At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead exciting refurbishment and maintenance projects for Defence housing across London and Kent.
- Company: Join VIVO, a dynamic company dedicated to supporting the UK military and its families.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous leave, pension contributions, and private medical cover.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while managing diverse projects and enhancing community living standards.
- Qualifications: Proven project management experience in housing or property services is essential.
- Other info: Flexible working options available; we value diversity and inclusion in our team.
The predicted salary is between 33000 - 45000 £ per year.
VIVO provides facilities management and accommodation maintenance for the UK military and its partners. VIVO embodies both experience and innovation.
We put our Customers and Families First. They are the driving force behind everything we do. We drive forward improvements for them to ensure the service they receive, whether reactive repairs or a major project, is completed safely and on time. In order to achieve this, we have 4 core values: open, caring, agile and collaborative. These are at the heart of everything we do.
Location: Brompton Office to cover London and Kent - on site role
Position Type: Permanent, Full time
Salary: £38,000-£45,000 depending on experience
Role Overview: The Billable Works Manager plays a pivotal role in delivering a diverse programme of refurbishment, maintenance, and improvement projects across a substantial Defence housing portfolio of more than 30,000 properties. This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and highly motivated professional to join the Billable Works team, contributing directly to the successful planning, procurement, delivery, and close‑out of projects ranging from minor remedial works and full internal refurbishments through to major seven‑figure schemes. With VIVO delivering more than £100m of billable works each year, this role is central to ensuring projects meet time, cost, quality, and compliance expectations while maintaining an exceptional customer experience.
Operating within a large and rapidly developing organisation created to support the UK Defence estate, the Billable Works Manager oversees the full project lifecycle, from early scoping and design through procurement and delivery to final handover. Working closely with the Regional Manager, senior project managers, and maintenance teams, the role ensures that every project – whether a single small refurb or a complex £3m re‑roofing or external façade upgrade – is managed to rigorous contractual and compliance standards. The position demands a proactive and organised leader who is capable of managing high‑volume, fast‑paced works while maintaining strategic oversight, accuracy in reporting, and full adherence to company, MOD, and regulatory requirements.
A key focus of the role is effective supply‑chain management. The Billable Works Manager leads a network of contractors and suppliers, ensuring they are fully briefed, meet contract performance standards, and deliver value for money and consistently high‑quality outcomes. They ensure all works proceed in line with approved briefs, specifications, cost plans, and tender documentation, with robust adherence to Health & Safety legislation, including CDM and asbestos control regulations. Accurate record‑keeping, performance monitoring, and budget management are essential to ensure audit readiness and contractual compliance.
Strong relationship‑building skills are fundamental, as the role requires daily engagement with Service families, DIO representatives, internal teams, suppliers, and external partners. The Billable Works Manager maintains excellent communication throughout delivery, providing clear updates, managing expectations, resolving issues efficiently, and ensuring that customer satisfaction remains at the heart of every project. They also play an important role in safeguarding VIVO's reputation by upholding VIVO's values, promoting a one team culture, and working collaboratively across operational teams to secure successful outcomes.
In addition to operational delivery, the Billable Works Manager supports strategic objectives by preparing frequent performance and contract management reports, analysing programme data, forecasting spend, and identifying opportunities to improve process efficiency and compliance. They are responsible for scoping works accurately, identifying risks, providing technical guidance where required, and ensuring projects remain aligned with contractual, legal, and internal standards. This role also requires continuous professional development, proactive engagement with industry best practice, and an ongoing commitment to enhancing personal technical and leadership capability.
What You'll Bring: The ideal candidate brings proven project management experience within housing or property services, combined with strong commercial understanding, contractor management capability, and a structured approach to planning, reporting, and problem‑solving. They demonstrate excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, analytical and organisational skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast‑moving environment with varied priorities. A recognised construction or property qualification, SMSTS certification, and demonstrable commitment to CPD underpin their professional competence, supported by confident use of Microsoft Office tools including MS Project.
What We Offer: 6% employee matched pension contribution, 25 days annual leave, Single private medical cover, Company car/car allowance, Life assurance 2x annual salary.
At VIVO, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. Therefore, we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working and operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly a Disability Confident Leader. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.
Billable Works Project Manager - London & Kent employer: VIVO Defence
Contact Detail:
VIVO Defence Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Billable Works Project Manager - London & Kent
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching VIVO and understanding their core values. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their mission of putting customers and families first. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your responses to common interview questions, but keep it natural. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and highlight your project management skills effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’d be a perfect fit for the Billable Works team.
We think you need these skills to ace Billable Works Project Manager - London & Kent
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Billable Works Project Manager role. Highlight your project management experience, especially in housing or property services, to show us you’re the right fit!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you’re passionate about this role and how your values align with VIVO's core principles of being open, caring, agile, and collaborative.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to manage projects effectively. We love seeing quantifiable results, so if you’ve saved costs or improved processes, let us know!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at VIVO Defence
✨Know Your Projects Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the types of projects VIVO handles. Familiarise yourself with their approach to refurbishment and maintenance, especially in the context of Defence housing. This will help you demonstrate your knowledge and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Emphasise Your Leadership Skills
As a Billable Works Project Manager, you'll need to showcase your ability to lead teams and manage contractors effectively. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led a project or resolved conflicts within a team. This will highlight your capability to maintain high standards and ensure customer satisfaction.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Abilities
VIVO values proactive problem solvers. Think of specific challenges you've faced in previous roles and how you overcame them. Be ready to discuss how you can apply these skills to manage the complexities of high-volume works while adhering to compliance and quality standards.
✨Align with VIVO's Core Values
Familiarise yourself with VIVO's core values: open, caring, agile, and collaborative. During the interview, weave these values into your responses. Show how your personal values align with theirs and how you can contribute to fostering a positive team culture and exceptional customer experience.