Operations Director - Project Management in Leiston

About the Role

TOC Assurance will lead assurance, governance, and commercial oversight activities across major heavy civil infrastructure packages at Sizewell C. This role focuses on ensuring that Target Outturn Cost (TOC) development, procurement strategies, and pre‑construction planning are robust, auditable, and aligned with programme objectives and value‑for‑money principles. The candidate should have working knowledge of estimating and construction programmes, along with QSRA and QCRA Monte Carlo risk analysis. The Senior Project Manager will bring extensive experience from a contractor or consultancy environment, with deep expertise in procurement, quantity surveying, and pre‑construction delivery.

Responsibilities

• TOC Assurance and Commercial Oversight.
• Managing independent assurance of TOC submissions across heavy civils scope (earthworks, marine, tunnelling, structures, enabling works).
• Working knowledge of bottom‑up cost estimating, risk allowances, and pricing strategies.
• The ability to challenge contractor assumptions, methodologies, and commercial and risk positions.
• Ensuring compliance with programme governance and assurance frameworks.
• PAA Contractual knowledge is preferable.
• Pre‑Construction leadership.
• P Provide strategic knowledge into procurement strategies and packaging approaches.
• Overseeing TOC development including evaluation, clarification and negotiation.
• Reviewing scope definition and contract documentation.
• Ensuring alignment between TOC strategy and TOC development.
• Stakeholder and Interface Management.
• Acting as a key interface between client, contractors, and internal teams.
• Managing assurance reviews, workshops, and governance forums.
• Providing regular reporting and recommendations to senior stakeholders (Financial – e.g., Investments, Funding, Budget or Programme costs).
• Working knowledge of the Capital Programme budget forecasting along with transition of programme elements back to influence of the costs and budgets (Risk – e.g., Capital, Project or Performance risks).
• Working knowledge of the capital projects and related risk identification, quantification and analysis.
• Working knowledge of Quantitative Risk Analysis including Monte Carlo simulation for QSRA and QCRA.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15+ years’ experience in heavy civils or major infrastructure.
• Strong background in procurement, pre‑construction/estimating, quantity surveying/commercial management.
• Experience within a Tier 1 contractor or major projects delivery organisation.
• Proven track record in TOC, target cost, or cost assurance roles.
• Deep understanding of pre‑construction development, cost planning and estimating methodologies.
• PAA/NEC/target cost contracting models.
• Infrastructure delivery lifecycles.
• Ability to interrogate complex cost submissions.
• Strong commercial judgement and analytical capability.
• Ability to challenge senior stakeholders constructively.
• Excellent communication and reporting skills.
• Structured, detail‑oriented, delivery‑focused approach.
• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Civil Engineering, or related field.
• Professional membership (e.g., RICS) preferred working context.
• Major infrastructure programme environment with high governance requirements.
• Hybrid working with regular presence across site and office locations.

Benefits

We are also open to discussing part‑time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable within the role.

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates.