Job Advert
Job Summary:
The Senior Project Manager – Tunnelling is responsible for leading the successful development, procurement, planning, and delivery of major tunnelling and underground infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland.
The role spans both the pre-contract and post-contract phases of projects, providing leadership throughout the project lifecycle from opportunity development and tendering through to construction delivery, commissioning, and close-out.
The position requires extensive experience in the planning and delivery of complex tunnelling works, including TBM, SCL/NATM, drill and blast, shafts, mined structures, cut-and-cover tunnels, underground stations, utility tunnels, and associated civil engineering works. The Senior Project Manager shall ensure that projects are delivered safely, efficiently, sustainably, and profitably whilst maintaining the highest standards of quality, environmental performance, stakeholder engagement, and client satisfaction. A key responsibility of the role is ensuring continuity between tender assumptions and project execution through a structured handover process and ongoing support during mobilisation and early delivery
Key Responsibilities:
1. Tendering & Preconstruction Leadership
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Lead the development of tender strategies, delivery approaches and construction methodologies for major tunnelling and underground infrastructure opportunities, ensuring alignment with client requirements, project constraints and business objectives.
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Provide technical leadership during the preconstruction phase, including buildability reviews, methodology development, logistics planning, temporary works strategies, programme development and risk management for complex tunnelling schemes.
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Coordinate multidisciplinary bid teams, integrating engineering, construction, commercial, planning, procurement, HSWQE and ESG functions to develop robust, innovative and competitive tender submissions.
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Lead value engineering, opportunity management and risk workshops to optimise project solutions, improve certainty of delivery and maximise project profitability.
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Support client engagement, Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), tender interviews and stakeholder workshops, acting as a senior technical representative and contributing to the development of long-term client relationships.
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Review contract requirements, project risks, operational constraints and commercial assumptions to ensure tender proposals are fully deliverable and aligned with business objectives. [
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Ensure compliance with internal governance processes, supporting bid reviews, approval procedures and strategic decision-making throughout the tender lifecycle.
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Lead the transition from tendering to delivery through a structured mobilisation and handover process, ensuring effective transfer of bid assumptions, risk registers, methodologies, commercial commitments, programme constraints and key stakeholder requirements to the project team.
2. Project Delivery Leadership
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Lead the safe, successful and profitable delivery of tunnelling projects from contract award through to completion, ensuring achievement of safety, programme, cost, quality and client satisfaction objectives.
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Direct and coordinate multidisciplinary project teams, ensuring effective integration of engineering, construction, commercial, planning, procurement and HSWQE functions throughout the project lifecycle.
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Manage project risks, opportunities, resources and interfaces, implementing proactive mitigation measures and driving timely, informed decision-making.
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Maintain and develop strong relationships with clients, designers, supply chain partners, statutory authorities and other key stakeholders, acting as the senior project representative.
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Oversee project controls, governance, cost management, forecasting, reporting and contractual compliance, ensuring accurate performance monitoring and effective management of change.
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Lead commissioning, testing, handover and close-out activities, ensuring all contractual, technical, quality and operational requirements are achieved and lessons learned are captured.
3. Leadership, Safety & Business Excellence
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Champion the highest standards of Health, Safety, Wellbeing, Quality and Environmental (HSWQE) performance, embedding a strong safety culture throughout both tendering and delivery phases.
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Promote sustainability, innovation and continuous improvement, ensuring Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives are integrated into project planning, procurement and delivery activities.
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Lead, mentor and develop project teams, fostering collaboration, professional development and high performance across all project functions.
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Contribute to the growth and continuous improvement of the UK & Ireland business by sharing knowledge, supporting strategic initiatives and strengthening tunnelling capability across both preconstruction and delivery functions.
Technical Skills and Competencies:
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Extensive expertise in major tunnelling and underground construction projects.
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Strong understanding of geotechnical engineering and tunnelling risk management.
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Proven leadership of multidisciplinary project teams.
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Strong commercial and contractual awareness, particularly NEC and FIDIC contracts.
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Ability to lead complex stakeholder environments.
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Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
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Strong understanding of project controls, planning, risk management, and cost management.
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Demonstrable experience managing major infrastructure projects in highly regulated environments.
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Strong knowledge of HSWQE management systems and ESG requirements.
Qualifications, Certifications and Experience:
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Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related discipline.
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Chartered Engineer (CEng), Chartered Construction Manager, or equivalent professional accreditation desirable.
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Experience in major tunnelling or underground infrastructure projects.
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Proven experience leading projects through both tendering and delivery phases.
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Experience on major UK infrastructure projects such as rail, metro, highways, water, utility or energy sectors.
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SMSTS certification.
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CSCS Black Card or equivalent.
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Temporary Works and Tunnelling Safety training desirable.
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Knowledge of UK CDM Regulations and relevant tunnelling industry guidance.
Dragados Values:
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Excellence: Promoting innovation, development, training and continuous improvement to achieve the highest quality of project delivery.
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Integrity: Acting ethically and transparently. Demanding the best standards of integrity from its employees, suppliers and other stakeholders.
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Trust: Nurturing positive relationships at all levels of the organisation, with our clients and supply chain by developing strong and long-term relationships based on mutual trust.
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Sustainability: Commitment to sustainable development to make an efficient and ethically responsible contribution to society and the environment.
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Profitability: Ensuring our profitability as well as contributing value to the communities in which we operate as part of our sustainability agenda.
Dragados is committed to act based on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles. Equal opportunities, non-discrimination and respect for human rights are basic principles contained in the Dragados Code of Conduct that apply to all Dragados employees.
