Project Manager, Project & Program Management, Change Management

Project Manager - Transformation Programme 19 – 24 Month Fixed Term Contract

Thames Water is seeking a talented and highly motivated Project Manager to join our Retail PMO team, supporting the delivery of a major procurement and operational transformation programme.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role within one of Thames Water's most significant transformation programmes, helping to deliver lasting change across our operations, technology and customer services.

This is not a traditional PMO or reporting role. We're looking for an experienced Project Manager who can actively influence delivery outcomes, challenge plans, identify risks early and work alongside the Programme Manager to drive successful programme delivery across multiple work streams.

Working alongside the Programme Manager, you will be at the centre of programme delivery, ensuring governance is effective, risks are understood, dependencies are actively managed, and stakeholders have the insight they need to make informed decisions.

This role is ideal for a Project Manager who understands how complex programmes are delivered, not just how they are reported. We are looking for someone who can provide constructive challenge, identify issues before they become blockers, influence delivery teams and help drive successful outcomes across multiple work streams. If you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, solving complex delivery challenges and collaborating with senior stakeholders to make things happen, we'd love to hear from you.

• Take ownership of programme governance and controls, ensuring effective management of decisions, actions, risks and dependencies across the programme.
• Lead the coordination of governance forums, maintaining governance calendars, decision logs, RAID logs and action trackers.
• Produce high-quality weekly and monthly programme reporting, bringing together updates from multiple work streams into a clear and coherent programme-wide view.
• Analyse programme performance and delivery progress, identifying trends, emerging risks and areas requiring intervention.
• Work closely with the Programme Manager and workstream leads to proactively manage risks, issues and dependencies, driving mitigation and resolution activities.
• Build strong working relationships across programme work streams, delivery teams, business stakeholders and suppliers.
• Challenge plans, readiness activities and delivery progress to ensure commitments are achievable and potential issues are identified early.
• Support recovery planning where delivery is at risk and provide recommendations to improve programme performance.
• Prepare materials and insights for senior stakeholder meetings, governance forums and Steering Committees.
• Represent the programme within selected meetings and deputise for the Programme Manager where appropriate.

• Proven Project Management experience delivering complex business transformation initiatives.
• Experience working within large-scale programmes involving procurement, operational transformation or significant business change.
• Strong experience of programme governance, reporting, RAID management and delivery controls.
• Demonstrable experience coordinating multiple work streams and managing complex interdependencies.
• Proven ability to identify risks and issues early, provide constructive challenge and drive actions through to resolution.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate detailed delivery information into concise programme-level insight.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including experience engaging senior leaders, programme sponsors and delivery teams.
• Strong organisation skills with the ability to work across multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience producing high-quality reporting and presentations for senior stakeholders.

• Experience with in utilities, water, energy, telecommunications, financial services or other regulated industries.
• PRINCE2, APM, MSP or equivalent project or programme management qualification.
• Experience working with large suppliers and complex procurement activities.