Project Manager: Marine Sector

About us

NIRAS has a leading position in sustainable development within the marine environment. We provide environmental consultancy services in relation to offshore wind, submarine cables and other sectors. Our Marine Environment UK team specialise in helping developers and policy makers take the best approach to the development and operation of marine infrastructure support. We undertake environmental impact and strategic environmental assessments, marine and coastal surveys, marine investment planning for blue chip companies in technology and renewable energy sectors, and have key involvement in marine and coastal developments across the world. In addition to our UK and EU marine work, we currently work closely with our international team in supporting the sustainable development of new marine infrastructure in Asia.

Our organisation is driven by three core values that we apply in all areas of our work:

• We listen
• We learn
• We deliver

If you share our values and want to leave a positive footprint on the world, could you be part of making our mission a reality?


About the role

NIRAS Group (UK) Limited have an exciting opportunity for a Projects Manager to join our UK based team of marine environment specialists.

NIRAS manages programmes for a wide range of private and public sector clients. We help developers and policy makers take the best approach to the development and operation of marine infrastructure, primarily by supporting them on EIAs, consents and related issues. The demand for our services to advise on marine and coastal development is growing both in the UK and internationally. This position will enhance our existing capacity within this area, to help manage and grow our portfolio of work. Although you will have opportunities to work across a number of marine sectors, including offshore wind, the major focus of the role will be submarine telecommunication and power cable permitting.

Subsea fibre optic cables enable the world to be connected by delivering light-speed communication across the globe into homes and businesses. It is estimated that approximately 99% of the world’s communications are provided by subsea cables. Access to the internet worldwide is increasing, with demand for internet capacity growing in excess of 40% per year. Such demand on subsea cable capacity has now increased even further, with the current pandemic increasing working from home/periods of isolation. NIRAS works with the key cable installers around the globe, to help secure permits and permission to install such cables. Recent projects include the recently published Grace Hopper cable in the UK, but also other cables landing in the UK, France, Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark and Taiwan. Simultaneously, the decarbonisation of the economy though offshore wind brings a requirement for a substantial enhancement to grid connectivity and a substantial proportion of this will be achieved through submarine power cables. NIRAS is already working on exciting HVDC interconnector projects such as VIKING (Denmark to UK/EU) and related major infrastructure projects such as Denmark’s North Sea Energy Island.

We are looking for an experienced Project Manager to join our team and help manage the next phase of our marine and coastal development and advisory projects. The role will include process management, time and resource management, customer liaison, sub-contractor management and stakeholder engagement to ensure all permitting requirements are met. A key challenge is to ensure any conditions associated with permitting are appropriate to the scale and nature of the work.

You will work with some of NIRAS’ most high profile clients including blue-chip technology companies expanding global fibre and electrical cable infrastructure, such as Alcatel, BT, Google and Meta (Facebook). In the submarine power cable sector NIRAS supports National Grid and Energinet through a UK framework contract and wider international appointments.

Key accountabilities:

Project Management and Leadership:

• With minimal support of the Project Director, manage all aspects of low to medium risk projects, including plan of work, scope, personnel, finance, technical content and outputs.
• Manage project teams to deliver inputs by agreed project deadlines and budgets on multiple projects.
• Support senior personnel and other Project Managers in the management of larger or higher risk projects.
• Direct point of contact with the customer.
• Subcontractor management.

Business Development:

• Manage or contribute to tender preparation through research, analysis and provision of technical content based on own expertise.
• Contribute to and/or manage identification of suitable personnel, partners and production of project budgets.
• Build an in-depth understanding of NIRAS markets and key clients.
• Support company-related marketing activities.

Technical Input:

• Undertake research (for example permitting requirements), and consult with specialist to advise clients and stakeholders.
• Deliver high quality and value project management for NIRAS..

Non-Technical Input:

• Lead and support internal and external events for the company and its clients such as meetings and workshops, initiatives defined in the company business plan and long-term strategic plan, administrative tasks and other activities as reasonably required.

People Management:

• Manage teams of internal and external consultants on delivery of discreet assignments, creating a positive working dynamic.
• Develop a good relationship with the customer and provide clear communication throughout the project.

Relationship Management:

• Maintain a client orientation and identify/take forward, under supervision, new business opportunities from existing work or client interactions.

Building Professional Expertise:

• Develop your areas of professional interest and expertise in depth, through work assignments, personal development, coaching and your own research.

About you

We are looking for a highly motivated and talented project manager, who can work effectively and proactively across a multi-cultural organisation with a fast-paced, dynamic, and evolving operating environment. You will have familiarity with standard project management practices such as planning, budget management, scope creep and problem solving. If you do not have any experience working within the marine environmental sector you must have a keen interest and willingness to learn. We expect you will contribute to the long-term ambition to grow the UK’s share of NIRAS’ business in the years to come.

Essential requirements:

• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in project management such as project planning, project processes, risk management, earned value, customer/client liaison, problem solving and project budgets.
• Ability to effectively plan, project manage and deliver work to tight deadlines, within a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to form working relationships with people at all levels and manage teams to deliver proposals and projects within deadlines.
• Experience of developing written and commercial proposals or quotations in response to client requirements.
• Strong motivation to develop appropriate technical and commercial solutions to meet client clients and the ability to communicate these in influential, engaging text.
• Excellent and adaptable communication skills (written/verbal) in fluent English, with strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to negotiate effectively with individuals, partners and clients and convey information/data clearly requiring little clarification or quality assurance, such as in tenders, reports, knowledge sharing etc.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, beneficial.
• Willingness to support other areas of the business when required, including supporting junior colleagues.
• Ability to think and work proactively, creatively, and strategically under pressure.
• Adaptable and flexible to respond to changes, challenges and competing demands.
• Comfortable dealing with financial information.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office software, including intermediate Excel skills.

Our offer

This is a permanent, full-time position (37.5 hours per week, routinely Monday to Friday). We anticipate the role will be hybrid working. You will be required to come into one of our vibrant UK offices at least one day a week, where you can fully immerse with our dynamic, highly skilled team.

The salary range for this role is approximately £32,000 to £40,000 per annum (full-time equivalent). The entry point within the salary range will be dependent on experience. You can progress through the salary range for this role subject to achieving objectives, behaviour standards and development.

Our employee benefits include:

• Paid annual leave of 25 days of annual leave + public holidays
• Employer pension contributions, and optional salary sacrifice pension arrangements.
• 24/7 access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• A company life assurance scheme following successful completion of 3-months employment
• Company sick pay
• Enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity pay
• 2 days per year paid time off for volunteering activities
• Cycle to work scheme

How to apply

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter. We will assess applications on a rolling basis until we find a suitable candidate so please let us know if you are planning to submit an application. For any enquiries about the post, please contact the same address.


Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.