Overview

Project Management Centre of Excellence Lead – Southern Water – Falmer (Hybrid Working)

Job Title: Project Management Centre of Excellence Lead
Location: Falmer (Hybrid Working)
Salary: From £70k

Are you passionate about building capability, driving consistency, and championing project excellence? Do you thrive in transformational environments where you can influence strategy, upskill teams, and create lasting impact? We’re looking for two exceptional Project Management Centre of Excellence Leads to join our Capital Delivery team and help shape the future of how we deliver complex, high-value projects across water and wastewater.

These are high-impact roles with a blank canvas – perfect for experienced programme or project leaders ready to step into a strategic, influential, and people-focused position.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the strategic plan for project management capability across Capital Delivery.
• Define and implement clear, consistent PM standards, aligned with APM’s Body of Knowledge.
• Conduct project health checks and provide assurance to senior leadership.
• Lead on continuous improvement of project delivery processes, tools, and guidance.
• Chair and grow the PM Community, engaging delivery partners and sharing best practice.
• Own and manage training programmes, certifications, and induction materials.
• Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in project management – influencing cross-functional stakeholders including H&S, Commercial, Governance, PMO, and Operations.

About You

We’re looking for a qualified and experienced project or programme leader, ideally with strong alignment to APM standards. You’ll be a natural leader and influencer – someone who can bring people together around a shared vision and drive meaningful change. With a strong track record of improving project delivery performance, you’ll also have experience in building capability from the ground up – from shaping strategy to delivering impactful training. Excellent stakeholder engagement skills are a must, with the confidence to work across all levels of the organisation and with external delivery partners.

Package

This role will be full time Monday to Friday 37 hours a week. Southern Water operate a hybrid approach to working between our Falmer office and home. We are offering a salary from £70k per annum depending on skills and experience as well as other benefits including:

• Company and performance-related bonus
• Generous pension up to 11% company contribution
• 25 days annual leave
• Life assurance equal to 4x salary
• Salary sacrifice electric car scheme (after 6 months service)
• Health Cash Plan
• Full funded eye tests
• Two paid volunteering days a year
• Occupational health service
• Discounts with over 800 popular retailers
• Digital GP service
• Study support may be available for job-related qualifications
• Competitive maternity leave and flexible return to work options
• Cycle to work scheme

Closing Date: 2025-09-10

Additional Information

Privacy Statement: All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. You will need to provide evidence of eligibility (e.g. a passport or long birth certificate and proof of NI) and current proof of address (dated within the last 3 months) as part of the recruitment process. If you do not meet these criteria, your application will not be considered.

Seniority level: Mid-Senior level

Employment type: Full-time

Job function: Project Management and Information Technology

Industries: Utilities

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, because delivering water for life is our core purpose. Joining the Southern Water family means you’ll become part of our incident support team. During your interview, your manager will speak to you about any incident support rotas that apply to your position.