Senior Project Manager

National Grid; Epping Forest; On-site; GBP 66,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Car

Bonus up to 30%

Flexible benefits

Job summary

National Grid is recruiting a Senior Project Manager to own key infrastructure portfolios and deliver major programmes that impact millions. You’ll manage EPC contracts, drive performance, and uphold rigorous governance with health, safety and environmental standards.

Based in Waltham Abbey with regular travel to multiple sites, you’ll lead a cross-functional team, develop project managers, resolve conflicts, and foster an inclusive culture while seeking continual improvement.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience of leading cross functional teams.
• Demonstrable experience of stakeholder management.
• Proficient business writing and communication skills.
• Demonstrable experience of problem solving and an appetite for continuous improvement
• Good influencing and negotiating skills
• A customer-centric approach to delivering a high-quality output
• Proven track record in building strong, enduring and effective relationships with key
• Good Project Management skills including management of risk for delivery of projects to scope, time, cost, quality, safety and security of supply
• Knowledge of business processes and governance.
• Working knowledge and application of CDM
• Proficient understanding and experience of Safety and Environmental legislation, practices and policies.
• Proficient in Contract Management
• You have the flexibility to travel when necessary.

Responsibilities

• Supporting and developing the project managers in your team. There will usually be about five of them, and between one large and a dozen smaller work packages in your portfolio.
• Appointing and developing new project managers.
• Dealing diplomatically with people. Whether it’s a contract dispute or an underperforming employee, you know how to take the emotion and tension out of a situation and have the ability to help conflicting parties find middle ground.
• Committing to developing yourself, in order to develop others. Taking responsibility for building relationships and strong networks and actively creating a diverse, inclusive work environment that allows project managers to flourish.
• Driving innovation and encouraging project managers to find new and better ways of doing things. You will keep an open mind and listen to fresh perspectives, especially from employees with backgrounds outside of electricity transmission.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Contract management

Risk management

Negotiation

Communication

People development

Governance

Safety & environment

Travel flexibility

Job description

About The Role

We are currently recruiting for Senior Project Managers to take ownership of key project portfolios and lead the successful delivery of major infrastructure programmes that impact millions of lives.

As a Senior Project Manager, you will have end-to-end accountability for complex, high-value projects. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams, you’ll manage EPC contracts, drive strong project performance, and ensure robust governance alongside the highest standards of health, safety, and environmental management. You will play a critical role in delivering against our regulatory, stakeholder, and customer commitments while proactively identifying risks and implementing effective mitigation strategies to achieve successful outcomes.

This is a variable-based role in Waltham Abbey, requiring regular travel across multiple operational and delivery sites in line with project needs.

Supporting the North London Reinforcement project with a project office in Waltham Abbey.

About You

What we do isn’t just important – it’s essential. That’s why we look to recruit experts in their field. In this case, we’re looking for someone who:

• Demonstrable experience of leading cross functional teams
• Demonstrable experience of stakeholder management.
• Proficient business writing and communication skills.
• Demonstrable experience of problem solving and an appetite for continuous improvement
• Good influencing and negotiating skills
• A customer-centric approach to delivering a high-quality output
• Proven track record in building strong, enduring and effective relationships with key
• Good Project Management skills including management of risk for delivery of projects to scope, time, cost, quality, safety and security of supply
• Knowledge of business processes and governance.
• Working knowledge and application of CDM
• Proficient understanding and experience of Safety and Environmental legislation, practices and policies.
• Proficient in Contract Management
• You have the flexibility to travel when necessary.

What You'll Do

Leadership

• Supporting and developing the project managers in your team. There will usually be about five of them, and between one large and a dozen smaller work packages in your portfolio.
• Appointing and developing new project managers.
• Dealing diplomatically with people. Whether it’s a contract dispute or an underperforming employee, you know how to take the emotion and tension out of a situation and have the ability to help conflicting parties find middle ground.
• Committing to developing yourself, in order to develop others. Taking responsibility for building relationships and strong networks and actively creating a diverse, inclusive work environment that allows project managers to flourish.
• Driving innovation and encouraging project managers to find new and better ways of doing things. You will keep an open mind and listen to fresh perspectives, especially from employees with backgrounds outside of electricity transmission.

Safety and Wellbeing

• Fostering an environment where everyone, regardless of seniority, feels able to share their concerns. As an organisation we are driven by safety. We have an industry leading 'Safe to Say' policy which encourages colleagues to speak up and take ownership of safety issues.
• Driving a positive safety culture for project managers and contractors alike. Quickly forming good working relationships with contractors and ensuring they know their safety obligations and can be left to work unsupervised. You will also ensure your project managers are visible on site and contributing to a safe and collaborative team environment.
• Ensuring visible and accessible communications are in place throughout the life of a project, such as safety charters and notifications of incidents and lessons learnt. You will also share good practices and good catches, and reinforce positive behaviours.
• Making people feel they can talk to you. For example, if there are any safety incidents colleagues know they can speak freely to help you arrive at a clear understanding of events.

Commercial Focus

• Reviewing your project managers’ forecasts, including risk forecasts, to ensure they are realistic and reasonable.
• Knowing how to adjust, reprioritise, and ask for support from other National Grid departments when you don’t have the resources or assets to match the volume of work.
• Having the vision to see where your projects fit in, as part of National Grid as a whole. You can cultivate excellent relationships with other departments and have the insight to appreciate their challenges, and that sometimes their needs will take priority.
• Striving to do things as efficiently as possible, mindful that when we bring projects in under budget, we have greater profit to share with our customers.

Contract Management

• Using your knowledge of NEC contracts to support the production of those written by your project managers, limiting National Grid’s exposure to risk.
• Stepping in when necessary to provide workable solutions during compensation events or contract disputes.
• Knowing when it is appropriate to elevate a dispute, and knowing what support to call in.

What You'll Get

• A competitive salary between £66,000 - £81,000 - dependent on capability.
• A bonus of up to 30% of your salary for stretch performance.
• A competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
• You’ll also be eligible for a Company Car should you meet the Job Requirement criteria.
• You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

About Us

The British Energy Security Strategy set out the Government's ambition to connect up to 50GW of offshore generation to the electricity network by 2030. Facilitating this ambition will require significant reinforcements to the onshore electricity transmission network. National Grid Strategic Infrastructure will make this happen.

Here at National Grid, we connect homes and businesses to power, making sure supply and demand match each other. We make sure the lights are on in schools, operating theatres, and sporting arenas; we’re thousands of people working on behalf of millions of people.

Our investment in Strategic Infrastructure via the Great Grid Upgrade will mean more home grown power, greater energy security and a cleaner future.

Whatever your role, wherever you work with us, you’ll help us hit stretching targets and achieve our far‑reaching goal: to secure, clean energy that supports our world far into the future. Here, you will be at the heart of energy.

More Information

This role closes on 3rd September 2026 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.