Location/s: UK-wide
Recruiter contact: Andrea Gaffney
About the Business Unit
The Buildings Unit (BLD) delivers complex buildings projects across health, defence, education, justice, aviation, commercial and mixed-use sectors. It provides local delivery and technical leadership across the Group’s portfolio.
Overview of the role
The Project Principal is a senior leadership role providing single‑point accountability for the successful bidding, mobilisation and delivery of complex, multidisciplinary buildings projects across multiple sectors. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the role sets delivery strategy, assures performance and provides senior oversight across the full project lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
* Provide end‑to‑end leadership and accountability for complex buildings projects from bid stage through mobilisation, delivery and close‑out.
* Set and approve the overall project delivery strategy, including scope, programme, resources, budget, risk profile and governance arrangements.
* Lead projects delivered in Design & Build, framework and contractor‑led environments, ensuring appropriate oversight of design development, interfaces and delivery risk.
* Act as the senior escalation point for delivery, commercial, safety, quality or reputational issues, intervening decisively where outcomes are threatened.
* Provide senior commercial oversight, including fee strategy, forecasting, change management and contract administration, ensuring projects remain financially robust and contractually compliant.
* Lead and assure multidisciplinary teams, providing challenge and guidance to project managers and technical leads to maintain high standards of design quality and delivery performance.
* Sponsor and chair key project reviews at critical stages, ensuring risks are understood, controlled and appropriately escalated.
* Ensure that projects are resourced with appropriately skilled and competent teams and that effective assurance arrangements are in place.
* Maintain oversight of health, safety and wellbeing risks, ensuring safe systems of work and compliance with relevant legislation and standards.
* Act as a trusted senior advisor to clients, contractors and delivery partners, building strong relationships and managing expectations at an executive level.
* Mentor and support senior project leaders, contributing to capability development and continuous improvement across project delivery.
Candidate Specification
Essential
* Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or a related discipline.
* Significant experience delivering complex, multidisciplinary buildings projects within a consultancy or professional services environment.
* Proven track record operating in a senior project leadership role (e.g. Project Principal, Project Director or equivalent), with accountability for delivery outcomes.
* Demonstrable experience working in Design & Build and/or contractor‑led delivery models, including managing design risk and interfaces.
* Strong commercial acumen, including experience of contract management, forecasting, change control and risk management.
* Sound working knowledge of collaborative contract forms (e.g. NEC or equivalent).
* Experience leading and influencing multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders.
* Ability to operate with authority, sound judgement and autonomy in complex delivery environments.
* Strong client‑facing capability, including managing senior client and contractor relationships.
Desirable
* Experience across multiple buildings sectors (e.g. healthcare, education, defence, aviation, infrastructure‑related buildings).
* Experience supporting or leading bids and early project shaping activities.
* Chartered status (e.g. APM, ICE, CIOB, RICS or equivalent).
* Experience operating in regulated or security‑conscious environments.
* Security clearance or eligibility to obtain clearance (subject to project requirements).
Benefits
* Competitive salary and bonus structure.
* Matched pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
* Life assurance up to 4× basic salary with option to increase to 6×.
* Income protection scheme and absence support.
* Flexible benefits such as life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
* Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
* Health cash plan and wellbeing programme.
* Minimum 33–35 days holiday per year, increasing to 35 days after 5 years of service.
* Enhanced maternity and adoption leave up to 26 weeks paid, paternity leave 2 weeks paid.
* Professional development through annual institutional subscription and training opportunities.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all.
Accessibility
If you are disabled or need support to apply or attend an interview, please contact reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com to discuss how we can support you.
UK Immigration
We are not offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route. We welcome applications from candidates eligible for alternative immigration routes that do not require sponsorship.
Agile Working
We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces well‑being, flexibility, and trust.
#J-18808-Ljbffr