At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead exciting infrastructure projects that enhance our waterways and benefit communities.
- Company: Join the Canal & River Trust, a charity dedicated to keeping canals vibrant.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, car cash allowance, pension scheme, and generous holiday entitlement.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for career growth and a focus on wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on local communities while developing your project management skills.
- Qualifications: Degree in Project Management or related field; experience with NEC contracts preferred.
The predicted salary is between 45450 - 47700 £ per year.
Join Our Team: Senior Project Manager Opportunity
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive. Are you an experienced Project Manager interested in putting your project management expertise into practice to ultimately benefit millions of people? We are looking for a Project Manager to join our Project Delivery North team; playing an important role in supporting our vision and delivering our Waterways and Wellbeing strategy. You will be involved in a range of projects that will ensure our existing national waterways, reservoirs and infrastructure are managed and maintained, as well as being fundamental in bringing new developments and improvements to life for our visitors, customers and service users.
Working Hours & Location
This role follows a 37 hours, Monday to Friday working pattern. Travel throughout the North West waterway network will also be expected to enable site visits and face-to-face meetings. A valid UK driving license and access to a vehicle is therefore essential.
Current Project Locations (Upper North West)
- Primary region: North and North West.
- Preferred hubs: Burnley or Lancaster Depot.
- Typical project locations: Burnley, Lancaster, Blackburn, Colne, Preston, Liverpool and the Greater Manchester area.
Role Overview
In this role you will be working with a diverse range of stakeholders and partners planning and delivering our third-party funded projects. You will be managing projects of low/medium risk and/or low/medium complexity by applying processes, methods, knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the project objectives. Towpath projects will range from £50,000 to £1,000,000 in value and be delivered with our framework contractors.
You don't need to have worked in a charity before, but we believe we can offer you an exciting change of environment and impactful projects to support and manage. Our towpaths and various historic assets provide a refreshing backdrop and unique working environment. As a Project Manager with the Canal & River Trust you will further develop your skill set and project management career alongside our canals and waterways, in an organisation that values wellbeing and work-life balance.
Key responsibilities
- Work safely at all times, ensuring the safety of others and contribute to safe working in all activities.
- Capture project requirements and prepare a business case to justify investment in the project.
- Develop and monitor the project programme and key milestones to achieve the project objectives.
- Provide financial and cost management, estimating and justifying project costs, whilst controlling expenditure and evaluating the outcomes.
- Assign, lead and motivate the project team to ensure all project objectives are achieved.
- Manage risks, issues and changes on the project.
- Maintain communications with stakeholders and the project team/organisation.
- Manage all contracts applicable to the project (e.g., NEC ECC, NEC ECSC, NEC PSC). Carry out the role of the Project Manager and Supervisor as defined in the NEC.
- Handover and closure of the project highlighting any areas for improvements and elements of good practice.
- Provide environmental management by appraising the environmental impact of the project and ensuring that the controls are implemented.
About You
You’re a driven project professional with strong knowledge of project management processes and hands-on experience delivering multiple low–medium complexity projects. Confident working with NEC contracts and project finance, you keep schedules tight, budgets on track, and stakeholders aligned. With a positive, can-do attitude and great communication skills, you bring clarity, momentum, and control to every project.
Skills & Qualifications
- Qualifications: Degree (or equivalent) in a related discipline, e.g. Project Management, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Science.
- Membership of an appropriate professional body, e.g. Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Association for Project Management (APM), Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
- Beneficial: Project/Programme Management accreditation/qualification, e.g. APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ), Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), PRINCE2.
- Experience: NEC Contract Management experience. Proven track record of successfully managing multiple projects - from definition to delivery - within a relevant discipline/sector (e.g., construction, asset management, utilities, civil engineering, etc).
- Comprehensive knowledge of project management processes and systems.
- Knowledge and experience of Managing Safety in Construction, and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations.
- General skills: Excellent communication skills both verbal and written. Be able to manage internal and external stakeholders, building confidence and credibility towards project processes. Ability to manage resources. Be able to coordinate work carried out by different people and organisations. Be effective at planning, monitoring and reviewing all project activities. Ability to develop and agree budgets for projects, control forecasts and actual costs. Be good at problem solving, be able to resolve conflicts, and successfully influence and negotiate. Possess good IT skills, including experience of MS Project.
- Valid UK driving licence - Car Cash allowance & regional/national travel, including to remote locations is expected.
Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
In addition to your annual base salary of £45,450 - £47,700, we also offer Car Cash Allowance (£390 per month), a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits.
Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure & Construction) employer: CANAL & RIVER TRUST
Join the Canal & River Trust as a Craft Operative and become part of a dedicated team that makes a tangible difference to our beautiful canal network. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer competitive salaries, a robust pension scheme, and increasing holiday entitlement, all within a supportive work culture that values practical skills and a passion for the outdoors. Based in Crickhowell, you'll enjoy the unique advantage of working in a picturesque location while contributing to the preservation of our heritage and environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure & Construction)
✨Join Construction Networks
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure & Construction)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Experience:In the construction industry, it's essential to highlight any hands-on experience you have. Whether it’s past projects you've worked on or specific roles you've held, make sure your CV emphasises your practical skills and contributions to construction sites.
Include Certifications and Qualifications:Don’t forget to list any certifications relevant to construction, like CSCS cards or other safety qualifications. These can really set you apart from other candidates and show that you’re serious about health and safety on-site.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Construction:When writing your cover letter for a construction role, focus on your problem-solving capabilities and teamwork. Construction relies heavily on collaboration, so mention how you’ve worked successfully with others to complete projects on time and within budget.
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How to prepare for a job interview at CANAL & RIVER TRUST
✨Brush Up on Technical Knowledge
For a construction role, it's crucial we have a solid grasp of industry standards, safety protocols, and specific tools used on-site. Make sure you're familiar with relevant regulations and can talk confidently about them, as these often come up in interviews.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Since this is a full-time position, be ready to discuss any previous construction projects you've worked on. Bring a portfolio or have detailed descriptions that highlight your role, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them—this’ll show you’re not just book-smart but also practically savvy.
✨Understand the Team Dynamics
Construction is all about teamwork, so prepare to discuss how you interact with different stakeholders like architects, engineers, and contractors. Maybe think of examples from past experiences to illustrate your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.
✨Prepare for On-the-Spot Problem Solving
Be ready for some practical questions or scenarios where you'll need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Interviewers might present you with a hypothetical construction issue to solve, so practice articulating your thought process clearly and logically—this could really set you apart!
