Position Details
Department: Project Management
Title: Package Lead (Roads & Bridges)
Seniority: Senior Project Manager / Associate / Senior Associate
Discipline: Project Management
Location: London / Birmingham team base initially; transitioning to Bedford based, with at least three days per week in Bedford (Hybrid)
Project: Confidential Major Project subject to signed NDA
Role Overview
Acting as a strategic delivery partner for a major UK development programme, the role includes programme‑wide PMO, governance, reporting, project controls, risk and change management, digital tools, and the integrated delivery of individual packages, including project management, cost management, procurement, design management, health and safety advisory and contract administration.
Seeking experienced roads, highways and infrastructure project management professionals across a range of seniority levels, from Senior Project Manager to Associate / Senior Associate, to support the design, procurement, mobilisation, construction and handover of a critical Roads & Bridges package.
The role may be configured as either a Package Lead role, with full accountability for package‑level outcomes, or as a senior delivery role leading defined workstreams, interfaces, contractors or sub‑packages. The final scope and grade will be aligned to the successful candidate’s experience and capability.
Role Responsibilities
- Package leadership & delivery accountability: lead, or support the leadership of, the Roads & Bridges package from design and procurement through construction, testing, handover and close‑out.
- Maintain ownership of defined scope, programme, cost, quality, risk and safety outcomes, proportionate to role level.
- Coordinate delivery inputs across client, consultant, contractor, statutory authority and internal RLB teams.
- Establish clear priorities, decision routes and governance rhythms to support timely delivery.
- Plan and manage highways, roads, bridges, earthworks, drainage, utilities interfaces and associated infrastructure works.
- Apply knowledge of relevant UK infrastructure standards, including DMRB and local authority highway requirements.
- Support technical assurance, design reviews, constructability reviews and delivery readiness assessments.
- Ensure design, procurement and delivery solutions are buildable, safe, cost‑effective, and aligned to programme objectives.
- Lead or manage interfaces where works are in proximity to operational railways, including possessions, access constraints, asset protection requirements, approvals, safety protocols and interface risk management.
- Coordinate with Network Rail, rail operators, designers, contractors and the client team to ensure railway interface risks are identified, controlled and escalated appropriately.
- Plan and manage works affecting or adjacent to live highways environments, including traffic management, temporary works, site access, public interface, road safety, abnormal loads and construction logistics.
- Coordinate with National Highways, local highway authorities, emergency services, utility providers and contractors to minimise disruption and maintain safe continuity of highway operations.
- Ensure logistics strategies support phased delivery, workforce access, materials movement, traffic routing, compound planning and safe segregation between construction activity and live highway users.
- Embed RLB’s model for major programme delivery, using UK private‑sector best practice as the starting point for excellence.
- Champion early supply chain engagement, outcome‑based delivery, fair risk allocation, value‑based procurement and disciplined change control.
- Promote digital information management, BIM‑aligned working, productivity measurement, modern methods of construction and whole‑life carbon awareness where appropriate.
- Support procurement strategy, tender documentation, evaluation and appointment processes for design and construction contracts.
- Manage contractor mobilisation, site access, logistics planning, performance reporting and delivery issue resolution.
- Work closely with cost management, commercial and project controls colleagues to protect client outcomes.
- Identify, manage and escalation design, approvals, logistics, interface, safety, programme and commercial risks.
- Contribute to package reporting including progress, milestones, constraints, decisions, risks, opportunities, cost, quality, safety and carbon.
- Support robust governance, change control, lessons learned and continuous improvement across the programme.
Experience
- Proven experience delivering roads, highways, bridges or major civil infrastructure projects in a consultancy, contractor, client or public‑sector infrastructure environment.
- Experience working on complex multi‑stakeholder programmes with statutory authority, utility, rail and highways interfaces.
- Experience of NEC forms of contract and major infrastructure governance environments is desirable.
- For SPM level: ability to lead defined workstreams and manage contractor / designer interfaces with limited supervision.
- For Associate / Senior Associate level: ability to lead significant packages, manage senior stakeholders and take accountability for delivery outcomes.
Technical Skills & Competencies
- Understanding of UK highways and infrastructure delivery requirements, including DMRB, local authority highways and bridge‑related design / delivery processes.
- Practical understanding of working near operational railways, live highway environments, traffic management and construction logistics.
- Strong programme, risk, change, reporting, stakeholder and interface management capability.
- Able to translate technical constraints into actionable delivery plans and decisions.
Behaviours
- Client‑focused, collaborative, positive and accountable.
- Able to operate with pace while maintaining safety, quality and governance discipline.
- Calm under pressure and comfortable working in complex, evolving programme environments.
- Committed to customer service excellence and strong commercial results.
Qualifications
- Construction project management, civil engineering or related qualification preferred, or equivalent technical delivery experience.
- Membership of an appropriate professional body such as APM, ICE, RICS, CIOB or equivalent is desirable.
Commitment
- Full‑time role based in London with regular travel to the Midlands site.
- Close coordination with client, statutory authorities, contractors, consultants and RLB leadership.
- Role title and seniority to be confirmed based on candidate capability and business need.
- The team is generally London and Birmingham based; however, this role will transition to be Bedford based, with an expectation to be in Bedford at least three days per week.
RLB Employee Benefits
- Hybrid working patterns to support work‑life balance, including competitive maternity and paternity packages.
- Competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement and option to purchase up to five extra days.
- Health and wellness options: gym membership and cycle to work schemes.
- Private healthcare insurance and medical support, including dental insurance and eyecare vouchers.
- Continuous learning and development programme, including established APC and in‑house mentoring schemes.
- Additional benefits: season ticket loan and professional membership subscriptions.
- Opportunity to work on diverse projects across different sectors and regions.
- Social responsibility: team and social events, charity fundraising and volunteering activities.
Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commitment
We believe in building a diverse and inclusive environment where each person can be themselves, feel valued for their contribution and be challenged and supported to reach their full potential. We have a responsibility to support the communities in which we live and work, and that our workforce should reflect these communities and our clients.
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