The OHL Construction Manager is responsible for leading, managing, and delivering all Overhead Line (OHL) construction activities across the ED2 Framework and ASTI programmes within the SHEPD licence area. The role provides senior site‑based leadership, ensures full compliance with SSEN/SHEPD standards and CDM 2015 Principal Contractor duties, and coordinates multi‑discipline teams to deliver works safely, efficiently, and to programme.
- Lead and manage all OHL construction activities, providing day-to-day leadership to OHL teams, subcontractors, and multi-discipline crews, ensuring safe, efficient delivery aligned with ED2 and ASTI programme milestones, SHEPD specifications, SSEN standards, and ED2 governance, while overseeing site mobilisation, compound setup, welfare, traffic management, access arrangements, and driving productivity, safety culture, and high-quality workmanship.
- Plan, coordinate, and control OHL construction by implementing programmes, work packs, drawings, permits, and RAMS; coordinating outages, switching requirements, and network access with SSEN representatives; ensuring compliant materials, plant, and specialist OHL equipment are available; and working closely with Project Managers to provide progress updates, identify risks, and resolve issues.
- Lead safety, quality, and compliance by acting as the on-site lead for OHL CDM compliance and Principal Contractor duties, conducting daily briefings, toolbox talks, safety inspections, and behavioural safety interventions, ensuring RAMS, permits, and safety documentation are approved before work commences, and overseeing quality assurance including ITPs, pole inspections, conductor installation checks, and as-built documentation.
- Manage stakeholder relationships and site interfaces by acting as the primary site contact for SSEN, landowners, local authorities, and third parties, maintaining effective communication between OHL, civils, cabling, and substation teams, supporting community engagement and public interface concerns, and providing regular progress, risk, and issue updates to Project Managers and SHEPD representatives.
- Maintain document control, reporting, and commercial support by keeping accurate OHL construction records (including permits, drawings, daily diaries, delivery tickets, test results, and inspection reports), producing weekly ED2 governance reports and dashboards, ensuring documentation complies with SSEN and ED2 requirements, assisting with procurement of OHL materials, plant, and specialist subcontractors, tracking variations and scope changes, and supporting cost control, forecasting, and productivity monitoring across OHL workstreams.
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Proven experience as an OHL Construction Manager or senior OHL Site Manager in utilities, power, or infrastructure.
- Strong understanding of SSEN/SHEPD standards and ED2/ASTI programme requirements.
- Knowledge of CDM 2015 and Principal Contractor responsibilities.
- Excellent organisational, leadership, and communication skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and site‑based reporting tools.
- Experience delivering multi‑discipline works (civils, cabling, substations).
- Knowledge of SSEN permit systems, switching processes, and network access.
- Understanding of quality assurance processes and document control systems.
At OCU Group, we don’t just deliver infrastructure - we help power modern life.
As one of the UK’s fastest-growing utility and infrastructure businesses, we deliver complex, nationally critical projects across power, energy transition, water, telecoms, and digital infrastructure. Over the last five years, OCU has grown five-fold to a £1.1bn organisation, expanding both organically and through strategic acquisitions across the UK, Australia, New Zealand and India.
Our growth is driven by ambitious people, operational excellence, and a commitment to doing things properly. We work on projects that genuinely matter by supporting the UK’s energy transition, strengthening essential infrastructure, and helping build more sustainable communities for the future.
Whether you’re an experienced professional looking to take ownership of major projects and influence delivery at scale, or someone starting your career through an apprenticeship, graduate programme, or placement route, OCU offers real opportunity to grow, develop, and make an impact.
We are building a business where high performance, collaboration, innovation, and accountability sit at the centre of our culture. Our people are trusted to lead, encouraged to challenge thinking, and supported to continuously develop their skills and careers.
At OCU, you won’t just join a growing business, you’ll help shape it.
Our Culture & Values
At OCU, our values are at the heart of everything we do. We care about safety, lead with integrity, strive to be better every day, make a positive impact, and deliver to grow, together, as One Company United.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
At OCU Group, we believe diversity, inclusion, and belonging are fundamental to building stronger teams, better ideas, and a more successful business. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.
As part of our commitment to fairness and equality, candidates may be asked to complete an equal opportunities monitoring form during the recruitment process. This information is used for monitoring purposes only and plays no part in hiring decisions.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and are committed to offering interviews to candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions who meet the essential criteria for the role.
To ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to join our team, please inform us if you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment and interview process is, by emailing
[email protected].
