Construction Manager; HVAC)

Nuclear & Safety-Critical Infrastructure

We are partnering with a premier UK engineering specialist to appoint an experienced Contraction Manager (HVAC).

Reporting directly to the Operations Manager, you will take ownership of multi-site installation performance across nuclear and safety-critical environments. You will lead Project Managers, Site Supervisors, and a directly employed blue-collar workforce, driving a _first-time-right_ delivery culture.

Your core mission is to turn off-site manufactured products into fully tested, commissioned systems safely, on schedule, and within budget.

• Act as the visible champion of nuclear safety culture. Enforce RAMS, permit compliance, and a strict _stop-work_ authority where safety or quality overrides all commercial targets.
• Own blue-collar deployment, crew sizing, and shift patterns. Establish site labour norms, run short-interval planning, and tightly manage cost drivers like overtime, agency spend, and rework.
• Conduct weekly practicability assessments and daily readiness checks to clear blockers before teams mobilise. Mandate digital compliance in Dalux for real-time progress tracking and audit-ready handover records (LTQRs).
• Champion Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) principles and enforce strict component quality and material traceability upon site arrival.
• Navigate UK national agreements (NAECI, BESA) and build constructive relationships with trade unions. Enforce contemporaneous change capture at the workface to protect commercial positions under NEC contracts.
• Support pre-construction teams with realistic labour histograms and methodologies. Coach site supervisors, enforce SQEP (Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel) deployment, and build clear progression pathways for field teams.

• Proven multi-site leadership delivering mechanical, HVAC, ductwork, or engineered services packages.
• Strong track record managing blue-collar labour deployment, workface planning, and productivity norms.
• Uncompromising commitment to safety culture within nuclear, defence, or similarly regulated sectors.
• Deep working knowledge of UK national agreements (NAECI, BESA, HPC/SZC site agreements) and union engagement.
• Hands-on experience embedding Integrated Management Systems (IMS), running assurance audits, and using digital field tools (Dalux or similar).
• Solid understanding of off-site manufacturing workflows and strict material traceability.
• Formal qualification in Construction Management or Engineering, alongside IOSH Managing Safely (or nuclear equivalent).
• Familiarity with NEC contracts, early warning notices, and DfMA integration.