Project Manager (18 month fixed term contract)

We are currently looking for a Project Manager to join our high performing delivery team; overseeing our 2024 £20m programme of externally funded projects.

Our projects focus on ensuring more people have access and ability to use our towpath and waterway network and ultimately benefit millions of people across England & Wales.

Towpath improvement schemes funded by DfT, Sustrans', local authorities form the core of the work, but National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England and a wide range of other funders allow us to deliver a range of projects including biodiversity improvements, interpretation and listed building work.

You will use your skills and expertise to develop projects from start to finish, work with our teams of third-party funders, heritage managers, ecologists, engineers, funders and local communities and of course our contractors.

You will look for efficiencies and opportunities and be accountable for project safety. Delivering to the highest standard.

As one of our Project Managers you will be within the Project Delivery Team and play an important role in supporting our vision and delivering our Waterways and Wellbeing strategy ensuring our national waterways, are improved, managed & maintained for our visitors, customers & service users to benefit from.

You may be new to project management; we will provide training and support from our Senior Project Managers.

Location & coverage

Offered on a remote working basis, with a requirement to attend our main hub spaces as and when required for team working and collaborative meetings.

Significant travel throughout the regional waterway network will also be expected to enable site visits and to conduct improvements.,

• Manage projects in accordance with the Trust's Health and Safety policy and defined standards to ensure compliance. Work safely at all times, ensuring the safety of others and contribute to safe working in all activities.


• Capture project requirements, assess customer and stakeholder impact, and prepare a business case to justify investment in a project.


• Develop, implement and monitor a schedule of project activities and key milestones to achieve the project objectives.


• Provide financial and cost management, budgeting and cost control. Estimate and justify project costs, whilst controlling actual costs and forecasts against the agreed budgets.


• Manage risks, issues and changes on the project.


• Maintain communications with stakeholders and the project team / organisation to satisfy their differing needs.


• With assistance from others, manage all contracts applicable to the project (e.g., NEC ECC, NEC PSC), administering all their aspects to ensure commercial control and compliance.


Carry out the role of the Project Manager and Supervisor as defined in the NEC.

• Provide environmental management by appraising the environmental impact of the project activities and ensuring that all controls and requirements are implemented and actioned.


• Handover and closure of the project in a controlled manner highlighting any areas for improvements or elements of good practice to be considered in future projects.


• Always display the Trust values and behaviours at all times. Ensure that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust's policies and values.
  
  HND (or equivalent) in a related discipline e.g., Civil Engineering, Project Management.


• Valid UK driving licence - Car Cash allowance & regional / national travel, including to remote locations is expected.


Experience :

• Previous Project Management experience of successfully managing multiple low / medium complexity projects


• Knowledge of project management processes and systems.


• Some experience of administration of NEC ECC form of contract.


• Experience of finance control of project delivery.


General skills :

• Possess good communication skills both verbal and written. Be able to manage stakeholders, taking account influence and impact.


• Ability to prepare and maintain schedules for activities and events for projects, taking account of dependencies and resource requirements.


• Develop and agree budgets for projects and control forecast and actual costs against budget.


• Be good at problem solving and be able to resolve conflicts.


• Open, positive, can-do attitude which builds confidence and credibility both within the team and stakeholders.


• Possess good IT skills. Use of MS project would be an advantage.
  
  Every role across the Trust plays its part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better, bringing wellbeing benefits to millions.
  
  In this role you will be working with a diverse range of stakeholders and partners planning and delivering our third party funded projects.


You will be managing projects of low / medium risk and / or low / medium complexity by applying processes, methods, knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the project objectives.

Towpath projects will range from £50,000 to £1,000,000 in value and be delivered with our framework contractors.

You don't need to have worked in a charity before, but we believe we can offer you an exciting change of environment and impactful projects to support and manage.

Our towpaths and various historic assets provide a refreshing backdrop and unique working environment. As a Project Manager with the Canal & River Trust you will further develop your skill set and project management career alongside our canals and waterways, in an organisation that values wellbeing and work life balance., In addition to your annual base salary of £34,000 - £39,500 , we also offer Car Cash Allowance (£390 per month), a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits we are also open to flexible working arrangements. These include :

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.


• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years.


• Home working status with hub' facilities available should you need the flexibility to work outside of home.


• Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity.


• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.


• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.


• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.


• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.


At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust.

We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.