Programme Manager

81613 - Programme Manager

This Programme Manager will report to the Portfolio Manager and will work within Capital Programme based in our Bury St Edmunds office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £94,904 and a bonus of 3%. This role can also offer blended working after probationary period (6 months) - 3 days in the office and 2 remote

Close Date: 18/01/2026.

We also provide the following additional benefits

• 25 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays.
• Private Medical Cover / Simply Health
• Reservist Leave – Additional 18 days full pay and 22 unpaid
• Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan
• Tax efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers' products
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee Assistance Programme

As the Programme Manager you will ensure the safe, compliant, timely and commercially effective delivery of the individual capital project schemes within their defined programme of work between Gate A and Gate D, from the handover from Asset Management / Major Connections to the handback to Network operations.

The Programme Manager is a senior role and visibility throughout the working week is required. You will work primarily from various UKPN offices as well as Customer and CP&P Construction sites. The Programme Manager will be accountable for the development and implementation of Project and or Programme Execution Plans through the leadership and direction of the multi-discipline resources engaged in the scoping, development and delivery of the project including ensuring the execution of:

• Obligations with respect to CDM compliance and UKPN safe systems of work
• The defined project quality plan including the Inspection and Test Plan and appropriate design approvals
• Both internal and external stakeholder engagement and management
• The packaging and procurement strategy including best design and commercial practice within the delivery model.
• Consents and third party approvals

You will ensure that all projects remain compliant with current governance and control procedures including:

• Use lessons learned to remove and/or reduce safety risks to manageable levels;
• both project and financial governance is followed and adhered to;
• contract management and administration is undertaken and complete within contract timescales;

• Projects are set-up, managed and performance reported in accordance with the prevailing project controls procedures and system conventions
• Application of project control protocols concerning planning and scheduling, contract management and administration and risk management within the prescribed control systems.

You will manage all interfaces between Capital Programme functional departments and Asset Management / Major connection representatives. They will ensure resources are in place and aligned in the requirement to meet the key milestones, monitor development progress, manage performance, and provide regular reports to the Portfolio Manager and through to the Head of The Programme Management Office.

This role requires an emphasis on stakeholder management i.e. Design, Commercial, Alliance Delivery Members, UKPN Alliance Operations, Consents, and delivery teams within the DNO.

Dimensions

Programme Value - circa £15million per annum

Indirect budget – circa £1.5 million

Staff responsibility – 10 direct reports including UKPN and partner staff, managing the delivery of projects utilising a multi-discipline team of circa 100 including a direct workforce comprising consultants, contractors and equipment suppliers.

Principal Accountabilities:

• To manage the successful delivery of construction projects across the Investment delivery programme of work between governance gates A to D- Inception to completion & close out
• Ensure all projects are handed back / over to Network Operations.
• Ensure that all appropriate environmental, health, safety and quality requirements are met, including those associated with CDM regulation compliance with
• Overall accountability and responsibility for the cost effective and timely delivery of a portfolio of projects
• Gain approval on and subsequently manage project expenditure within the sanctioned budget and Governance limit
• Hold Project Managers and other support disciplines accountable on all projects for all aspects of delivery of their projects including time, cost, quality, health & safety and environmental performance
• Produce, review and input into individual project and programme Project Execution Plans (PEP)
• Ensure Project quality plans are developed and enacted for individual projects or across a programme or works Reviewing of and ensuring accuracy of high-level deliverables across projects – Key programme milestones
• Ensure accurate Monthly and yearly project and programme expenditure, revenue, profitability and margins
• Ensuring the overall portfolio of work is maximising available funding and resources in delivery of individual projects and the portfolio
• Ensuring all Project Managers reports are accurate and reflect current and predicted performance to allow the portfolio report to be compiled
• Effectively manage risks and opportunities for individual projects and programme risks. Where necessary, make recommendations to the Portfolio Manager on forward management of the programme or projects
• Ensure that all Project and Programme lessons learnt are captured and implemented in the programme. Ensure Lessons are shared with wider programme teams within the region and overall UK Power Networks business Identify and capitalise on integration opportunities across projects to enhance 'APP' or 'Connections' delivery and hence exceed Business and

Regulator objectives

• Implement engagement reviews and quality assurance procedures in accordance with UK Power Networks procedures and processes to ensure profitable and successful execution of projects and programmes of work as measured by Business goals and Customer satisfaction.
• Minimise UK Power Networks business project exposure and risk across multiple projects
• Mitigating scope change and risk across projects
• Manage controlled baseline change and project optimisation where necessary to deliver a programme of work to Business funding and delivery requirements
• Daily operational and tactical decision making of multiple or large scale projects
• Manages to and achieves goals set for projects and programmes of work

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications and Experience:

• A formal qualification in Project / programme Management and /or and equivalent degree in Electrical or Civil Engineering with substantial and demonstrable experience in the successful delivery of infrastructure (distribution networks) projects is essential
• Chartered Engineer or Incorporated Engineer or equivalent with demonstrable relevant experience in the Project Management and successful delivery of multiple infrastructure construction projects
• Practitioner level skills and experience in the management and administration of NEC and other standard forms of construction Contracts
• Practitioner level skills in the application of planning and scheduling construction programmes and associated commissioning
• Practitioner level skills of Risk Management techniques
• Awareness of key cost drivers and cost reduction measures within industry
• Excellent understanding of construction management best practice
• A safety qualification such as IOSH or NEBOSH will be advantageous as will experience of working with the CDM regulations and British Standards
• Knowledge and experience of project control systems, online project collaboration tools, Microsoft Project, the Microsoft Office suite of applications (Excel, Word and Access) and project management techniques

Nature and Scope:

• The Investment delivery team is part of the Capital Programme & Procurement directorate. The delivery teams are responsible primarily for the delivery of the Asset Portfolio Plan using a combination of Alliance partners and Direct labour organisation staff
• The role of a Programme Manager within Investment delivery is more biased towards Project and Programme Management rather than operational skills and knowledge although operational experience would be advantageous to the role
• The Programme Manager will be required to coordinate and lead within a matrix structured multi-disciplinary, multi-contract project team, and provide the necessary direction, targets and project milestones to ensure effective use of resources
• The Programme Manager will ensure that key functions of the overall project and programme delivery are in place. These include scopes of work, procurement processes, capital approval, resource planning (materials and people), project delivery, reporting and review
• The Programme Manager will be required to deliver single high value and complex projects or a number of lower value related projects

Health & Safety Responsibilities:

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

If in doubt ask!

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

If you have any queries in connection to this vacancy or your application, please contact us at careers@ukpowernetworks.co.uk quoting the vacancy reference number and a member of the team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.