About the Trust
We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?
Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.
Join Our Team: Project Manager Opportunity
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
Are you an experienced Project Manager interested in putting your project management expertise into practice to ultimately benefit millions of people?
We are looking for a Project Manager to join our Infrastructure and Programme Delivery (IPD) North West team; playing an important role in supporting our vision and delivering our Waterways and Wellbeing strategy. You will be involved in a range of projects that will ensure our existing national waterways, reservoirs and infrastructure are managed and maintained, as well as being fundamental in bringing new developments and improvements to life for our visitors, customers and service users.
Working Hours & Location
This role follows 37 hours, Monday to Friday working pattern. Travel throughout the North West waterway network will also be expected to enable site visits and face to face meetings. This could include visits to Leeds Liverpool Canal, Lancaster Canal, Ribble Link, Reservoirs along the Leeds Liverpool Canal, Glasson Branch. See our network here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers
A valid UK driving license and access to a vehicle is therefore essential.
Hubs include Ellesmere Port or Burnley.
Role Overview
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.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage projects in accordance with the Trust’s Health and Safety policy and defined standards to ensure compliance. Always Work safely, 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.
About You
You’re a driven project professional with strong knowledge of project management processes and hands-on experience delivering multiple low–medium complexity projects. Confident working with NEC contracts and project finance, you keep schedules tight, budgets on track, and stakeholders aligned. With a positive, can do attitude and great communication skills, you bring clarity, momentum, and control to every project.
Skills & Qualifications
Qualifications:
- 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.
Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at
[email protected]. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
In addition to your annual base salary of £35,000 - £40,750, we also offer Car Cash Allowance (£390 per month), a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: EVP - 1.
Learn more: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits
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Our values
We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.
We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.
All of our jobs can be considered on a part time, flexible or job share basis.
We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourage you from applying under the scheme.
At Canal & River Trust, we are committed to fair, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices. As part of our hiring process, we may use AI to analyse applications and support us work more efficiently. However, all hiring decisions – without exception - are made by our hiring managers.
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us
