Overview

Company: United Utilities - Operation Technology team

Location: Hybrid/Warrington

Role: Senior Project Manager

Contract Length: 6-month rolling

Day rate: £600 per day

Job purpose:

To plan, direct and deliver Technology Services/IT/OT projects that help innovate or differentiate the business, ensuring a high degree of business involvement, fast turnaround and frequent updates.

To deliver Technology Services/IT/OT projects effectively, at pace, for the lowest possible cost and a high level of customer satisfaction.

To input into delivery strategy across the organisation, fostering a product management and process ownership focus.

To establish and build collaborative, motivated project teams to deliver project outcome.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of the Technology Services / IT / OT team to drive through continual change and improvement in the way we deliver change for United Utilities.
• Work with the sponsor, stakeholders and project team in the preparation and presentation of Technology Service project business case(s).
• Deliver Technology Services/IT/OT projects and products that are aligned with UU Strategy and UU Systems Thinking approach.
• Establish, manage and deliver the Technology Services/IT/OT projects and product delivery within the agreed constraints of time, quality and cost.
• Promote a safety culture in project delivery and ensure outputs and outcomes comply with all Legal, Health Safety and Environmental obligations.
• Determine the appropriate delivery approach and methodology to successfully deliver the required project outcomes and products for the Customer.
• Understand how the risk profile and risk appetite of stakeholders can drive the delivery approach.
• Bring Technology thinking to project delivery, drive change at pace and where appropriate deliver continually and iteratively.
• Bring a product focus to project delivery to deliver the best product for the customer.
• Establish and build highly collaborative delivery teams and establish/embed a culture of innovation in the teams to deliver project outcomes.
• Produce baseline project plans, that show what is to be done, when and by who.
• Manage project scope and changes to scope appropriately.
• Matrix manage and coordinate teams that include internal, external and 3rd party resources. Monitor, maintain and track project delivery.
• Identify deviation from the baseline project plan and act to keep the project on track to deliver.
• Produce project budgets and financial forecasts.
• Monitor and review project costs, prioritise spend and activity to ensure maximum efficiency and value for money.
• Early identification of overspends and act to hold budget.
• Establish the quality plan for a project and ensure quality activities are built into the plan. Establish the appropriate tools and techniques to ensure the work is done to the right standard, meeting expectations.
• Establish appropriate project governance.
• Establish appropriate project controls to ensure delivery on time, cost and quality.
• Ensure that the benefits and customer outcomes are being delivered.
• Identify and managing project dependencies.
• Identify and managing change control.
• Identify and managing risks and issues.
• Identify stakeholders and establish appropriate stakeholder management and communication plans.
• Provide appropriate project status reports to stakeholders.
• Foster good communication and working relationships with project sponsors and product managers/owners through collaboration.
• Ensure projects have a smooth handover to Business as Usual and the relevant support organisation.

Skills, qualifications and experience

• Project Management certification.
• A demonstrable successful track record in the delivery of Technology.
• Effective stakeholder management at all levels. Services/IT/OT projects.
• A demonstrable successful track record and experience of managing and delivering complex projects to time, cost and quality using a variety of delivery methods, tools and techniques. Focus on delivering outcomes for the customer rather than project outputs.
• Customer focussed, delivering what the customer needs.
• Collaborative approach to delivery.
• Experience of applying different project management methods/tools and techniques to deliver customer outcomes.
• Pragmatic approach to project delivery, focus on delivering solutions that are ‘good enough’ to meet customer requirements (Minimum Viable Product).
• Ability to lead, direct and motivate a team and experience of managing delivery collaboratively. Excellent interpersonal skills.
• The ability to effectively communicate, in oral and written form, with all stakeholders. Effective stakeholder management skills demonstrated at a variety of levels.
• Ability to resolve conflict and use negotiation skills.
• Proven planning and organisational skills.
• Ability to develop baseline project plans using MS Project.
• Strong commercial management skills and experience, and a track record of managing delivery from third party suppliers to time, budget, and quality.
• Relevant business knowledge of UU and wider Water Industry.
• Proactively maintain own knowledge of project management best practice solutions and the water industry and apply this knowledge to project delivery.
• Ability to seek out best practice and innovative ideas/approaches and apply these to project delivery.
• Awareness of relevant legal requirements including Health and Safety, Data Protection and GDPR. Formally trained in appropriate health and safety regulations (i.e. CDM, HASAWA etc).