreement.
• Identify efficiencies and opportunities to improve commercial returns while maintaining quality.
• Work closely with Commercial, Procurement and Health & Safety teams.
• Maintain effective health and safety controls, technical compliance and project governance.
• Develop team capability and apply lessons learned to improve delivery across the contracts.

Essential experience and skills

• A minimum of five years’ relevant construction project delivery experience.
• Proven experience as a Project Manager or Senior Project Manager with responsibility for multiple concurrent projects.
• A mechanical, electrical or building fabric background, or experience across these disciplines.
• Demonstrable experience delivering refurbishment, fit-out or building services upgrades within existing buildings.
• Experience managing project portfolios, including budgets, programmes, resources, subcontractors and commercial performance.
• Experience delivering phased works within live or occupied environments with minimal disruption.
• Strong understanding of design development, pre-construction activities and the relevant RIBA stages.
• Ability to develop, manage and challenge construction programmes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Strong commercial capability, including estimating, cost control, forecasting, procurement and change management.
• Experience leading and developing direct and subcontracted teams.
• Strong client relationship, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to resolve delivery issues, manage escalations and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Project, Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint.
• Understanding of health, safety and legislative requirements relevant to construction project delivery.
• Willingness to travel between contract sites as required.

Desirable experience

• Experience managing projects ranging from £10,000 to £500,000 within an account portfolio worth up to £3 million.
• Experience within government, broadcasting or other complex operational estates.
• Knowledge of NEC and other construction contract arrangements.
• Experience delivering multidisciplinary projects combining M&E, HVAC, fit-out and building fabric works.

About you

You will be an organised, commercially minded leader who can manage several projects at different stages while maintaining clear oversight of delivery, risk and client expectations.

You will bring a practical, collaborative approach, supporting your team, resolving problems promptly and recognising when additional resources or specialist input are needed.

You will be committed to safe delivery, high-quality workmanship, client satisfaction and the continued development of your team.

About The Company:

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values - Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS?

• Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.
• Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
• Retail Perks: With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.
• Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
• Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.