Project Controls Manager

Location: Manchester, Warrington or Derby with Hybrid Working

Salary: £60,000 - £78,750

Why we need you

We need you to play a key role in guiding, challenging, and supporting our delivery teams across the SMR programme. As a Project Controls Manager, you’ll bring together cost, schedule and risk information to tell the story of project performance—helping senior leaders make informed decisions and enabling successful delivery across a major national infrastructure programme.

You’ll act as the conscience of the project: integrating data, ensuring accuracy, and providing meaningful insights that support continuous improvement. Working within the PMO and alongside planners, cost analysts, programme leaders and engineering teams, you’ll be central to the flow of information across a complex matrix environment.

What you’ll be doing

In this role, you will:

• Lead the collation, validation and integration of cost, schedule and risk information for internal reporting.
• Prepare, review and present performance reports to a range of stakeholders, offering clear insight and recommendations.
• Produce and manage KPI reporting, ensuring continuous improvement.
• Monitor project progress, costings, logic, resourcing and planning quality.
• Work closely with work package managers on monthly performance updates.
• Mentor and support a team of project controls professionals.
• Collaborate daily with functions such as Procurement, Commercial and Estimating.
• Support cost planning and contribute specialist expertise to delivery teams.
• Create reporting outputs in Excel (and ideally PowerBI).
• Champion positive culture and behaviours across the PMO.
• Promote a safe working environment aligned with training and instructions.

What you need to bring

We encourage applications from candidates who meet around 75% of the criteria—there’s no such thing as the perfect candidate.

You’ll bring experience in:

• PMO environments, monthly reporting cycles and enterprise reporting.
• Integrating data to produce meaningful project/programme performance insights.
• Communicating complex project information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Working collaboratively across matrix organisations.
• Cost and schedule management best practice.
• Running schedule development meetings, critical path analysis and monthly reporting inputs.

Project‑specific experience:

• Experience in client-facing environments.
• Experience administering NEC4 contracts (ideally Option C).
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, Power Query and cost management tooling.
• NEC PM accreditation or CPD desirable.

Qualifications & experience

You’ll ideally have:

• Degree or equivalent experience
• Experience working on large-scale nuclear or other major infrastructure projects.
• Membership of (or working toward) a relevant professional body such as APM, CaSA or RICS.

Who you’ll work with

You’ll work closely with:

• Senior Project Controls Manager (line reporting)
• Planners and Cost Analysts
• Head of PMO, Heads of Programme and senior programme stakeholders
• Procurement, Estimating, Commercial and wider support functions
• Internal and external project partners and suppliers

What you’ll get from the role

• The chance to shape reporting and delivery performance for a nationally significant programme.
• Opportunities to influence senior stakeholders and drive decision‑making.
• Leadership responsibility and mentoring opportunities within the PMO.
• A collaborative, inclusive culture focused on continuous improvement.
• Flexibility in working arrangements (including part‑time options).
• You’ll receive a salary between £60,000 - £78,750, a £2,200 annual benefit allowance, 12.5% bonus opportunity, 6x pensionable life assurance, 50% income protection, 28 days holiday plus bank holidays, and a £250 new joiner payment.

Our commitment to you

At Rolls‑Royce SMR, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to contribute. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

We also provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and within the workplace—just let us know how we can support you.

Security & background checks

This role requires BPSS clearance.

As part of our offer process, we complete security and financial probity checks, including DBS checks. These are not “pass/fail”; we consider individual circumstances and role requirements.

Ready to apply?

If you’re excited by the opportunity to influence one of the UK’s most innovative engineering programmes, and you feel you meet around 75% of what we’re looking for, we’d love to hear from you.

Pay Range:

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Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:

•    A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
•    Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
•    A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.

Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.

Our Application Process

Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:

•    Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
•    Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
•    Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check
 

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