Senior Project Manager - Construction

Balfour Beatty plc; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Smart working

25 days annual leave

Pension

Job summary

Balfour Beatty is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead the Defence Infrastructure programme in the UK, based at Derby. You will drive delivery of a £150m project across its full lifecycle, from initiation through handover, leading a multi-disciplinary team with a clear focus on safety, quality and value for the client.

Working with the client and supply chain, you will establish direction, manage risks, procure packages, and ensure milestones are achieved while maintaining cost discipline

Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering major/complex projects.
• Experience with safe systems of work and contract forms.
• Strong commercial awareness and stakeholder management.
• Excellent leadership and communication at all levels.
• Ability to work under pressure in a high‑stakes environment.

Responsibilities

• Take accountability for project delivery against time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits.
• Lead and inspire a multi-disciplinary project team.
• Develop relationships with client, supply chain, customers and stakeholders.
• Provide visible leadership on health, safety and environment.
• Lead project reviews, governance, reporting and performance management.
• Ensure plans align with milestones and customer expectations.
• Oversee procurement and subcontract package allocation.
• Drive quality, handover and certification requirements.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Risk management

Contract management

Problem-solving

Decision making

Microsoft 365

Education

BSc/MSc in Construction or Engineering

APM PFQ/PMQ/PPQ

Tools

Microsoft 365

CSCS

SMSTS

Job description

About the role

Job Title: Senior Project Manager - Major UK Defence Infrastructure Programme

Location: Raynesway, Derby

Company: Balfour Beatty

Project: Defence Infrastructure

About the role

Balfour Beatty has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Project Manager to join our team delivering a major programme of works.

This is a significant leadership role with overall accountability for the successful delivery of a project valued at approximately £150m, sitting within a wider long-term programme.

You will lead the project through its full lifecycle, from initiation, planning and design through construction, commissioning, handover and close-out.

Working with a multi-disciplinary team, you will provide strong leadership, establish clear project direction and ensure that safety, programme, cost, quality, risk and customer requirements remain at the heart of project delivery.

Security clearance requirements

Due to the nature of the Defence programme, this role is subject to security requirements.

Candidates must:

Hold, or be capable of obtaining, UK Security Clearance (SC) level clearance.

The preferred candidate will be a sole UK national. Dual nationals may be considered; however, this will be subject to approval by the client.

Eligibility to obtain the required security clearance will therefore form an important part of the recruitment process.

What you'll be doing

As Senior Project Manager, you will:

• Take overall accountability for the successful delivery of the project against agreed time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefit objectives.
• Lead and inspire a multi-disciplinary project team, which may include Project Managers, Engineers, Construction Managers, Design Managers and Functional Leads.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with the client, supply chain, customers and key stakeholders.
• Provide visible leadership across health, safety and environmental performance, promoting our Zero Harm culture.
• Lead project reviews, governance, reporting and performance management.
• Ensure project plans, resources and delivery strategies are aligned to programme milestones and customer expectations.
• Lead risk and opportunity reviews, ensuring issues are identified, managed and appropriately escalated.
• Provide strategic oversight of procurement and subcontract package allocation.
• Ensure procurement, materials and supply-chain requirements are aligned with the project programme.
• Drive quality performance, assurance activities, handover and certification requirements.
• Ensure project schedules are developed, resource-loaded, regularly reviewed and accurately reported.
• Provide strong commercial and contractual leadership, ensuring expenditure is controlled and resources are used effectively.
• Ensure effective contract administration with both the client and supply chain.
• Promote the use of project controls, digital information and data-driven decision-making.
• Recruit, develop, coach and lead a high-performing project team.

Who we're looking for

We are looking for an established project leader who can demonstrate:

• A strong track record of successfully delivering major and complex projects.
• Experience of implementing and maintaining safe systems of work.
• A good understanding of standard forms of contract.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to balance operational and commercial priorities.
• Excellent project management, stakeholder management and communication skills.
• The ability to communicate effectively at all levels, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong leadership and people-management capability, with the ability to influence, motivate and inspire multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience of coaching, mentoring and developing others.
• The ability to work effectively in a high-pressure, complex project environment.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capability.
• Good knowledge of performance management techniques and key project metrics.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach.

It would also be advantageous if you have

• Experience of working across a range of major project types.
• Membership of a recognised professional body such as APM or MICE.
• A relevant BSc/MSc in Construction, Engineering, Project Management or a related discipline, or equivalent industry experience.
• An APM PFQ, PMQ or PPQ, or equivalent project management qualification.
• CSCS and SMSTS, or equivalent.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365.
• A full UK driving licence.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to take a senior leadership role on a major, high-profile defence programme, working alongside experienced professionals across construction, engineering, design, commercial and project management disciplines.

You'll have the opportunity to lead a substantial project, influence how it is delivered and play an important part in developing a high-performing team while contributing to one of Balfour Beatty's key programmes.

Professional and personal development

The size and scale of Balfour Beatty coupled with our strong pipeline of work provides incredible opportunities, regardless of what stage you are at in your career.

We encourage and empower our employees to take control of their career and explore which part of the business they want to work in and what role is right for them. We actively encourage our managers and employees to have open communication throughout the year about wellbeing, development and career opportunities.

We're proud of the Balfour Beatty Academy. Whether it’s sharpening your technical expertise, improving your personal skills or seeking support to become professionally qualified, our 70:20:10 approach to development means we have a learning approach that suits everyone.

70% learning on the job, 20% learning from those around you, and 10% formal training courses and learning events.

For further information about Balfour Beatty Scotland, please visit the Balfour Beatty careers website.

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Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Why join us?

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

• Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
• Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…

About us

Operating across England and Wales, our buildings teams create places where people live, are cared for, work, learn, meet and have fun, with a focus on the aviation, health, defence, education and development sectors.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at [e-mail]