Project Manager in Carlisle

We’re looking for a motivated and detail-oriented Project Manager to join our Capital Delivery team. In this dynamic role, you’ll manage a portfolio of projects, supporting end-to-end delivery from planning through to completion. You’ll coordinate with internal teams and external stakeholders, remove delivery blockers, manage risks, and ensure projects meet time, cost, and quality targets. With a strong focus on communication, governance, and collaboration, you’ll play a key role in driving successful outcomes across strategic initiatives.

What you’ll do:

• Collaborate with Project Engineers and lead multi-disciplinary teams to deliver safe, efficient, and high-quality investment programmes aligned with business objectives.
• Develop and manage project plans, resource schedules, and reporting frameworks to ensure delivery to time, cost, quality, and safety standards (TCQi).
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, supply chain partners, and external bodies (e.g. NGOs, regulators, local councils) to ensure alignment and support across the programme.
• Manage risks, changes, and statutory approvals, escalating issues as needed to maintain progress and compliance.
• Ensure governance processes are followed, including regular updates to governance groups and acting as the client under CDM regulations.
• Promote a strong health and safety culture and ensure projects are designed and delivered with safety as a priority.
• Oversee programme reporting, stakeholder engagement, and coordination across business functions to support successful project outcomes.

What we’re looking for:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent industry experience.
• Qualified to APM or equivalent (this is desirable rather than essential).
• Evidence of thinking cross-functionally and cross-organisationally, beyond one’s own professional areas of specialism is important as is the ability to conceptualise new, collaborative ways of achieving shared goals.
• Demonstrable expertise of delivering programmes to challenging timelines, balancing conflicting project priorities to ensure the successful delivery of agreed programme benefits.
• The ability to influence commitment and responsibility of key stakeholders in delivering the schemes.
• Be well organised with a focus on results, standards and objectives on time to quality, within budget and to reprioritise, plan and organise own and others’ work effectively to ensure these are met.
• Have proficient influencing skills combined with the ability to manage a diverse customer base and the confidence to constructively challenge actions/decisions.
• Excellent financial planning / management skills to develop short, medium and long term plans with an ability to budget proactively with large, high-risk or volatile elements being identified and cross-referenced to project activity.

What we offer:

• A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service, in addition to 8 bank holidays.
• A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover.
• A 10.5% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements.
• A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme.
• Flexible and hybrid working.

About United Utilities:

United Utilities’ (UU) mission is to deliver high-quality water for a stronger, greener and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society. We are proud to be ranked #11 in The Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers List. We value diversity, inclusion and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves. We uphold our ethics, values and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long-term value for our colleagues, customers and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of.