Project Manager

Are you an experienced Project Manager who enjoys taking ownership, solving problems and seeing projects through from start to finish?

Perhaps you have a background in construction, building services, electrical or mechanical installations, or another technical project environment where coordinating people, managing clients and keeping projects on track are all part of the job.

We're working exclusively with an established and growing technical services business to find a hands-on Project Manager who can take responsibility for project delivery, support the wider team and help drive standards as the business continues to grow.

This is an opportunity to join an SME where you'll have real influence over how projects are managed and delivered. You'll need to be comfortable getting involved at every stage, from reviewing contracts and agreeing expectations through to coordinating installations, resolving problems and ensuring everything is completed on time and to the required standard.

You don't need to come from the exact same industry. Relevant technical project management experience, a practical approach and the willingness to learn a specialist product and service offering are what matter most.

The role

You'll oversee multiple projects, taking ownership of their progress, quality and successful delivery. Working closely with clients, engineers, subcontractors and the internal administration team, you'll make sure everyone understands what's required, what's happening next and what needs to be done to meet agreed deadlines.

This is a hands-on position in a growing SME, so you'll need to be just as comfortable reviewing project documentation, supporting colleagues and resolving technical queries as you are managing clients, contracts and project plans.

You'll be trusted to use your initiative, identify risks early and challenge things when necessary. If a deadline is at risk, a resource isn't available or something isn't being delivered as agreed, you'll be expected to take action rather than wait for someone else to resolve it.

What you'll be responsible for

• Project delivery: Manage projects from initial handover and planning through to installation, testing, commissioning and final handover, ensuring agreed deadlines and requirements are met.
• Planning and coordination: Manage project schedules, resources, engineers and subcontractors, keeping multiple projects moving and identifying potential delays before they become problems.
• Contracts and commercial awareness: Review project requirements, understand contractual obligations, manage variations and ensure the work being delivered aligns with agreed scopes and expectations.
• Client management: Build strong working relationships, communicate progress clearly, manage expectations and address issues or push back where necessary to protect project delivery.
• Team leadership: Provide direction to colleagues and subcontractors, delegate effectively, follow up on actions and hold people accountable for their responsibilities.
• Technical support: Work alongside the project administration team, helping resolve technical queries, clarify project requirements and ensure the team has the information it needs to keep work progressing.
• Processes and standards: Develop, review and improve procedures, SOPs and ways of working to support consistency, efficiency and quality across projects.
• Performance and compliance: Monitor progress against agreed SLAs, contractual requirements and quality standards, ensuring documentation, records and handover information are accurate and complete.
• Problem-solving: Take ownership of issues, make informed decisions and use your initiative to get projects back on track when circumstances change.
• Continuous improvement: Look for practical ways to improve project delivery, team coordination and the overall customer experience.

What we're looking for

We're interested in people who have successfully managed technical projects and can demonstrate how they've applied sound project management principles in practice.

Your background could be in construction, building services, electrical or mechanical installations, fire and security, building technology or another related technical environment.

You'll need to be able to demonstrate experience of:

• Managing projects through their full lifecycle, from planning and coordination to completion and handover.
• Coordinating people, resources, contractors and competing priorities to meet agreed deadlines.
• Managing client relationships and communicating confidently when expectations, requirements or timescales need to be challenged.
• Monitoring project progress, identifying risks and taking action to prevent or resolve delays.
• Working with contracts, scopes of work, service levels, compliance requirements or similar delivery standards.
• Maintaining accurate project documentation and ensuring the technical and administrative details are properly managed.
• Taking ownership of problems and making decisions rather than relying on others to provide all the answers.

A recognised project management qualification, such as PRINCE2, would be beneficial. However, what matters most is how you've applied your project management knowledge in real situations. We'd like to hear about projects you've delivered, challenges you've overcome, how you've managed risks and how you've kept people accountable for getting the job done.

You don't need to have worked with the exact systems this business installs, but you should have a reasonable technical grounding and be confident working in an environment where mechanical, electrical or installation-related knowledge is relevant.

The person

This role will suit someone who likes being involved, takes pride in delivering a good job and doesn't need to be micromanaged.

You'll be someone who:

• Takes responsibility for outcomes and follows things through to completion.
• Is confident making decisions, using initiative and challenging people when necessary.
• Can balance the bigger project picture with the practical details that keep work moving.
• Is comfortable working directly with clients, engineers, contractors and internal teams.
• Understands that good project management involves communication, documentation, planning and accountability, not just tracking deadlines.
• Can adapt their approach when priorities change or problems arise.
• Is happy to roll up their sleeves and support colleagues rather than work in isolation.
• Is keen to learn, develop their technical knowledge and get to grips with a specialist industry.
• Wants to contribute ideas, improve processes and make a tangible difference within a growing business.

What about industry-specific experience?

The business works within a specialist area of technical installations, including Telecare, Warden Call, Nurse Call and associated life safety systems.

Experience in these areas would be an advantage, particularly knowledge of BS 5839-1 and BS 5839-6, but it isn't essential.

If you've successfully managed projects in construction, building services or a related installation environment, and can demonstrate the practical project management skills we're looking for, we'd be interested in hearing from you.

There will be a learning curve as you get to know the systems, standards and requirements of the industry. A willingness to learn, ask questions and build that knowledge is therefore important.

If you're a hands-on Project Manager who can bring structure, accountability and practical problem-solving to technical projects, and you're open to applying your experience in a new industry, we'd like to hear from you.