Principal Engineering Project Manager

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

About the Division

The Water Utilities Division is Mott MacDonald’s centre of excellence for responding to the UK and Ireland’s water and wastewater challenges. The work we do is at the forefront of ensuring safe water supplies for future generations, preventing urban flooding, and improving the health of our rivers and coastal environments. Our multi‑disciplinary teams provide a variety of services throughout the full project life cycle, from advisory services and feasibility studies to outline and detailed design.

Overview of the role

Do you want to be part of an employee‑owned company where our unique independence affords us the opportunity to focus on projects that matter to us – those focusing on delivering social outcomes and enhancing the environment, that harness digital innovation and that challenge our technical excellence? Working for a company like ours, with technical excellence at our core, offers you access to industry recognised experts in a variety of disciplines, to provide support and career development opportunities.

As a Principal or Associate Project Manager, you will work with and manage multidisciplinary teams of technical specialists, delivering projects in close partnership with clients and contractors, building strong relationships that will enhance the company’s reputation and help secure further work. This is a fantastic professional opportunity for a driven individual, with a strong project management experience in the UK water and wastewater infrastructure sector, contributing to delivering projects in response to AMP8 challenges.

In this role, you will lead the design of innovative and sustainable solutions to address leakage challenges, clean water provision and sewage disposal across our water utility client’s assets, vital to meet the ever‑growing societal demands of development, population growth and climate change. Some of these projects are emergency work and reactive in nature – so you will need to lead fast‑paced design, whilst managing change and impacts on the other projects within the wider programme.

You will be expected to coordinate project teams throughout the project lifecycle from design definition through to implementation, fulfilling all aspects to successfully manage projects including business management system compliance, technical quality assurance, programme and cost control management as well as leading client interface. You will represent the company in meetings and supervise the work of more junior staff, providing technical and commercial guidance to support their development. You will contribute to commercial success through forecasting and risk management, and the production of bids and proposals.

Candidate specification

• Qualifications and/or Chartered Status with a recognised project management institution such as Association of Project Management (APM)
• Chartered Status with a recognised Professional Institution e.g. with ICE, CIWEM, IChemE etc.
• Demonstrable experience in managing projects ensuring compliance with contractual scope and obligations, as well as delivering on time and within budget
• Demonstrable experience managing complex large‑scale projects in the UK water and wastewater industry
• Demonstrable experience in effective collaboration with and management of multi‑disciplinary teams
• Strong communication skills in both oral presentation and written reports
• A drive to be abreast of professional development and knowledge of current and emerging technical solutions
• Experience in preparing successful bids and in undertaking client engagement

Desirable:

• Able to travel to other offices and sites, as required
• Experience in managing NEC Professional Service Contracts
• Good understanding of designers’ responsibilities under CDM
• Track record in building capability of junior staff

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. If you meet 80% or more of what we’re looking for, please still apply.

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well‑being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

• Financial wellbeing: We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%. Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Employee Ownership: Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Health and wellbeing: Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues. Health cash plan to support you with everyday health costs and treatments.
• Lifestyle: A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Enhanced family and carers leave: Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Learning and development: Primary annual professional institution subscription. A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self‑development options.