Contract Project Manager jobs in United Kingdom

Are you a seasoned project controls professional seeking a flexible, hands-on role in construction that emphasizes efficiency, planning, and real delivery on site? Laminar Projects is a high-end project management consultancy and tech developer focused on upgrading how construction projects are delivered. We bring transparency and control through a pragmatic mix of technology, our processes, and common sense. Our people are central to our success, and we invest in developing the whole person to flourish within a high-impact community.

Purpose of the role

You will enhance the delivery of the world’s most complex projects through project controls, acting as a senior leader pushing the discipline to new heights within Laminar and the industry.

Your team

This role sits in our Project Management Consultancy, focusing on understanding project problems, implementing effective solutions, and developing scalable best practices, tools, and technology. You will be part of our Project Controls Discipline Team, led by one of our discipline directors.

Your top objectives

1. Make construction projects deliver to near perfection
2. Develop yourself and everyone around you
3. Create scalable and repeatable solutions to common problems

Your top five responsibilities

• Own the controls: Own the controls for cost, schedule, change and risk on one or more projects to enable accurate decisions for project teams
• Develop everyone: Maximise the development of your team personally and professionally and educate clients to improve as well
• Make scalable solutions: Develop scalable and repeatable best practices and tools in collaboration with the team for long-term impact
• Report and inform: Provide simple actionable reports to stakeholders at all levels to help them deliver their part more efficiently
• Own the outcome: You are responsible for ensuring the project’s understanding and focus on the plan, even when faced with resistance

You must have

• A construction engineering background: Solid capability in cost, schedule, and change control with deep experience developing project controls processes and reporting aligned with strategic objectives
• Communication skills: Ability to engage construction teams, drive new approaches, and promote best practices
• Leadership capabilities: Proven leader, coach, and developer of high-performing planning and controls teams
• Impact: Track record of implementing scalable, repeatable solutions that created significant positive impact on complex projects

Laminar isn’t the place for you if any of the following is true:

• You want an easy, chilled-out role with little challenge
• You prefer to be the smartest person in the room
• You don’t like receiving honest candid feedback
• You prefer to work alone rather than with a team

What kinds of projects would I be working on?

You may work on several projects in your first year, including some of the most complex environments in the world. We have delivered over 100 data centres internationally, supported flagship infrastructure programmes, and contributed to major power and life sciences projects. Sectors include data centres, infrastructure (defence, rail, highways), high tech, and complex building projects. Roles are hands-on and varied, with lessons captured in our knowledge base and product development roadmap.

Who are our clients?

Major owners/operators and main contractors with project values from £1m to £1bn+ globally.

Where would I be working?

Work arrangements vary: from home, on site, in our London office, or abroad in Europe or the Middle East depending on life and project needs. The role is project-based and flexible to fit life and delivery goals.

How does what I do connect with long-term impact on the industry?

You will document and evolve new solutions, building a knowledge repository that informs open-source industry resources and supports product development. Field testing will drive rapid iteration and product improvement for industry use.

The standard stuff:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive private health coverage for you and your family
• Pension: Competitive plan with salary sacrifice options
• Bonus: Annual discretionary bonus linked to performance, with a mix of cash and equity
• Professional body membership: One annual fee covered
• Cycle to Work: Tax-efficient bikes or equipment

The life-changing stuff:

• In-house coaching: Regular confidential 1:1 coaching for professional and personal growth
• Equity upside: Generous equity scheme tied to long-term involvement
• Flexible working: Outcome-focused, with remote or site-based work as appropriate
• Relentless development: Coaching, mentoring, honest feedback, and a culture of continuous growth

Please write a letter explaining why you want to join us and what you’ll bring to the team. We value people over a huge corporate footprint, and your letter will be read carefully. After that we’ll schedule a casual conversation, followed by a couple of technical and personal assessments to align responsibility with capability. This helps ensure you start at the right level of responsibility.