Project Manager -12 months FTC

We are looking for an experienced Project Manager to deliver key Avanti commercial projects and customer-focused initiatives. Experience in rail or transport is desirable, but not essential. This high-profile role sits at the heart of commercial delivery, working across Commercial, Operations, Customer, Finance, Legal, Marketing, Digital and Programme Management. You will bring structure, pace and clarity to complex projects, ensuring strong governance, effective decision-making and successful delivery from concept through to benefits realisation. You will manage plans, budgets, risks, dependencies, approvals and reporting, working closely with senior stakeholders, suppliers and delivery partners to deliver commercial outcomes aligned to business priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Lead the planning, coordination and delivery of assigned commercial projects, ensuring objectives, success criteria and strategic priorities are clearly defined.
  • Support the development of project briefs, business cases and delivery approaches.
  • Promote collaborative, cross-functional working to support effective decision-making and successful delivery.
  • Mobilise project teams, including SMEs, analysts, procurement, legal, marketing, digital and operational representatives.
  • Define clear roles, responsibilities and resource requirements across project teams, stakeholders and delivery partners.
  • Support negotiations with suppliers, partners and internal delivery teams, ensuring commercial requirements, risks and delivery considerations are clearly managed.
• Project Governance
  • Ensure compliance with relevant Avanti commercial, financial, governance and programme management policies and procedures.
  • Coordinate governance submissions, decision papers, internal approvals and external consents required for delivery.
  • Manage risks, issues, opportunities, assumptions, dependencies and change control activity.
  • Ensure actions, decisions and approvals from governance forums, workshops and stakeholder meetings are clearly recorded and tracked through to closure.
  • Ensure delivery partners and suppliers comply with agreed commercial, operational and governance requirements.
• Programme Management and Delivery
  • Establish and manage project budgets, benefits profiles and integrated delivery programmes, including key milestones such as approvals, launch, go-live and benefits realisation.
  • Maintain the financial and delivery position throughout the project lifecycle, reporting on forecast costs, revenues, benefits, risks and variances against plan.
  • Develop and maintain project programmes, clearly identifying the critical path, key milestones and dependencies.
  • Produce regular Project Status Reports, scorecards, performance updates and financial reports for senior stakeholders and governance forums.
  • Monitor and report progress through development, pre-implementation, delivery and benefits realisation.
  • Capture lessons learned and evaluate commercial outcomes, delivery performance and benefits at project completion.

Skills and Experience

• Experience managing projects in a complex commercial, operational or regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of project governance, assurance, reporting, risk management, change control and stakeholder engagement.
• Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and work confidently with senior stakeholders, suppliers and delivery partners.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, including budget tracking, forecasting, benefits reporting and variance management.
• Ability to produce clear project reports, governance papers, action logs, decision records and delivery updates.
• Highly organised, detail-focused and able to manage competing priorities.
• Collaborative, pragmatic and delivery-focused, with the ability to bring structure and momentum to complex projects.

Key Competencies

• Project leadership and stakeholder management.
• Governance, assurance and project controls.
• Risk, issue, change and dependency management.
• Commercial and financial awareness.
• Programme planning and delivery coordination.
• Clear written and verbal communication.
• Problem solving, decision support and continuous improvement.
• Experience using project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Workfront or equivalent.
• Understanding of PACE, PRINCE2, APM, MSP or equivalent project delivery methodologies.

As well as working with a fantastic team you will also receive:

• Final salary pension
• Free travel on Avanti West Coast for you/spouse/partner/dependents
• Privilege Travel card (75% off other train operators fares for leisure travel)
• 30 days holiday rising by 1 for every completed year of service to a maximum of 37 days (inclusive of bank holidays)
• 10 free journeys on other First Group Train Operators

Apply now to join our team and make a difference at Avanti West Coast. Be You. With Us. At Avanti West Coast, we believe our strength comes from the unique perspectives, experiences and backgrounds of our people. We are proud to build a workplace where diversity is embraced, and everyone is supported to thrive. We welcome individuals of all races, religions, ages, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations and abilities. Our goal is to reflect the communities we serve and create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. When you join Avanti West Coast, you become part of a close-knit team that encourages authenticity. We want you to bring your whole self to work. No need to change who you are to fit in. Your individuality is what makes us better. We celebrate it, we respect it and we put it to great use.