Senior Project Principal – Complex Buildings & Defence

Mott MacDonald; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Pension contributions (matched 4.5–7%)

Life assurance (up to 4x salary)

Income protection

Flexible benefits

Annual bonus schemes

Employee ownership

Job summary

Mott MacDonald seeks a Project Principal to lead bidding, mobilisation and delivery of complex multidisciplinary buildings across sectors including defence. The role requires autonomy, governance, and strong commercial judgement to manage delivery risk and interfaces.

You will provide senior oversight across the full lifecycle, chair reviews, and mentor lower‑level leaders while maintaining high standards of design quality and safety compliance.

Qualifications

• Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or a related discipline.
• Significant experience delivering complex, multidisciplinary buildings projects within a consultancy or professional services environment.
• Proven track record operating in a senior project leadership role with accountability for delivery outcomes.
• Demonstrable experience working in Design & Build and/or contractor-led delivery models, including managing design risk and interfaces.
• Experience delivering complex projects within highly regulated, secure or mission-critical environments such as defence or government.

Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end leadership and accountability for complex buildings projects from bid stage through mobilisation, delivery and close-out
• Set and approve the overall project delivery strategy, including scope, programme, resources, budget, risk profile and governance
• Lead projects delivered in Design & Build, framework and contractor-led environments, ensuring oversight of design development and interfaces
• Act as the senior escalation point for delivery, commercial, safety, quality or reputational issues
• Provide senior commercial oversight, including fee strategy, forecasting, change management and contract administration
• Lead and assure multidisciplinary teams, mentoring project managers and technical leads
• Sponsor and chair key project reviews at critical stages with risk escalation
• Ensure projects are resourced with competent teams and effective assurance in place
• Maintain health, safety and wellbeing risk oversight and compliance
• Build strong relationships with clients, contractors and delivery partners at executive level
• Mentor senior project leaders and contribute to capability development

Skills

Degree in Engineering or related field

Senior project leadership

Delivery of complex multidisciplinary建

Design & Build / contractor-led

Experience in regulated/secure/misson‑

Education

Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or related discipline

Job description

Mott MacDonald seeks a Project Principal to lead bidding, mobilisation and delivery of complex multidisciplinary buildings across sectors including defence. The role requires autonomy, governance, and strong commercial judgement to manage delivery risk and interfaces.

You will provide senior oversight across the full lifecycle, chair reviews, and mentor lower‑level leaders while maintaining high standards of design quality and safety compliance.