Project Manager – Major Tier One Contractor / Fit-Out & Refurbishment

About the Company

A leading UK construction and property services organisation is seeking an experienced Project Manager to join its specialist refurbishment, fit-out and building enhancement division.
The business delivers complex construction, refurbishment, fit-out and maintenance-related projects across a broad range of sectors, with particular expertise in working within existing, occupied, operational and sensitive environments.
Its portfolio includes projects across sectors such as commercial offices, retail, education, healthcare, government, defence, justice, residential and other public and private-sector environments. Projects vary considerably in scale and complexity, from smaller planned refurbishment programmes through to substantial multi-million-pound schemes involving multiple workstreams, specialist subcontractors and significant stakeholder requirements.

A key differentiator of the business is its ability to deliver construction and refurbishment works while buildings remain operational. This requires a highly coordinated approach to programme management, logistics, stakeholder engagement, health and safety, quality and risk management.
The organisation operates with a strong focus on collaboration, safety, sustainability, customer service, technical quality and commercial performance, working closely with clients, consultants, supply-chain partners and internal teams to deliver successful outcomes.
The successful candidate will play a key role in managing projects from initial mobilisation through to completion and handover, taking responsibility for the overall coordination and delivery of assigned projects.

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The Role

As Project Manager, you will have overall responsibility for the successful delivery of construction, refurbishment and fit-out projects.
You will lead the project team and coordinate the activities of internal departments, consultants, subcontractors, suppliers and client representatives to ensure projects are delivered safely, on programme, within budget and to the required quality standards.

This is a hands-on project leadership position requiring someone who is comfortable operating in a fast-paced construction environment and capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
You will be expected to provide clear leadership from pre-construction and mobilisation through to practical completion, commissioning, handover and close-out.

The role will involve significant interaction with clients and senior stakeholders, meaning strong communication, commercial awareness and relationship-management skills are essential.
You will also be expected to identify potential issues before they become problems, establish appropriate controls and drive solutions across the project team.

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Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Delivery

• Take overall responsibility for the successful delivery of allocated projects.
• Lead the project team throughout the full project lifecycle.
• Establish project objectives, delivery strategies and key milestones.
• Develop and maintain a clear project delivery plan.
• Ensure all members of the project team understand their responsibilities, deliverables and deadlines.
• Coordinate construction, design, commercial, procurement, planning and operational activities.
• Monitor project performance against agreed objectives.
• Ensure projects are delivered in accordance with contractual requirements.
• Provide visible leadership throughout the project.
• Drive a proactive approach to project delivery, identifying risks and opportunities at an early stage.
• Ensure effective communication between all project stakeholders.
• Establish clear lines of responsibility and accountability across the project team.

Pre-Construction & Mobilisation

• Support the transition of projects from tender/pre-construction into delivery.
• Review contract documentation, scope, specifications, drawings and project requirements.
• Identify potential delivery risks and constraints before works commence.
• Develop mobilisation plans and ensure all necessary resources are in place.
• Establish project governance, reporting structures and meeting schedules.
• Coordinate early contractor involvement where appropriate.
• Work with design and commercial teams to ensure the project is sufficiently developed before construction.
• Review construction methodologies and sequencing.
• Ensure appropriate site logistics and access arrangements are established.
• Coordinate mobilisation with the client and relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure required permits, approvals, surveys and documentation are in place.

Programme Management

• Take ownership of the project programme and delivery milestones.
• Work closely with planners, site management and subcontractors to establish realistic programmes.
• Monitor progress against baseline programmes.
• Identify delays, critical-path issues and potential programme risks.
• Develop and implement recovery plans where required.
• Coordinate multiple trades and work packages to ensure efficient sequencing.
• Ensure design, procurement and construction activities are appropriately integrated.
• Monitor key procurement dates and long-lead items.
• Ensure project milestones are achieved.
• Communicate programme performance clearly to the client and senior management.
• Challenge programme assumptions and ensure commitments are realistic and achievable.

Commercial & Financial Management

• Work closely with the Quantity Surveyor and commercial team to maintain strong project financial performance.
• Understand the commercial requirements of the project and contractual obligations.
• Monitor project expenditure and forecast final costs.
• Identify commercial risks and opportunities.
• Ensure changes and variations are identified, recorded and managed appropriately.
• Support the management of client instructions and change control.
• Monitor subcontractor performance and commercial exposure.
• Ensure project decisions consider their financial impact.
• Participate in commercial reviews and project performance meetings.
• Support the preparation of monthly project reports.
• Ensure financial and operational forecasts are accurate and up to date.
• Drive value engineering and cost-saving opportunities where appropriate without compromising quality, safety or functionality.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a key point of contact for the client throughout project delivery.
• Develop strong and professional relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Understand the client's objectives, operational requirements and expectations.
• Lead regular client progress meetings.
• Provide clear and accurate project updates.
• Manage expectations around programme, cost, quality and risk.
• Deal proactively with client concerns and issues.
• Ensure agreed actions are followed through to completion.
• Build confidence and trust through transparent communication.
• Work collaboratively with consultants, designers, end users and other stakeholders.
• Maintain strong relationships while ensuring contractual and commercial interests are appropriately protected.

Construction & Site Coordination

• Work closely with Site Managers and operational teams to ensure effective project delivery.
• Monitor site progress and construction activities.
• Ensure works are appropriately sequenced and coordinated.
• Resolve technical and operational issues promptly.
• Coordinate subcontractors and specialist contractors.
• Ensure adequate resources are available to meet project requirements.
• Review construction methodologies and logistics.
• Ensure site operations remain aligned with the overall project programme.
• Support the resolution of design and construction interfaces.
• Ensure completed works meet the required specification and performance standards.

Live / Occupied Environment Delivery

A significant element of the role may involve managing works within operational or occupied buildings, where maintaining business continuity and minimising disruption is critical.

Responsibilities may therefore include:

• Developing construction strategies suitable for live environments.
• Coordinating works around occupied areas.
• Planning noisy, disruptive or high-risk activities appropriately.
• Managing phased handovers and sectional completion.
• Coordinating temporary works, access routes and protection measures.
• Managing interfaces between construction activities and building users.
• Working with clients to agree shutdowns, isolations and access requirements.
• Maintaining safe separation between construction activities and building occupants.
• Managing logistics within constrained operational environments.
• Communicating upcoming disruptive works well in advance.
• Ensuring the project team understands the client's operational constraints.
• Balancing construction efficiency with the requirement to maintain business continuity.

Health, Safety & Environmental Management

• Promote a strong health and safety culture throughout the project.
• Ensure project activities are planned and delivered in accordance with applicable legislation, company standards and project requirements.
• Work closely with the Health & Safety team and site management.
• Ensure appropriate risk assessments and method statements are in place.
• Review project-specific risks and control measures.
• Ensure construction activities are appropriately supervised.
• Challenge unsafe practices and behaviours.
• Support regular site inspections and audits.
• Ensure incidents, near misses and observations are appropriately reported and investigated.
• Promote environmental responsibility and sustainable construction practices.
• Ensure waste, energy, materials and environmental impacts are appropriately managed.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping and site management.

Quality Management

• Ensure projects are delivered in accordance with drawings, specifications and contractual requirements.
• Promote a right-first-time approach to construction.
• Work with site teams and subcontractors to establish quality standards.
• Monitor inspection and test requirements.
• Ensure quality records and documentation are maintained.
• Identify defects and ensure corrective actions are completed.
• Manage snagging and close-out processes.
• Coordinate testing, commissioning and verification activities.
• Ensure completed works are ready for client inspection and handover.
• Drive continuous improvement throughout project delivery.

Design & Technical Coordination

• Coordinate design development and construction requirements.
• Work closely with Design Managers, consultants, architects and engineers.
• Monitor design deliverables against programme requirements.
• Identify design gaps, clashes and inconsistencies.
• Ensure design information is available when required by the construction team.
• Coordinate technical queries and requests for information.
• Manage design changes and ensure appropriate approvals are obtained.
• Ensure construction teams are working from the latest approved information.
• Coordinate design interfaces between different disciplines and subcontractors.
• Support value engineering and buildability reviews.

Procurement & Supply Chain

• Work collaboratively with procurement and commercial teams to ensure timely procurement.
• Identify long-lead materials, equipment and specialist subcontractors.
• Monitor procurement schedules against the project programme.
• Ensure subcontractors and suppliers understand project requirements.
• Monitor supply-chain performance.
• Address procurement delays and risks.
• Ensure materials and specialist services meet the required standards.
• Support subcontractor selection and package strategy where appropriate.
• Develop effective working relationships with supply-chain partners.

Risk & Opportunity Management

• Establish and maintain a project risk register.
• Identify project risks across programme, cost, design, procurement, construction, safety and stakeholder management.
• Develop appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Monitor risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Escalate significant risks appropriately.
• Identify opportunities to improve programme, cost, quality or delivery.
• Ensure risk management becomes part of day-to-day project decision-making.

Reporting & Governance

• Prepare regular project reports for senior management and clients.
• Report on programme, cost, risk, quality, safety and key milestones.
• Maintain accurate project records.
• Attend and lead project review meetings.
• Ensure actions and decisions are recorded and followed through.
• Provide accurate information for management reporting.
• Escalate significant issues promptly and with recommended solutions.
• Maintain appropriate project governance throughout the project lifecycle.

Handover & Completion

• Lead the project through practical completion and handover.
• Coordinate snagging and defects close-out.
• Ensure testing and commissioning are completed.
• Coordinate O&M manuals, as-built information, warranties and certification.
• Ensure client training and demonstrations are completed where required.
• Coordinate sectional and phased handovers where applicable.
• Ensure outstanding works are tracked and closed.
• Support commercial and contractual close-out.
• Conduct post-project reviews and capture lessons learned.
• Ensure the project is formally closed in accordance with company procedures.

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Key Skills & Experience

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Proven experience working as a Project Manager within construction, refurbishment, fit-out or building services.
• Experience delivering projects from mobilisation through to completion and handover.
• Experience managing subcontractors and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong programme management skills.
• Good commercial awareness and understanding of project financial performance.
• Experience working directly with clients and senior stakeholders.
• Experience working within occupied, operational or technically complex environments would be highly advantageous.
• Strong understanding of construction health and safety.
• Experience managing risk, change and project governance.
• Good understanding of construction contracts and contractual obligations.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capability.
• Ability to lead and motivate project teams.
• A proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues.
• Good understanding of construction methodology, sequencing and buildability.
• Strong attention to detail without losing sight of the wider project objectives.

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Qualifications

Ideally, you will hold a relevant qualification such as:

• Degree/HND/HNC in Construction Management, Project Management, Building, Civil Engineering or a related discipline.
• Relevant construction/project management qualifications.
• SMSTS or equivalent.
• CSCS appropriate to the role.
• Relevant professional membership such as MCIOB, MAPM, RICS or equivalent would be advantageous.

Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

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Personal Attributes

The successful Project Manager will be someone who:

• Takes ownership and accountability.
• Leads by example.
• Is commercially aware.
• Communicates clearly and confidently.
• Builds strong relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Remains calm and structured when dealing with problems.
• Is comfortable challenging decisions when necessary.
• Has strong attention to detail.
• Thinks ahead rather than simply reacting to issues.
• Can balance customer requirements with commercial and operational considerations.
• Understands the importance of safety and quality.
• Enjoys working collaboratively across different teams.
• Is comfortable managing projects in complex and changing environments.
• Has the confidence to make decisions and escalate issues appropriately.
• Is committed to continuous improvement.

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What You Will Be Responsible For

Ultimately, the Project Manager will be accountable for ensuring that projects are:
Safe – delivered with a strong focus on health, safety and wellbeing.
On programme – planned, coordinated and delivered against agreed milestones.
Commercially successful – managed effectively against budget, forecast and
contractual requirements.
High quality – delivered to specification and the required standards.
Customer-focused – aligned with the client's objectives and operational requirements.

Well managed – supported by effective governance, reporting, risk management and communication.
Successfully handed over – completed with the required documentation, certification, testing and close-out information.

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Why Join the Organisation?

This is an opportunity to join an established UK construction and property services business with a substantial track record of delivering complex refurbishment and fit-out projects across both public and private-sector environments.

The role provides exposure to a broad range of projects and clients, including challenging environments where construction must be carefully integrated with ongoing building operations.

You will work within a collaborative project environment alongside experienced construction, commercial, design, planning, procurement and operational professionals.

The business places significant emphasis on people development, safety, quality, customer relationships, responsible construction and long-term career development, providing opportunities for experienced Project Managers to progress within a wider construction and property services organisation.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to take ownership of significant projects, develop strong client relationships and contribute directly to the successful delivery and reputation of the organisation.