Project Manager

Job Title:  Project Manager

Salary:  Competitive with benefits package

Location:  Manchester

Contract:  Permanent

About IES

IES Utilities Group Ltd is a leading UK utility Provider delivering end-to-end utility solutions. Our teams operate across Power, Gas, Water, Telecoms, District Heating and Renewables, where we provide survey, design, construction, and maintenance services nationwide. With a commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability, IES supports clients in building and maintaining resilient, future-ready infrastructure networks across the UK. Headquartered in Manchester, IES continues to grow as a trusted partner in the utilities sector.

Our Vision: To be the leading utility and infrastructure services provider, Known for innovative and sustainable solutions to current and future challenges.

Our Mission: To enable essential utility networks and infrastructure to achieve exceptional levels of resilience and long-term value

Role Summary

The Project Manager is responsible for the planning, delivery, governance and commercial performance of allocated water infrastructure projects. The role ensures operational activities meet the IES and respective client expectations for safety, quality, environmental, and regulatory requirements while delivering high performance in line with Ofwat standards, water company obligations, and customer experience expectations.

The role ensures all projects are delivered safely, on time, to quality standards and within budget, while maintaining compliance with regulatory, environmental and water company requirements. The postholder will lead cross functional delivery teams, manage project stakeholders, control risk, and ensure the highest levels of customer and client satisfaction across all project phases.

Key Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

1. 1. Project Delivery & Planning:
2. Lead end to end project delivery across clean water, wastewater, capital works and network improvement schemes.
3. Develop comprehensive project plans, programmes, resourcing schedules and delivery methodologies.
4. Ensure all works meet CDM, DWI, EA and water company technical requirements.
5. Manage project scope, change control, documentation and technical assurance.
6. Drive performance across time, cost, quality, safety and customer outcomes.
7. Ensure robust programme management in implemented and updates are provided to commercial team.

2. Governance, Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure adherence to Ofwat outcomes, DWI drinking water standards, EA regulations and company governance.
• Maintain strong project controls including risk registers, mitigation plans, audits, inspections and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with HS&E legislation, NRSWA, water hygiene requirements, environmental standards and quality management systems.
• Lead incident reporting, investigations and corrective/preventive actions.

3. Commercial & Financial Management

• Manage project budgets, forecasts, valuations, cost tracking and commercial reporting.
• Ensure early identification of commercial risks and opportunities.
• Work with commercial teams to manage subcontractors, procurement, compensation events and contract administration.
• Ability to accurately measure, record, and report work completed.
• Ability to identify, analyse, and assess project delays and their impacts.
• Management and administration of early warnings and compensation events in accordance with contractual requirements.
• Ability to administer, monitor, and manage subcontractor performance and compliance.
• Deliver projects in line with contract KPIs, unit rates and agreed commercial frameworks.

4. Stakeholder, Client & Partnership Management

• Act as the primary project interface for water company project managers, technical teams, field assurance, planners and asset leads.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with clients, partners, landowners and third-party stakeholders.
• Provide accurate project progress updates, dashboards, reports and forecasting.
• Support client meetings, audits, gateway reviews and programme boards.

5. Environmental Performance & Sustainability

• Deliver projects in line with WINEP, DWMP, WRMP and wider environmental programmes.
• Ensure environmental controls, pollution prevention, ecological protection and carbon aware working practices.
• Promote sustainable delivery methods and support environmental performance improvements.

6. Innovation, Digital Tools & Continuous Improvement

• Support adoption of digital construction, telemetry, smart network technologies and improved workflow scheduling.
• Promote innovation that enhances project safety, efficiency or customer experience.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities across delivery processes and performance.

7. Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead and motivate project engineers, site managers, supervisors and delivery teams. Promote a culture of accountability, safety and performance excellence.
• Contribute to competency management, training, SHEA Water, NRSWA and technical development of teams.
• Support resource planning, recruitment and succession planning across project functions.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Proven project management experience in the UK water sector (contractor or water company).
• Strong understanding of AMP cycles, regulatory frameworks, ODIs and water sector investment programmes.
• Experience delivering capital projects, network improvements, developer services or wastewater programmes.
• Strong knowledge of CDM, NRSWA, water hygiene, environmental regulations and quality standards.
• Excellent planning, communication, stakeholder and leadership skills.
• Strong commercial awareness including budgeting, forecasting and contract management.
• Track record of delivering complex water infrastructure projects safely, efficiently and compliantly.

Measures of Success:

• Delivery of projects on time, within budget and to required quality standards.
• Achievement of all contract KPIs including customer measures, environmental outcomes and safety performance.
• Cost Value Reconciliation performance against approved budgets and forecasts
• Achievement of SHEQ objectives and compliance with regulatory and company standards.
• Resource utilisation - Optimisation of resources to support programme delivery and commercial outcomes
• Positive client feedback and strengthened client relationships.
• Reduction in project risks, non compliance events and commercial exposure.
• High team engagement and effective cross functional collaboration.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary
• Supportive team environment
• Career Progression opportunities
• Pension
• Holiday allowance (25 days + Bank holidays)
• Other benefits

How to Apply

If you believe you have the skills and experience we're looking for, please submit your CV, including a brief covering note outlining your most relevant contract management or account management experience to [email protected]. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.