Regional Senior Engineering Projects Manager - Northern Ireland

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Regional Senior Engineering Projects Manager to provide senior leadership across engineering, capital, lifecycle and infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland.

The role will have primary responsibility for the successful delivery and development of the project portfolio for a key client in Belfast.

The successful candidate will normally spend two to three days per week at the client site, providing senior project leadership, governance, commercial control and client engagement within a live, safety-critical industrial environment.

This is a senior, client-facing position suited to an established projects professional with strong engineering knowledge, commercial awareness, leadership capability and a proven record of delivering complex projects in operational environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Project and Client Delivery
• Provide senior leadership, governance and oversight across our clients engineering-project portfolio.
• Maintain a regular on-site presence at our clients site, normally two to three days per week, adjusted as required to meet project and client needs.
• Act as the senior point of contact and escalation for project-delivery matters, building trusted relationships with client stakeholders.
• Lead multiple concurrent capital, lifecycle, infrastructure, compliance and engineering projects from feasibility and business case through to commissioning and handover.
• Establish clear project scopes, delivery strategies, programmes, budgets, resource plans and governance arrangements.
• Manage project budgets, cost forecasts, cash flow, procurement, variations, change control and commercial performance.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the required quality, statutory, contractual and client standards.
• Coordinate internal teams, consultants, contractors and specialist supply-chain partners within live operational environments.
• Review and challenge technical proposals, designs, specifications, programmes, risk assessments, method statements and installation quality.
• Provide clear portfolio-level reporting covering progress, cost, programme, risk, opportunities, decisions and forecast outcomes.
• Identify and manage project, operational, commercial and contractual risks, escalating material issues promptly.
• Drive high standards of performance, accountability and continuous improvement across project teams and supply-chain partners.
• Identify opportunities to improve value, asset performance and service delivery within the existing client account.
• Regional Technical and Growth Support
• Work in close partnership with the Northern Ireland Business Development Manager to support ABM's regional growth strategy.
• Provide technical, operational and project-delivery expertise during prospective client meetings, site visits and opportunity development.
• Support the qualification of opportunities by assessing scope, risk, programme, resources, supply chain, mobilisation requirements and delivery viability.
• Lead or support technical surveys, scope development, project methodologies, preliminary programmes and delivery plans for prospective work.
• Contribute to tenders, proposals, presentations, pricing strategies and contract discussions alongside business development, commercial and operational colleagues.
• Ensure proposed solutions are technically credible, safe, commercially informed, adequately resourced and capable of successful delivery.
• Support client presentations and provide senior technical credibility during the pursuit of new work.
• Lead the operational planning and mobilisation of successful opportunities, ensuring a controlled transition from business development into delivery.
• Identify additional project and service opportunities within existing client accounts and coordinate these with the Business Development Manager.
• Help develop the regional consultant, contractor and specialist supply-chain network needed to support current delivery and future growth.
• Provide informed feedback on market requirements, client needs and potential engineering or project-service offerings across Northern Ireland.
• Leadership and Collaboration
• Work collaboratively with the Northern Ireland Business Development Manager, clearly respecting the BDM's ownership of prospecting, market engagement and pipeline management.
• Partner with commercial, operations, finance, health and safety, procurement and technical teams to deliver integrated client solutions.
• Provide coaching, direction and professional support to project managers, engineers and other members of the delivery team.
• Promote a culture of safety, integrity, accountability, teamwork and client service.
• Represent ABM professionally at client meetings, industry events and relevant regional forums when required.

Key Accountabilities

• Safe and successful delivery of the client project portfolio.
• Client satisfaction, stakeholder confidence and account retention.
• Project revenue, margin, cost control and forecast accuracy.
• Programme, quality, compliance and risk performance.
• Quality and operational viability of technical solutions developed for new opportunities.
• Effective mobilisation and transition of newly awarded work.
• Identification and development of additional opportunities within existing client accounts.
• Constructive and effective collaboration with the Northern Ireland Business Development Manager and wider ABM teams.
• Development of a capable and competitive regional delivery and supply-chain network.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Degree-level qualification in an engineering discipline, such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, building services engineering, civil engineering or a closely related field.
• Recognised project management qualification, such as APM PMQ, PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner or an equivalent professional qualification.
• Extensive experience delivering complex engineering, capital, lifecycle or infrastructure projects in live operational environments.
• Proven experience operating at senior project or programme-management level with responsibility for multiple concurrent projects.
• Strong understanding of mechanical and/or electrical building-services systems and associated infrastructure.
• Demonstrable experience managing senior client relationships and communicating confidently with executive and operational stakeholders.
• Strong commercial and contractual awareness, including budgeting, forecasting, procurement, variations, change control and margin management.
• Experience managing contractors, consultants, multidisciplinary teams and specialist supply-chain partners.
• Strong knowledge of health and safety legislation, contractor management and statutory compliance.
• Experience contributing technical and operational input to bids, proposals, client presentations or new-business opportunities.
• Ability to assess whether proposed solutions are technically, commercially and operationally deliverable.
• Strong written communication, presentation, negotiation, reporting and problem-solving skills.
• Competence with Microsoft Office and recognised project planning and reporting software.
• Full UK driving license and willingness to travel throughout Northern Ireland and occasionally elsewhere in the UK and Ireland.

Desirable

• Experience within aviation, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, critical infrastructure, utilities or large industrial estates.
• Existing knowledge of the Northern Ireland market, supply chain or professional network.
• Chartered status or active membership of a relevant professional body, such as APM, CIBSE, IMech E, IET, ICE or RICS.
• IOSH or NEBOSH qualification.
• Experience of CDM Regulations and the management of designer and contractor responsibilities.
• Knowledge of NEC, JCT or other recognised forms of construction and engineering contract.
• Experience mobilising new contracts, projects or service lines.
• Experience managing or contributing to a regional project P&L.
• Working knowledge of Auto CAD, BIM or digital project-management platforms.
• Personal Attributes
• A credible and confident senior professional who builds trust with clients, colleagues and supply-chain partners.
• Commercially aware while maintaining a strong focus on safety, quality and delivery.
• Able to balance the immediate demands of a major client account with wider regional priorities.
• Collaborative and comfortable working alongside a dedicated Business Development Manager without duplicating responsibilities.
• Proactive in identifying opportunities and translating them into practical, deliverable solutions.
• Organised, decisive and resilient, with the ability to remain calm in high-pressure operational environments.
• Comfortable operating independently while drawing on wider functional expertise when required.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to challenge constructively and bring teams together.
• Delivery focused, accountable and committed to continuous improvement.

Working Pattern

The role is based in Belfast and will normally require two to three days per week at the client site.

The balance of the week will be spent supporting regional projects, prospective client activity, technical solution development, meetings and other ABM business across Northern Ireland.

Flexibility will be required in line with project, mobilisation and client needs.

Company Benefits

• Competitive salary and company benefits package in line with the seniority and travel requirements of the role.
• Training, professional development and support for relevant professional memberships.
• Career advancement opportunities within ABM.
• Free on-site parking where available.
• Regular company social and engagement events.

ABM is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.