Project Manager in South Harting

Location: Flexible (Kent/ Sussex/ Hampshire) - Hybrid working, with approximately two days per week in Falmer and/or occasional site visits. A driving licence is desirable.

Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent

Salary: circa £55,000 depending on skills and experience, plus benefits.

Benefits: We offer a wide variety of benefits and support services for our employees. Alongside a competitive workplace pension, you'll benefit from a minimum of 28 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays), a health cash plan, employee shopping discounts, many professional training opportunities and much more.

Job Overview: This is an exciting opportunity to join one of our Capital Delivery Teams within Southern Water and play a key role in delivering our largest infrastructure and environmental investment programme to date. The team’s portfolio combines major wastewater improvements delivered through Strategic Delivery Partners (SDPs), a high-profile bioresources programme using a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Maintain (DBFOM) delivery model, and Southern Water's only wastewater scheme within Ofwat's Large Scheme Gated programme. Whether you bring experience from water, energy, transport, defence, utilities, construction or other major infrastructure sectors, this is an opportunity to deliver projects that will have a lasting impact on customers, communities and the environment.

Why join us?

• Be part of a £7.8bn investment programme that will shape the future of water and wastewater services across the South East.
• Work on high-profile, complex projects with significant senior stakeholder visibility.
• Gain exposure to a diverse range of delivery and procurement models.
• Collaborate with experienced industry professionals across engineering, commercial, planning and programme management disciplines.
• Make a tangible contribution to improving environmental outcomes in the wastewater industry in the southeast.

What you will be responsible for:

• Lead the delivery of wastewater non-infrastructure (above-ground) projects, ensuring they are completed safely, on time, within budget and to the required quality standards.
• Manage project budgets ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of pounds, ensuring effective cost control, forecasting and financial reporting.
• Develop and maintain project plans, schedules and delivery strategies to achieve project objectives.
• Lead project governance and assurance activities, providing clear reporting and supporting robust decision-making processes.
• Support the development of business cases, investment approvals and project funding submissions.
• Identify, assess and manage project risks, issues and opportunities, implementing effective mitigation strategies where required.
• Balance scope, cost, quality and schedule requirements to deliver sustainable and value-driven outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including Ofwat, the Environment Agency, Local Planning Authorities, delivery partners and contractors.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, fostering collaboration, accountability and effective communication across all project stakeholders.
• Manage the performance of delivery partners, ensuring contractual obligations, project outcomes and strategic objectives are achieved.
• Drive the successful realisation of project benefits and alignment with Southern Water's wider business objectives.
• Ensure compliance with CDM Regulations 2015 and all applicable legislation, regulatory requirements and internal governance standards.

What we're looking for:

• Experience delivering complex capital projects or programmes, ideally within infrastructure, utilities, construction or other regulated industries.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and engage a wide range of technical, commercial and regulatory stakeholders.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach, with strong problem-solving, analytical and decision-making skills.
• Experience developing or contributing to business cases and investment approvals.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience managing project budgets, including forecasting, cost control, financial reporting and performance against forecast.
• Experience identifying and managing project risks, issues and dependencies.
• Resilience, adaptability and the ability to work effectively through ambiguity and change.
• Familiarity with NEC contracts or similar contract management frameworks.

Desirable qualifications and experience:

• Understanding of planning, permitting and environmental consenting processes.
• Experience working with a variety of procurement and delivery models.
• Experience delivering projects within a regulated environment.
• Experience within the wastewater sector is beneficial; however, we welcome applications from candidates with transferable skills and experience from other industries.
• Knowledge or experience of DBFOM, PFI or other privately financed infrastructure delivery models would be advantageous, particularly for our bioresources programme.
• Professional project management qualifications (e.g. APM, PRINCE2 or equivalent).
• NEC accreditation or relevant contract management qualifications.

At Southern Water, we recognise that great project managers come from a wide range of backgrounds and know that no candidate meets every requirement perfectly. If you're excited by the opportunity to lead major infrastructure projects, work with talented colleagues and contribute to protecting and improving the environment, we'd love to hear from you. Your experience, perspective and potential are what matter most.

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed. You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation.

Our Commitment to Diversity: We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additional information: In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre-employment checks, including security vetting. Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.