Project Manager - Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Delivery
Location: Chelmsford*
Up to £57,059 per annum
Fixed Term/Secondment (2 years), Full Time
*Hybrid-working role contractually based in Chelmsford. You will work from the Chelmsford office at least one day per week, and across our operational areas on other days, depending on business need.
The postholder will manage the delivery of multiple, high value EV infrastructure contracts. While appointed Charging Point Operators (CPOs) and contractors will undertake physical delivery, the role holder is accountable for ensuring that all delivery proposals, programme activity and outputs are appropriate, compliant, safe, timely, valueformoney and aligned with ECC’s strategic, legal and reputational requirements. The role requires confident decision making, proactive risk management and constructive challenge of suppliers and partners. Working across transport, highways, legal, finance, procurement, communications and sustainability teams, the postholder will translate complex policy, technical and commercial constraints into effective delivery control, enabling the rollout of EV infrastructure at scale and pace across Essex.
Accountabilities
* Lead and manage the end to end client side delivery of EV charging infrastructure contracts, ensuring outputs are delivered on time, within budget and to agreed quality and safety standards.
* Maintain a clear grip on programme scope, milestones, dependencies and critical paths across parallel workstreams, proactively addressing emerging delivery risks or delays.
* Exercise professional judgement to balance cost, programme, safety, quality, community impact and policy objectives when making delivery decisions.
* Be a point of control and assurance for appointed Charging Point Operators, contractors and delivery partners.
* Challenge supplier proposals, methodologies and programmes where they do not meet ECC’s technical, legal, commercial or strategic requirements, securing revisions where necessary.
* Hold suppliers to account for contractual performance, ensuring delivery aligns with agreed KPIs, funding obligations and governance standards.
* Lead the resolution of delivery issues and disputes, escalating where appropriate while maintaining momentum and constructive working relationships.
* Ensure delivery activity complies with relevant highways, planning, electrical, health and safety, environmental and statutory requirements.
* Identify, manage and mitigate programme and contract risks, ensuring
* appropriate governance, audit trails and assurance are in place.
* Maintain oversight of funding conditions and reporting requirements (including national or external funding bodies), ensuring full compliance and accurate evidence capture.
* Provide clear, concise reporting on progress, risks, decisions and performance to senior leaders, enabling informed governance and intervention where required.
* Drive continuous improvement in delivery processes, performance management and supplier engagement.
* Protect and enhance ECC’s reputation by ensuring EV infrastructure is delivered safely, transparently and to a high standard.
The Experience You Will Bring
* Degree level qualification or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline such as project management, infrastructure delivery, engineering, transport, energy or the built environment.
* Formal project management qualification (e.g. APM PMQ, PRINCE2 Practitioner or equivalent), or demonstrable experience applying structured project management methodologies in a complex delivery environment.
* Demonstrable experience managing multiple live contracts or workstreams simultaneously, maintaining control of scope, cost, programme and risk.
* Experience acting in a client side or commissioning role, managing delivery by external contractors or suppliers rather than undertaking physical delivery directly.
* Proven ability to make delivery decisions and trade offs relating to cost, programme, quality, safety, risk and stakeholder impact.
* Experience recovering or stabilising delivery where projects or suppliers are at risk of underperformance.
* Experience holding suppliers and contractors to account for performance, outputs and compliance within a contractual framework.
* Confidence to challenge supplier proposals, delivery plans and methodologies, securing changes where required to protect organisational interests.
* Understanding of public sector procurement, contract management and governance processes, including value for money obligations and audit requirements.
* Experience monitoring KPIs, milestones, risks and financial performance, and using this information to drive delivery improvement.
* Proven ability to manage delivery in regulated or safety critical environments, with an appreciation of legal, health and safety, highways, planning or statutory requirements.
* Experience identifying, managing and mitigating programme and contract risk, maintaining appropriate documentation, controls and assurance.
* Ability to work within funding conditions and reporting frameworks, ensuring compliance and robust evidence capture.
* Sufficient technical understanding of EV charging infrastructure, highways or energy systems to act as an informed client, challenge supplier assumptions and assess delivery risk.
* Awareness of national and local EV policy, funding programmes and delivery models applicable to local authorities.
* Ability to interpret technical, financial and programme information to inform delivery decisions (deep technical specialism not required).
* Confidence and credibility to operate with senior internal stakeholders, suppliers and partners, balancing constructive relationships with firm delivery control.
* Ability to operate effectively in complex, ambiguous environments and make proportionate, evidence based decisions under pressure.
* Clear, concise communication skills, capable of translating complex delivery issues into actionable recommendations and transparent reporting.