Project Manager, NEC Contracts

Posted Thursday 26 February 2026 at 01:00 | Expires Tuesday 24 March 2026 at 00:59

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.

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)
South Midlands and London & South East 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.

This role follows 37 hours, Monday to Friday working pattern. Travel throughout the South Midlands and London & South East waterway network will also be expected to enable site visits and face to face meetings. This could include visits to Tardebigge, Oxford, Reading, Leighton Buzzard & more. A valid UK driving license and access to a vehicle is therefore essential.

Hubs include Birmingham, Hatton & Gloucester.

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.

• 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…