Senior Project Manager

Are you a Senior Project Management professional, with experience managing the delivery and execution of large scale, complex projects from FEED study development through to commissioning?

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The Senior Project Manager will be responsible for managing the delivery and execution of large scale, complex projects from FEED study development through to the commissioning of the facility. Within this role you’ll be a master in servant, empathetic leadership, as you’ll be required to indirectly lead and manage a multi-skilled, multi discipline team.

Additionally, as Senior Project Manager you’ll be responsible for managing & leading the safety, scope, budget, and schedule for each assigned project. You’ll be expected to manage the risk delivering each project in budget and ahead of schedule. This includes both greenfield and brownfield projects. You’ll also be accountable for all project related deliverables along with accountability for all contract engineering firms and sub-contractors supporting the delivery project. The project specific staff will functionally report to the project manager as well as other support functions.

Dimensions:

• Will be required to interact with ExCom providing project updates when appropriate.
• Role mainly operates in Horizon 2 however will cover all Horizons when necessary. The focus is on strategic capital.
• Oversight, accountability and reporting of project safety, budget, and schedule for all assigned projects.
• Project management of Capital projects greater than $20m with a duration of longer than 18 months
• Multiple direct reports on each project, including discipline engineers, expeditors, project controls, Construction Manager, Safety Manager, and Project Engineer.
• Indirect leadership and management of multi-disciplinary project teams including both internal and external partners/stakeholders.
• Must ensure compliance with permits and consents from local and national bodies (regulation). You’ll work closely with the Business Development lead to submit applications, ensuring permits are in place.
• Lead negotiation of Engineering, Vendor supply equipment & construction contracts.
• Working with a range of contracts from Self-perform through to full EPC.

Key Accountabilities:

• Provide subject matter consulting expertise and advice across the engineering and capital projects portfolio. These are direct delivery senior project management roles, and you may be assigned to one major (high value) or a number of small-medium projects, all varying in complexity, all strategic significance.
• Overall responsibility for the delivery of projects to meet safety, scope, cost, schedule, and business benefit targets.
• Develop Project Plans from design through to execution, identifying risks and opportunities where applicable.
• Ensure cost estimates are sought and cost control measures are implemented and monitored effectively.
• Provide project management leadership across several technology areas ensuring the current and future requirements of Drax Group. A key focus must be to ensure that Capital Projects serve the needs of its current and future customers.
• Actively support the development of existing and new projects for the Drax Group within Horizon 2.
• Lead negotiation of Engineering, Vendor supply equipment & construction contracts.
• Support Business Development with engineering and construction deliverables for strategic new projects.
• Negotiate and manage a variety of commercial contracts with vendors and contractors in conjunction with Commercial Manager.
• In collaboration with the HSE, Business Development and wider project team, co-ordinate and manage project permitting, consenting approaches, strategy and delivery of planning processes. Ensure that planning conditions (pre-commencement and post commencement) are discharged in an efficient manner.
• Manage local stakeholder relations for projects, including local authorities, industry partner and neighbors/local communities. This will be achieved with the support of External Communications where appropriate.
• In collaboration with Corporate Affair colleagues, support responses to audits and external inspections
• Maintain & manage/mitigate the risk register for relevant projects and propose appropriate risk mitigations.
• Ensure that our Finance Business Partners are provided with appropriate information to develop financial models to help track project health.
• To create and manage Development and Construction budgets.
• Through coaching, mentoring, and sharing your experience, you’ll support the development of junior project management colleagues helping them achieve their potential.
• Actively promote a proactive safety culture, be role models throughout the project lifecycle across the Group.
• Develop a high-performance team, ensuring flawless integration of sub disciplines and functions throughout the project lifecycle.
• Foster and enhance owner relationships with subcontractors and vendors.
• Ensure our commercial position is robustly protected through the application of industry best practice in contracting strategies, supplier selection, procurement, contract negotiation and contract management.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience required:

• Degree level education or technical certificate (Project Management, Commercial, Construction or other relevant discipline).
• Extensive, relevant experience within Engineering/Construction industry specifically leading projects in the EPC arena including through to self-perform projects.
• Proven track record of leading and managing large complex projects (circa $20m ), in budget and ahead of schedule with strong safety performance.
• For roles in North America prior experience in the Wood Processing industry would be beneficial.
• Demonstrable experience of accountability for a complex, multi contract, multi discipline project(s) in a lead EPC role or owner Project Management role. Minimum of 15 years' experience in Project Management function.
• On site construction experience.
• Where applicable awareness and experience of working with contracting methodologies such as NEC3, NEC4 etc.
• Project Management certification would be beneficial. For example, APMP in UK and PMP in North America.
• A brilliant Communicator – you’ve got highly developed communication and interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate at all levels across the organization.
• Ability to meet challenging targets and with a flexible approach to working patterns to ensure targets/deadlines are achieved.
• Ability to motivate, challenge and inspire individuals through to deliver high performance whilst being an empathetic leader.
• A skilled Change Agent with the ability to with hearts and minds, successfully managing & resolving conflicts when they arise.
• Ability to plan and manage a portfolio of jobs to cost, quality and time.
• Ability to work effectively and flexibly as a member of a team and across teams.
• Commercially astute – you’ll understand the environment in which we operate meaning you’ll be able to ensure that our commercial and legal risks are mitigated through for example the creation and execution of appropriate terms and conditions.
• Positive approach to change and contributes to the culture of continuous improvement.
• You can see the big picture meaning you can recognize and take advantage of potential business opportunities.
• You’re highly skilled in Stakeholder Management meaning you’ve got the skills to recognize and build key relationships, proactively influencing consultants, contractors, engineering firms and technology partners.
• Proficient understanding and experience of Safety and Environmental legislation, practices and policies and Contract Management.

Special Features:

• Will be required to undergo and pass drug/alcohol testing and background checks (internally and for clients where applicable).
• Valid driver’s license and passport
• Right to work in main base location
• Relocation or 100% full-time travel will be required for all large projects >$100m
• Management of geographically spread internal and external team with meetings often held virtual.

Measures of Success:

• Progression of projects from FEED through commissioning.
• Achieve all project safety, budget and schedule goals and milestones.
• Delivery of capital projects to time, budget, and quality.
• High levels of positive engagement with all stakeholders (internal/external) in relevant project(s).

Drax Values: 

We care about what matters – we help each other achieve the things that are important to each of us

We’re a can-do kind of place – we’re empowered and encouraged to make informed decisions, take action and do the right thing

We see things differently – we share inspiration and insight right across Drax, and search for new ideas and ways of working

We listen carefully – we make sure that people feel genuinely heard, acknowledged and that what they say matters

We do what we say we’ll do – we’re proactive, committed, and reliable –and trust others to be the same