At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage exciting construction projects in higher education, labs, and museums across the UK.
- Company: Join Arcadis, a global leader in sustainable design and consultancy.
- Benefits: Empowering work culture, career growth, and a chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Diversity and inclusion are at our core; your unique perspective matters!
- Why this job: Shape the future of education and culture while tackling complex challenges.
- Qualifications: Experience in project management within educational or cultural environments is essential.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.
We’re looking for an experienced Project Manager with previous experience in delivering projects within Higher Education, laboratories, or museums across the UK. You will oversee complex building and refurbishment projects, liaising with on‑site contractors and multidisciplinary teams. This role needs hands‑on construction understanding, some technical knowledge (labs and museums), and the capability to handle the varied complexities of occupied educational and cultural environments.
Role accountabilities
- Manage construction delivery on Higher Education, laboratory, and museum projects, coordinating multiple trades and subcontractors on live, occupied sites.
- Oversee scopes of work, contractor engagement, site supervision, and quality control to ensure compliance with technical specifications and safety standards.
- Lead site coordination meetings, manage programme schedules, and track budgets ensuring projects stay on time and within financial targets.
- Work closely with estates teams, academic staff, curators, and other stakeholders to handle the challenges of operating in sensitive and complex environments.
- Understand and resolve typical construction challenges including access restrictions, phasing, noise control, and protection of specialist equipment or collections.
- Identify and manage risks or issues early, escalating where necessary to senior management to maintain project momentum and compliance.
- Monitor and analyse site progress and resource allocation to anticipate delays or cost impacts and adjust plans accordingly.
- Advise on construction best practices and continuous improvement opportunities based on experience with similar sectors and environments.
Qualifications & Experience
- Proven hands‑on experience managing construction or refurbishment projects within Higher Education, laboratories, or museums.
- Strong understanding of working with multiple trades and contractors on live sites with complex access and operational constraints.
- Experience dealing with specialist environments such as labs (including fume cupboards, gas, containment) or museum spaces (environmental controls, collections protection) is highly desirable.
- Familiarity with construction health and safety requirements (CDM regulations, risk management, permits).
- Confident communicator with ability to engage effectively with tradespeople, contractors, clients, and internal teams.
- Commercially aware with strong time and cost management skills, able to handle the complexities of multi‑stakeholder projects.
- Project management qualification (MAPM or equivalent) is preferred; construction-related qualifications (CIOB, RICS, HNC/HND) also welcomed.
Why Arcadis?
We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together. You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you. Together, we can create a lasting legacy.
Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We believe that by working together diverse people with different experiences develop the most innovative ideas. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life and we work closely with our people across six ED&I Workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.
Project Manager - Higher Education in Manchester employer: Poutrix
At Arcadis, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration across our UK-wide Ground Investigation team. With flexible location options in vibrant cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Birmingham, we provide our employees with opportunities for professional growth, a strong commitment to health and safety, and a focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion. Join us to lead impactful projects while developing your skills and building meaningful relationships with clients and colleagues alike.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Project Manager - Higher Education in Manchester
✨Join Construction Networks
Get yourself involved in local construction networks or industry events. They often have job boards, and networking can lead to unadvertised positions. Plus, it’s a great way to meet potential future colleagues!
✨Show Off Your Skills on Site
If you’ve done any hands-on work, whether it's through internships or personal projects, make sure you can showcase it. Consider volunteering for local construction projects or getting involved in community build days; it’s a solid way to demonstrate your skills and build connections.
✨Utilise Construction Job Sites
Don't just rely on the big job boards. Look at niche construction job sites—many companies prioritise these for full-time roles. Apply through these sites, but don’t forget to reach out directly to companies you admire, like Poutrix, to express your interest!
✨Tailor Your Application for Full-Time Roles
Make your application stand out by tailoring it specifically for full-time positions. Highlight how your previous projects align with the company's work. At StudySmarter, we encourage you to demonstrate your commitment and long-term interest in the industry when applying for roles like Project Manager - Higher Education at Poutrix.
We think you need these skills to ace Project Manager - Higher Education in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Experience:In the construction industry, it's essential to highlight any hands-on experience you have. Whether it’s past projects you've worked on or specific roles you've held, make sure your CV emphasises your practical skills and contributions to construction sites.
Include Certifications and Qualifications:Don’t forget to list any certifications relevant to construction, like CSCS cards or other safety qualifications. These can really set you apart from other candidates and show that you’re serious about health and safety on-site.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Construction:When writing your cover letter for a construction role, focus on your problem-solving capabilities and teamwork. Construction relies heavily on collaboration, so mention how you’ve worked successfully with others to complete projects on time and within budget.
Adapt Your CV Format to the Field:Ensure your CV is clear and easy to read, with sections dedicated to skills such as project management, technical abilities, and site supervision. Construction roles often require a blend of technical know-how and soft skills, so make sure both are highlighted effectively.
How to prepare for a job interview at Poutrix
✨Brush Up on Technical Knowledge
For a construction role, it's crucial we have a solid grasp of industry standards, safety protocols, and specific tools used on-site. Make sure you're familiar with relevant regulations and can talk confidently about them, as these often come up in interviews.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Since this is a full-time position, be ready to discuss any previous construction projects you've worked on. Bring a portfolio or have detailed descriptions that highlight your role, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them—this’ll show you’re not just book-smart but also practically savvy.
✨Understand the Team Dynamics
Construction is all about teamwork, so prepare to discuss how you interact with different stakeholders like architects, engineers, and contractors. Maybe think of examples from past experiences to illustrate your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.
✨Prepare for On-the-Spot Problem Solving
Be ready for some practical questions or scenarios where you'll need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Interviewers might present you with a hypothetical construction issue to solve, so practice articulating your thought process clearly and logically—this could really set you apart!
