Lead Project Manager

As a Lead Project Manager, you will focus on providing specialist professional service, delivering new business implementations and/or facility upgrade projects within agreed timescales and budgets, ensuring smooth and successful implementation and start‑up while meeting client expectations. You will also provide support, guidance and management of the project team and department budgets.

The successful candidate will collaborate with various business functions – operations, IT, HR and HS&E – orchestrating activities to deliver the necessary scope while managing risks and issues.

Salary: £55,000 – £60,000 (subject to experience).

This hybrid role is based in Northampton, with the opportunity to work up to three days remotely per week (subject to business requirements) and some UK site‑based travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist professional support and guidance to ensure projects are correctly scoped, defined, and pursued with clear objectives, workstreams and activities.
• Create project plans and resource teams, ensuring alignment between project activity and wider business needs.
• Manage projects to cost, quality and time, exercising delegated authority for budgets while adhering to the Yusen project‑management methodology and implementing agreed framework and governance.
• Coordinate internal workstreams/resources and third‑party vendors in line with defined project deliverables.
• Apply critical thinking to resolve roadblocks and participate in budget setting through analysis of current and planned performance.
• Conduct rigorous assessment of project risks, taking responsibility for the acts and omissions of project staff until closure or handover.
• Establish collaborative relationships and provide specialist advice to internal stakeholders, customers and suppliers.
• Facilitate high‑level project meetings and steering committees, preparing expert materials that support decisions impacting the company for up to a year.
• Ensure that the PMO and key stakeholders receive strategic updates based on a professional or academic understanding of project performance and specialist standards.
• Proactively escalat(e) issues to the Project Sponsor or steering group, taking full responsibility for the acts and omissions of the project team.
• Manage and monitor performance levels through the annual PDR process, objective setting and other appropriate mechanisms (e.g., professional or academic qualifications).
• Identify critical skills required within the project team and provide mentoring and support to ensure the team meets medium‑term business objectives.
• Ensure the team knows key business outcomes, processes and expectations, consistently and promptly delivering all company communications and providing appropriate feedback.
• Support business investigations and disciplinary and grievance processes across the organisation.
• Document and communicate lessons learned to promote continuous improvement, ensuring insights contribute to the medium‑term direction of the company.
• Ensure all company procedures, including absence, performance, holiday, etc., are managed and adhered to.
• Ensure strict compliance with company procedures and policies for self and the wider team, making decisions that impact the company for up to one year.
• Provide due attention to employee welfare, identifying and signposting areas of support where necessary, and ensuring functional arrangements are in place to protect the well‑being of all employees.
• Successfully manage customer relationships with a focus on medium‑term direction, ensuring service levels meet professional standards.
• Remove any obstacles, enabling the team to build and sustain a customer‑focused environment that protects the service reputation of the company.
• Foster a culture of cooperation and collaboration between teams and across functions, ensuring the operation and management of the department aligns with planned performance.

Qualifications

• A-levels / NVQ or Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent qualification is highly desirable.
• Significant proven experience in project and change management with a record of leading major implementations that impact the medium‑term direction of the company.
• Leadership experience is essential.
• Extensive practical experience managing projects to implement new business or start‑up operations, with a strong focus on budget management and expenditure control.
• Demonstrable experience working across diverse functions, cultures and geographies, providing professional guidance while managing complex high‑stakes projects.
• Proven specialist and professional knowledge of logistics/3PL through academic, professional qualifications or extensive practical experience.
• Excellent communication skills to discuss and present complex issues and solutions.
• Open, honest and transparent leadership style with the ability to motivate and support others in meeting challenging deadlines.
• Proficiency in developing budgets and controlling expenditure for departments, contracts or sites, ensuring financial performance and service reputation are maintained.

Please note that applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK, as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

Benefits

Salary: £55,000 – £60,000 per annum (DOE).

• Car allowance of £6,000 per annum
• Bonus (up to 12%)
• Health Cash Plan
• Pension scheme – 6% matched employer contribution
• Comprehensive private family health cover
• Permanent health insurance cover (40% of salary cover)
• 25 days’ holiday (excluding bank holidays) plus five days of Volunteer Leave per year
• Opportunity for unpaid leave and up to 10 days of international remote working
• Free online fitness platform (Pilates, yoga, mindfulness and meditation)
• Employee benefits, including free eye tests, up to 25% off gym membership and high‑street vouchers
• Free access to 24/7 online GP, mental‑health support services, life‑events counselling and a care concierge service
• Tailored development and career opportunities
• Health‑care Cash Plan

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