Project Manager in Newton Aycliffe

Facilities Project Manager

Location: Newton Aycliffe, UK

Sector: Semiconductor Manufacturing

Job Type: Full-Time

Octric Semiconductor is a new name in the compound semiconductor foundry space. Its devices are used in mission critical defence and commercial applications. For over 25 years, we have been delivering over 1.5 billion devices that have been shipped from our site to date. Octric has ambitious plans to grow the company and expand with new products and applications, and the company is developing a 10-year investment plan. We now have a bright new path ahead of us following the recent significant investment from the UK Government. As part of an emerging semiconductor cluster in the northeast, we are focused on developing advanced technology, focused on the next generation of semiconductors. We are looking to fill a number of exciting roles across device design and innovation through to manufacturing & reliability.

Located in Newton Aycliffe, UK, we occupy a 10,000 m2 purpose-built Class 100 manufacturing facility fully equipped to produce state of the art compound semiconductor product. Octric is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Our company values different perspectives and experiences, and we are dedicated to creating an environment where all employees can thrive. We have family friendly employee policies, and a culture that respects work life balance. We offer a competitive benefits package; we are a company committed to personal & professional progression and development. Be part of our journey and join our team driving innovation in a cutting-edge industry.

Purpose of Role: Lead the safe, efficient and disruption-free delivery of capital and maintenance projects, ensuring the highest standards of HSE performance while driving continuous improvement and teamwork across the Facilities function.

Key Responsibilities

• Health, Safety & Compliance
  • Ensure full compliance with CDM Regulations 2015, project risk assessments and JSAs.
  • Uphold all company Environmental, Health and Safety policies with a strong personal commitment to safety.
  • Promote a culture of zero harm and zero undue disruption to production.
• Leadership & Project Governance
  • Act as a senior member of the Facilities Leadership Team.
  • Own and manage the full project lifecycle, ensuring objectives are clearly defined and delivered OTIF.
  • Lead and coordinate internal and external engineering design teams.
  • Ensure project scopes and specifications are complete, accurate and unambiguous.
  • Apply structured project controls: Define, Measure, Analyse and Control all phases.
• Project Delivery
  • Develop project scopes, specifications, objectives and budgets.
  • Provide strategic and tactical leadership across concept, budgeting, planning, scheduling, construction, commissioning and handover.
  • Forecast, monitor and control project costs, applying robust change control processes.
  • Coordinate design and construction teams, ensuring priorities are aligned and progress is transparent.
  • Identify risks, mitigation strategies and solutions to ensure safe, timely and cost-effective delivery.
  • Manage multiple concurrent projects of varying complexity and value.
  • Build strong relationships with contractors and specialists; review and challenge cost estimates and quotations.
  • Maximise resource utilisation and ensure contractor performance meets expectations.
• People & Performance
  • Support employee development through training and appraisal processes.
  • Measure and improve team performance using KPIs and metrics.
  • Promote quality awareness, continuous improvement and best-in-class working practices.
  • Maintain a consistent, fair and motivating leadership style.

Requirements

Experience – Essential

• Minimum 5 years in project management and delivery.
• Demonstrable experience across full project lifecycle.
• Hands-on construction management and contractor coordination.
• Strong leadership of multidiscipline design and construction teams.
• Experienced budget holder with strong forecasting and cost-control capability.
• Understanding of construction contracts (NEC, JCT, bespoke).
• Engineering background with working knowledge of CDM.

Experience – Desirable

• Delivery of capital and revenue projects in a chemical plant environment.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent projects of varying complexity.
• Familiarity with risk registers and mitigation processes.

Technical Skills – Essential

• Ability to define and communicate project objectives and deliverables.
• Engineering background in Electrical, Mechanical, Piping or Construction.
• Ability to interpret chemical process flow diagrams and P&IDs.
• Strong project planning and coordination skills.

Technical Skills – Desirable

• Understanding of project engineering roles and cross-functional interactions.
• Knowledge of planning and scheduling software.
• Ability to learn and understand chemical plant operations.

Personal Qualities

• Committed, business-aware and able to prioritise effectively.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Adaptable, proactive and confident in delegation.
• Motivational leadership style with a consistent approach.
• Willing to engage in difficult conversations for the benefit of the team.
• Ambitious and self-motivated.

Qualifications

• Essential: Recognised engineering qualification or equivalent experience.
• Desirable: Degree / HNC / ONC in Engineering, IOSH Managing Safely, NVQ Level 4 in Management, APMP Project Qualification.

If you don’t meet all listed qualifications but feel this role aligns with your skills and career aspirations, we encourage you to apply. We are committed to providing accommodations during the application process to ensure accessibility for all candidates.

For more information please contact Travis Townsend @ major Recruitment.