Senior Project Manager - Ancillary Works in Felixstowe

Sizewell C’s business is to design, finance, construct, commission, operate, maintain, and eventually decommission the nuclear power plant and related infrastructure at Sizewell C in Suffolk. Overall, whilst the Company is in the construction phase, the Boards’ principal focus is on the development and construction of Sizewell C on time, on budget and to the highest quality and safety standards. The Company is maturing to meet all these requirements.

Sizewell C is economically regulated by OFGEM under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model similar to other UK electricity distribution networks and Thames Tideway. Sizewell C construction strategy is to replicate the design of Hinkley Point C, using the majority of the same supply chain, but innovating in the way it is delivered to achieve savings in time and cost of around 20%. The CCO will need to be guided by and incorporate lessons learned from the Hinkley Point C commercial delivery to achieve Sizewell C’s ambition.

Following Financial Completion and Revenue Commencement, Sizewell C is fully funded and is owned by; The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero representing HM Government, La Caisse, Centrica, EDF and Amber Infrastructure. Sizewell C is entering an exciting phase of growth as we mature into an independent organisation and continue building one of the UK’s largest and most important energy projects. We’re looking for motivated a delivery‑focused Senior Project Manager with experience in large‑scale infrastructure, engineering or complex construction environments.

The SZC Ancillary Works area is responsible for delivering the Permanent Roads and Networks and Ancillary buildings that will form part of the working power station. Ancillary Works CWA delivery includes RIBA 4 design through to elements of RIBA 6/7. We work closely with our colleagues in our Design Team to optimise design delivery and end to end schedules to deliver timely best for project design and minimise risks to delivery.

A key priority is the maximisation of replication of detailed design from Hinkley Point C (HPC), enabling standardisation, efficiency and assured delivery across the programme. You will work closely with the SZC supply chain team, our UK Responsible Designer (RD), SZC Quality teams, and a wide network of suppliers to prepare for and execute the delivery phase. Working within an alliance structure, you will ensure seamless coordination across multiple disciplines, contractors and programme areas.

This SPM role is not a typical Client leadership role. SZC and the Civil Programme (CWP) is looking to deliver differently with the deployment of an Alliancing delivery model. The role will however form a key link between the Civil Work Programme (CWP) and wider SZC organisation, supporting decisions and driving outcomes that are best for project.

The Civil Works Programme comprises a series of major projects delivered over a 10‑year period, forming the civil engineering backbone of the Sizewell C plant. It includes:

• Enabling & Earthworks
• Sea defences, access infrastructure, site establishment works, diaphragm walling, dewatering, excavation and extensive earthworks.
• Construction of the beach landing facility, jetty, shafts and intake/outfall tunnels for the cooling water systems.
• Main Civils and Ancillary Works
• Technical galleries, cooling system pipework, foundation base slabs and over 70 major buildings across the Nuclear, Conventional and Heat Sink islands.

Successful delivery requires close integration with Site Establishment, Site Operations and the MEH (Mechanical, Electrical & Heating) Alliance. 15 off Ancillary Buildings and all Permanent Roads and Networks civils infrastructure including site sewage plant, permanent car parks and electrical network system to support the Ancillary Buildings and elements of PR&N.

As SPM you will have responsibility to manage a team of Project Managers, to support the senior Pre‑Construction lead and Head of delivery and provide functional support to ensure delivery of the associated assets, structures, and components.

Principal Accountabilities

The Senior Project Manager will be responsible for:

• Direct engagement with the AnW Design Team
• Matrix engagement with the Civils Alliance Integrated teams across all of CWA for delivery of construction.
• Interface with other Designers in all other areas of the project.
• Oversight and co‑ordination of Basis of Estimate and Basis of Schedule, including milestones added to the Baseline.
• Drive the delivery of the package activities to ensure milestones are met and delivered safely, on time, to budget, meeting business & technical requirements.
• Monitor and manage the progress of the programme - track progress against milestones, deadlines and budget.
• Oversight of Risks and Opportunities. Anticipate, manage and resolve risks and issues within any contact or package. Identify risks and facilitate the resolution of all issues raised, develop and update the programme budget, and elevate any issues to the relevant Senior Lead.
• Definition of scope, including interfacing with the responsible designer to manage and initiate design packages for robust management of change to mitigate impact on any live contracts.
• Provide sufficient oversight of the Tier 1’s supply chain to ensure Nuclear Safety is maintained.
• Provide direction with our technical colleagues for resolution of issues/ Non Conformances / etc during the lifecycle of the project within the relevant process to ensure quality and schedule are maintained.
• Oversight and accountability for management of all change to the scope area including - scope definition, business justification and implementation of agreed change in line with associated governance.
• Ensure level 4 schedules are developed and maintained for the contract or package of work. Ensure such schedules are consistent with overall Project schedules.
• Ensure lessons learned, knowledge capture and replication of HPC good practice are embedded.
• Assist in securing the required resources to meet their project requirements, ensuring the maintenance of Suitably Qualified and Experienced Persons (SQEP) for any assigned resource and promptly identifying any personnel shortfalls or issues within their project team.
• Drive delivery, ensuring contractual requirements and technical specifications are fully met.
• Support change governance and lead optimisation across the programme.
• Review and assure LOD 0 technical deliverables for the Nuclear Island scope.
• Work within a matrix organisation with regular interaction with colleagues in multiple UK Locations, EDF (France) and including our SZC Site Construction Team.

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience

• Ideally Degree qualified or equivalent qualification / experience.
• Chartered or progressing towards Chartered status in Project management, Construction, Civil engineering, or other relevant discipline.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Project Management and working knowledge and management experience of construction activities.
• Experience of working with RIBA stages.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge in Civil Construction and Design.
• Proven experience of managing major projects from concept to handover, throughout the project lifecycle within a technically complex and dynamic environment whilst ensuring high levels of safety, security, and environmental responsibility.
• Demonstrate success coordinating multi-disciplinary design/procurement work and driving design/procurement teams to deliver on time.
• Previous engineering or project management experience in the nuclear industry.
• Chartered Engineer qualification.
• Direct experience of procuring equipment or installation contracts for nuclear power stations.
• Good understanding of the complexity of major projects, including interface management between scope areas.
• Experience of the pre‑tender and tender stages of procuring contracts for the design, manufacturing and/or installation of industrial equipment.
• Excellent communication skills in client‑facing and contractor‑facing situations.
• Manage engineers, consultants and other advisors throughout large and complex projects.
• Engineering design, contract and field execution strategies for project delivery.

Behavioural Competences

• Humility - Recognise the value brought from different cultures and experiences. Be open to other’s points of view and ideas, be willing to debate and to compromise.
• Positivity - Positively challenge poor quality and performance. Identify solutions at the lowest possible level. Encourage others to bring new ideas forward.
• Respect - Value the rules and environment in which we operate. Give and receive feedback with respect. Embrace and engage with new people and ideas. One team, working closely together and helping each other. Empowered teams always looking forward. Shared responsibility for delivery the project outcomes.
• Clarity - Communicate clearly and consistently. Promote collaboration and team alignment. Drive simplification at all levels.

If this sounds like the next step in your career, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today.

When joining Sizewell C, you may wonder why you are contacted by colleagues with an EDF email or see the EDF logo on portals that you access and/or documentation you receive; this is because we have partnered with EDF for the provision of a number of support services whilst we complete a successful transition out of the EDF group.

At Sizewell C we encourage and embrace diversity and how it can improve our experience and performance at work. It is a requirement that those who join us have the right to work in the UK. Whilst sponsorship may be a possibility that we can explore, we are fully committed to local recruitment where possible, and those already holding the right to work in the UK.

To be appointed to this role, you will need to meet the criteria for Security Vetting, which will, ordinarily, require you to have been a resident of the UK for at least three of the past five years.