Lead Project Manager

Our Water sector client are seeking a Lead Project Manager to lead on their AMP8 infrastructure projects on a permanent, hybrid working basis out of Peterborough or Norwich offices.

Working as a Lead Project Manager you will be responsible for delivering Contract Management, Administration and Assurance services across our clients' Alliances/Tier 1 Supply Chain). This role involves the contract and commercial management of NEC3 PSC & ECC contracts called off under the Alliance Agreements. You will be responsible for driving and enabling the team in managing multiple projects which sit under an investment portfolio, ranging in value between circa £1.5million and £50million. The role will report to a "Senior Project Manager".

Your role will be to drive and enable teams of Project Managers to:

• support Integrated Delivery Teams, Business Units and Framework Users in providing robust Commercial and Contract Management practices.
• support the collaborative and proactive approach of Contract management and Assurance to enable efficient project delivery.
• support embedding a collaborative mindset and approach within Alliances and Supply Chain ecosystem to deliver against our Customer and Business needs.
• support the delivery teams/business units and help ensure Alliances maximises efficiencies, delivers outperformance, and promotes a collaborative approach.

Responsibilities/Accountabilities

• As a Lead Project Manager, you will be accountable for robust administration and execution of the NEC contracts across Alliances.
• Lead in development and implementation of Contract Management strategy and Assurance Framework across the stakeholder network
• Implement best practice for delivering and formalising the Project Management actions with relation to NEC3/4 contracts across Alliances and Supply Chain ecosystem.
• Provide contract and commercial leadership to the PM teams and other project stakeholders.
• Provide contract and commercial expertise to the PM teams and Alliance delivery vehicles with effective management ensuring change control is administered correctly and in accordance with the contract provisions.
• Be responsible for effective change control ensuring Early Warnings are raised and Risk Reduction Meetings are held regularly.
• Provide active leadership and training to internal Business users with the operation and administration of the framework agreements, including providing assurance on compliance with Contractual Obligations of the NEC contracts entered into under those framework agreements.
• Guide the PM teams in dispute avoidance
• Promote collaboration by establishing mutually beneficial relationships across the stakeholder network.
• Lead in the timely resolution of any contractual issues that arise.
• Support the Commercial Services and Assurance team in assurance activities and conclude actions as required.
• You will be a leader in assurance and a key decision maker and may be required to attend more senior boards and meetings from time to time.
• Where necessary provide robust challenge to achieve outperformance, communicate change and escalate when necessary.
• Lead routine assurance activities across the Alliance, such as Final Account reviews, Tier 2 Contract Reviews, Cost Validation and Assurance, Defect management and close out.
• Support the Procurement team with preparing procurement strategies and NEC price options and Secondary Options needed to support the procurement strategy.
• Lead in ensuring compliance with Payments, Payment assessments, Final Assessments, issuance of certificates as required under the NEC contracts.
• Ensure that proper records are kept and maintained so financial information for audits and cost assurance is readily available.
• Ensure Tier 2 Contracts are sufficiently drafted and fit for purpose and undertake routine assurance activities and reporting findings.
• Produce insights/reports on ECC PM teams, Alliances and project performance (including key performance metrics) and compliance against contractual obligations, and proactive identification of issues and risks, including formalising recommendations for improvements.
• Formulate, implement, and manage strategies to address instances of non-compliance with contractual obligations.
• Lead project performance reviews conducted monthly or periodically including implementation of any actions arising from such reviews.
• Obtain customer feedback from the stakeholder network.
• Implement initiatives which drive best practice or promote safe effective and efficient delivery.
• Active engagement of the ECC PM teams to drive and enable the performance of the teams in discharging their activities and functions professionally and consistently
• Ensuring PSC and ECC contracts are drafted, agreed, executed, managed and completed professionally and consistently across the ECC PM teams to support the capital delivery programme and governance approval.
• Managing Client project governance protocols.
• Provide Contract Management support in the various programme boards and governance groups.
• Promote an open and honest culture amongst the team so that objectives and knowledge are shared in a collaborative environment.
• Engagement with stakeholders not only within the delivery routes but across the wider business and externally.
• Promoting Contract and Commercial Awareness ensuring that all Business Units and Framework Users understand the commercial and contractual arrangements.

Skills/experience/qualifications

• Degree in construction/engineering/science subject
• NEC 3 or NEC 4 Project Manager Accreditation
• Highly capable and extensive experience in contract and commercial management.
• Significant project management knowledge and experience of a design and construction environment.
• Demonstrable working knowledge of NEC contract management tools.
• Well-developed decision-making capability
• Experience in managing and developing teams
• Experience in independently running assurance activities within an NEC contract
• Must be commutable to Peterborough or Norwich

Benefits

• Salary circa £70 -85k per annum
• Car/Car allowance
• 2/3 days in Peterborough or Norwich - hybrid working
• 25 days leave plus bank holidays
• Holiday buy/sell
• Private Medical
• Double matched pension scheme