Programme Manager

Location: Lingley Mere Warrington

Hybrid (3 days per week onsite)

Full Time 37 hours

Shape the future of water infrastructure delivery across the North West

At United Utilities, we're investing in some of the most important environmental and infrastructure programmes in the UK. We're looking for an experienced Programme Manager to join our Regulation & Compliance team and help create the delivery framework that will underpin major regulatory submissions and investment programmes for years to come.

This is a unique opportunity to work across our Commercial & Engineering Capability (CEC) teams, bringing together strategy, engineering, estimating, delivery and assurance functions into a single, coordinated operating model.

You'll design and implement the programme structure, governance and ways of working that transform complex requirements into high-quality, submission-ready outputs for programmes such as WRMP, DWMP, WINEP and Fluoridation.

What you'll do

As Programme Manager, you'll lead the development of a clear and efficient end-to-end delivery framework across CEC, ensuring teams can work together seamlessly to deliver strategic regulatory outcomes.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Designing a consistent operating model for the full submission lifecycle, from requirement intake through to final submission.
• Creating programme governance, reporting structures and decision-making frameworks.
• Developing a clear CEC-wide RACI, ensuring accountability, ownership and escalation routes are understood.
• Building integrated programme plans, dependency mapping and resource demand forecasts across multiple concurrent programmes.
• Establishing robust delivery tracking, progress reporting and requirement traceability processes.
• Defining standard documentation, deliverables and ways of working across CEC teams.
• Identifying opportunities to improve efficiency through automation and AI-enabled solutions.
• Producing playbooks, frameworks and handover materials that enable sustainable long-term success.

What we're looking for

You'll be a highly credible programme leader with experience bringing together multiple disciplines to deliver complex infrastructure programmes in a regulated or capital delivery environment.

You'll have:

• A proven track record of leading multi-disciplinary teams on major infrastructure or capital programmes (£50m+).
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence across a broad range of technical and non-technical teams.
• Experience establishing programme governance, operating models, planning frameworks and delivery controls.
• The ability to simplify complexity and create practical, scalable ways of working.
• A collaborative leadership style with a focus on delivery and continuous improvement.

You'll also hold one or more of the following (or equivalent experience):

• CEng, MICE or CIWEM
• MSP and/or PRINCE2
• MAPM or ChPP accreditation

• NEC4 accreditation

A full UK driving licence is required.

Benefits

This is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy. You'll create the framework that enables some of our most important environmental and infrastructure programmes to be delivered efficiently, consistently and at scale.

In return, we offer:

• 26 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after four years, plus bank holidays
• Competitive pension with up to 14% employer contribution
• Up to 20% Performance-related bonus
• 5k car allowance
• Company-funded healthcare plan
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Life assurance and a comprehensive benefits package