Senior Project Manager

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Lodge; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days holiday per year

Generous Pension Scheme

Private Medical Health Care

Cycle to Work scheme

Life assurance

Job summary

Thames Water Utilities Limited is recruiting a Senior Project Manager to lead the Maple Lodge Wastewater Treatment Works upgrade. The role drives governance, contract management, and cross-functional delivery with a Tier 1 contractor on a £300m+ programme, operating from a hybrid Maple Lodge site.

You will own time, cost, and quality outcomes, guide the team through complex delivery, and mentor up-and-coming professionals in Thames Water's Major Projects leadership community, with a strong

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering large-scale (£100M+) construction projects from inception to handover.
• Degree qualified in engineering, project management, or related discipline.
• Strong knowledge of UK regulations and contracts (e.g. NEC, IChemE).
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work with high levels of independence and manage competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of a highly complex, multi-year project on a 24/7 live operational site.
• Build relationships within Thames Water, delivery partners, and stakeholders.
• Own project governance, contract management, and reporting.
• Collaborate with colleagues to deliver project outcomes in time, cost, and quality.
• Guide the team to navigate delivery challenges and issues.
• Mentor and upskill emerging talent and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Communication

Independence

Resilience

Team collaboration

Education

Engineering degree

PM/related degree

Tools

NEC contracts

IChemE guidelines

Job description

Job title Senior Project Manager Ref 45967 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Hybrid - Maple Lodge (STW) - WD3 9SQ Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Salary Salary of between £75,000 and £89,000 per annum depending on experience Job grade C Closing date 16/10/2026

Ready to help deliver one of Thames Water's most important environmental programmes?

As a Senior Project Manager with Thames Water, you will lead delivery of the £300m+ Maple Lodge Wastewater Treatment Works Upgrade that will protect and enhance the environment, support future population growth and improve operational resilience.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a strategically important wastewater treatment works and leave a legacy for communities, customers and the environment. Working within Thames Water's Major Projects team, you will lead a multidisciplinary project team and work alongside our Tier 1 contractor to successfully deliver the complex and high-profile infrastructure project.

The project incorporates innovative treatment solutions and will be delivered through a collaborative Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) model, offering a unique opportunity to influence design, delivery strategy and project outcomes from an early stage.

What you’ll be doing as a Senior Project Manager

• Lead the delivery of a highly complex, multi-year project on a 24/7 live operational site.
• Build strong relationships within Thames Water, our delivery partners, and stakeholders.
• Own project governance, contract management, and reporting.
• Collaborate with colleagues and delivery partners to deliver project outcomes in terms of time, cost, and quality.
• Strategically guide the team to anticipate and navigate delivery challenges and issues.
• Champion continuous improvement and mentor and upskill emerging talent.
• Lead with integrity and influence for the benefit of the project, the wider business, and the sector.

Location

Hybrid - Maple Lodge STW, WD3 9SQ

Hours

36 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:

• Proven experience managing large-scale (£100M+) construction projects from inception to handover.
• Degree qualified in engineering, project management, or related discipline.
• Strong working knowledge of relevant UK regulations and contracts (e.g. NEC, IChemE).
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work with high levels of independence, manage competing priorities, and thrive under pressure.
• Resilience and determination to work as part of a team to achieve the best outcomes for the project.

Additional skills and experiences would be great to have/bring:

• Relevant water sector experience is desirable.

What’s in it for you?

A genuine career-defining opportunity. As Senior Project Manager for Maple Lodge, you’ll play a leading role in delivering one of Thames Water's flagship AMP8 investments, helping secure environmental improvements, future growth and resilience for decades to come. You'll have the opportunity to lead a complex and high-value project, influence strategic decisions and build your legacy within Thames Water's Major Projects leadership community, while enjoying a best-in-class benefits package including:

• Competitive salary from £75,000 to £89,000 per annum depending on experience.
• 26 days' holiday per year, increasing to 30 days with the length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to both company and individual performance measures and targets.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family's health and wellbeing, and your finances - from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment)

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we'll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.