Linear & Street Lighting Portfolio Manager

Job Description

As a Portfolio Manager for PDA, responsible for delivering a £13m annual programme of linear and street lighting asset replacement projects across the M25 – one of the UK’s busiest and most complex motorway networks

Leading a team of Project Managers, you will oversee around 60 projects each year, ensuring they are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest standards. The role covers the full project lifecycle, from early investigation and design development through to construction and handover, working closely with contractors, stakeholders and the client to achieve predictable and cost-effective delivery.

We are seeking a Portfolio Manager with proven experience delivering a programme of projects of comparable value. You will have strong leadership skills, experience managing teams in a matrix organisation, and the ability to manage multiple projects under pressure. You will be familiar with industry safety standards and regulations, and hold a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or a relevant field, or have equivalent industry experience.

You will hold Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent certification (e.g., AMP PMQ) and have a good working knowledge of NEC3 and NEC4 Contracts. The role requires excellent communication, organisational, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to drive efficient delivery across a large and complex portfolio.

Safety underpins everything we do and there is an expectation the Portfolio Manager will complete 1 – 2 engagement visits per month and raise appropriate near miss or good practise reports.

Key responsibilities / duties:

• Monthly reporting schedule which includes PSR, CPM. Ensure owners are identified for required inputs and they complete in required timescales and are suitable to review by the relevant delivery lead.

• Lead AMFP and AAMR process to ensure required interfaces, inputs and deadlines are achieved. Focus on ensuring the AMFP commitments on the PDA team are well understood and achievable.

• Ensuring Project Manager’s attend monthly forecast meetings and provide robust updates which align with programme. Give guidance to the PM’s on the fundamental principles of forecasting and ensuring a consistent approach across the team. Develop Income and cost profiles, overseeing and challenging the Project Managers input.

• Manage the Project Manager’s through the gateway process to ensure the governance is complied with and well understood. There should be a degree of consistency added to the presentation packs compiled and attendees for key disciplines are represented.

• Monitor the workload of PM’s and support project reallocations where appropriate or additional support. 

• Stakeholder Management - Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with the Asset Team and key internal and external stakeholders, to ensure full mutual understanding of the project delivery objectives, to report on and review performance, and to agree solutions to issues. 

• Maintaining compliance with the DBFO contract clarifying roles and responsibilities within your team, resolving risks and issues in a timely manner, producing timely and accurate reports, and creating and maintaining specified records including change management.

• Identify and evaluate emerging risks, issues, dependencies, and constraints associated with the project, escalating where appropriate. Where necessary develop, agree, and implement solutions to overcome these.

• Demonstrate high standards of visible safety leadership. Ensure that the required levels of safety performance are delivered, and that behavioural safety is promoted throughout the teams, based on the principles of Making Safety Personal. Ensure that the safety culture within the team is strong. 

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with other Asset Delivery Managers and all other relevant teams and clients to ensure that all parties’ project requirements are understood and accounted for.  

• Ensure all projects within the asset portfolio comply with relevant laws, regulations, and company policies. Prepare monthly reports on portfolio delivery, presenting these to clients and senior leadership where required. 

Working arrangements (shift work, need for travel etc)

• Ability and willingness to travel to other offices and depots on the network as and when required

• Periodic requirement for site visits (night shift)

• Full Driving License

• Attend the office 60% of the working week

Oversight:

Financial:  Typical annual budget is £13.0m

Organisational:  The role has direct reports 

Internal: Asset Asset Managers, Investment Director, Senior Supervisors, Commercial Team, Design Team, Client and Framework Community, Delivery Manager and Leads.

External: Connect Plus, National Highways, supply chain, local authorities, road users, statutory bodies

Qualifications

• Proven experience in project delivery, involving a programme of a comparable value to this role. 

• Strong leadership skills and experience managing a team, preferably within a matrix organisation. 

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and under pressure. 

• Familiarity with the industry's safety standards and regulations. 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or relevant field OR suitable level of experience in industry 

• Certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent certification (e.g. AMP PMQ) 

• A good working knowledge of NEC3 and 4 Contracts 

• Preference of minimum HNC / HND (or equivalent) in a mechanical and electrical, civil engineering or other construction-based discipline.

• Broad knowledge and understanding of other design areas.

• Understanding of Environmental requirements of schemes

• Experience of coordinating interfaces with external resources

• Understanding of H&S Requirements related to highway construction & maintenance works.

• Knowledge of CDM and other H&S legislation

• Competent in exercising the duties under CDM.

• Applicable CSCS Card

• Team leadership and management experience in driving performance and productivity

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills 

• Strong customer focus with a service delivery mindset

• Commercial understanding and budgetary control experience

• Understanding of Lean principles

Personal Attributes:

• Proactive problem solving

• Excellent communication skills

• Strong safety management culture

• Self-aware and adaptable style to meet varying project needs.

• Resilient

• Presentation skills.

• Team building skills.

• Ability to prioritise and self-manage.

• Ability to develop relationships and engender trust.

Experience:

• Previous experience in a similar role with demonstrable competence in relation to the majority of the responsibilities listed above.

• Experience of managing highways projects through complete lifecycle

Additional Information

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We are an Equal Opportunities employer and we strive to build a workforce that truly reflects the communities we represent. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and any other protected characteristic. If you decide to apply for an opportunity with us, your application will be assessed based purely on your experience, the essential and desirable criteria, and your suitability for the role. We value each and every one’s contribution as this builds our culture and means that if you work with us, you will be included, listened to, and respected.

*Please note, to be considered for this role, you must be based in the UK and must already be able to legally work in the UK. We are unable to offer or provide sponsorship for this position*