Job summary

Location: Carlisle (initial 4-week period in Derby)
Rate: £500 - £525 per day
IR35 Status: Outside IR35
Start Date: ASAP

Key skills required for this role

Management of Project Control function covering Planning, Estimating, Financial Control and commercial management discipli

Important

Management of Project Control function covering Planning, Estimating, Financial Control and commercial management discipli

Job description

About the Role

We are seeking a skilled and proactive Project Manager to join our freight locomotive retrofit initiative, focused on decarbonization and digitalization within the UK rail sector. This role is an excellent opportunity to contribute to innovative digital railway projects, with a focus on ETCS (European Train Control System) solutions for Freight Operating Companies and Network Rail. The Project Manager will lead a segment of this high-impact initiative, working closely with the ETCS On Board and Engineering teams to drive safe, on-time, and within-budget project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Safety Leadership: Ensure a zero-incident project environment by upholding safety culture.
• Project Delivery: Oversee work packages, support project goals, and ensure alignment with Management and PM guidelines.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Establish and maintain effective communication between teams, Freight operators, and other key stakeholders.
• Risk Management: Monitor project progress, mitigate risks, and escalate issues where necessary.
• Design & Technical Guidance: Initiate and lead industry-wide design reviews and work closely with UK and Germany engineering teams to align solutions with current and future customer needs.
• Scope & Change Management: Manage the contractual scope throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring changes are aligned with scope, budget, and timelines.

Qualifications and Experience

• Project Delivery Expertise: Proven experience managing full project lifecycle activities and multidisciplinary teams.
• Project Control & Commercial Aptitude: Solid understanding of project planning, estimation, financial control, and commercial management.
• Leadership and Interpersonal Skills: Strong communication skills, high emotional intelligence, and a collaborative approach to team leadership.
• Engineering Background: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (or relevant experience); a second degree in management is advantageous.
• Rail Industry Experience: Background in rolling stock engineering, especially in ETCS or CBTC systems, is highly desirable.
• Project Management Accreditation: APM accredited; additional formal Project Management qualifications are a plus.

Skills and Attributes

• Strong project management abilities with experience in both technical and soft aspects of team and stakeholder management.
• Commercial awareness to address contractual and engineering issues effectively.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage complex, multidisciplinary projects.

Working Conditions

• Base Location: Carlisle, with a preparatory period in Derby for project briefing.
• Travel: May require occasional travel to other project sites.