Associate Project Manager in Colchester

Create Solutions that will enable a better tomorrow. To provide project management leadership for the successful planning, development and delivery of a major roads programme, we are looking for an Associate Project Manager to join us. Working on a major joint venture, you'll ensure safe, efficient, high-quality delivery in line with programme objectives, governance, technical standards, and commercial requirements. The role manages day-to-day performance of delivery partners, technical specialists, and internal teams, ensuring risks, interfaces, constraints and progress are effectively controlled to achieve project outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Manage day‐to‐day management, coordination and delivery of assigned project scope within a major Roads project, ensuring alignment with programme baselines, performance objectives and strategy.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with the delivery partner, internal teams, project governance forums and external stakeholders to ensure shared understanding of project objectives—including safety, programme, carbon reduction and social value commitments—and to support informed decision‐making on progress, risks and issues.
• Ensure compliance with National Highways' Portfolio, Programme & Project Management System and project governance processes.
• Manage delivery partner and consultancy performance by clearly defining requirements, setting expectations for safety, time, cost and quality, and taking timely action to resolve emerging issues.
• Oversee commercial and contractual performance management to secure value for money and control costs.
• Identify, assess and manage project risks, issues, interfaces and dependencies, implementing effective mitigation and escalation where required.
• Ensure all project activities are delivered safely, in accordance with safety leadership expectations, CDM regulations, and environmental commitments.
• Conduct Procurement Compliance and Assurance activities, reviewing tender documentation from Delivery Partners and supporting supply‐chain tender processes to demonstrate value for money.

Qualifications

• Possess Chartered status or APM PMQ (or equivalent).
• Previous experience leading teams to manage complex, medium/high risk projects or high‐profile projects to completion.
• Experience managing business or value management cases for new projects through company‐defined governance, review and approval gates.
• Experience managing and maintaining agreed project plans and detailed stage plans with delivery partners.
• Clear evidence of commercial skills with demonstrated ability to negotiate and manage contracts to deliver outcomes and ensure value for money.
• Experience promoting innovation, sustainability, and best practice in major programme delivery.
• Demonstrated strategic leadership, planning, organisational and decision‐making ability.
• Communication and the ability to build support with commercial and financial acumen.

Benefits

• 28 days' holiday plus all UK bank and public holidays.
• Formalised development plans and yearly promotion opportunities.
• Private health care, for you and your immediate dependents.
• Flexible and hybrid working conditions.
• Annual subscription fees paid for your membership of two Professional Institutions.
• Group personal pension scheme – salary exchange.
• Life assurance.

Equal opportunity employer. COWI provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to ethnicity, colour, religion, gender, national origin, age or disability. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.