Construction Manager

The salary for this role is £72,436 (inclusive of MPP) (inclusive of a Market Premium Payment (MPP)-7,300 ). Onsite working is expected for 4 days each week, however, during the management of work activity, a 5-day presence will be required. We actively support requests for flexible working. 

This role can be based at the following site; Culham, Oxfordshire.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions.

The Role

We are looking for a Construction Manager to join our team. The Engineering Division represents the continuation of UKAEA’s engineering function post-JET, maintaining its capacity and broad engineering expertise. This division is instrumental in supporting UKAEA’s mission to drive the future fusion economy by executing engineering across all UKAEA programmes and advancing fusion engineering solutions toward commercialisation through divisional initiatives and collaborations with other authorities.

You will lead a team of UKAEA staff and external contractors to plan, install, commission, and hand over new plant, equipment, and services at a UKAEA site. You can expect to be appointed as the Principal Contractor for a significant technical plant integration project, working closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful delivery. The role encompasses a variety of programmes, including construction, complex engineering installations, and modifications.

Additional responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following. 

• Manage construction resources through a detailed resource plan, addressing future skill needs and ensuring proper resource provision via recruitment, contracts, or external supply.
• Collaborate with the Divisional Director on long-term resource strategies and contribute to programme budget management and cost estimation for new projects.
• Lead safety culture, ensuring compliance with UKAEA policies, statutory regulations, and promoting well-being and inclusivity.
• Chair meetings to coordinate work, resolve conflicts, and provide regular progress updates to senior management on timelines, safety, and technical matters.
• Maintain the construction phase plan, health and safety file, and ensure all work follows safe systems with effective toolbox talks and required equipment.
• Conduct safety walkabouts, drive continuous improvement through safety initiatives, and work with the planning team to develop a resourced project management plan with milestones and gateways.
• Notify HSE, manage pre-construction information, and take ownership of the health and safety file as required.

A comprehensive list can be found in the job description (JD).

Essential Requirements:

• Experience of contributing to the development and delivery of organisational strategy
• Ability to communicate with and positively influence craft effort teams and supervisors, resolving conflict as needed
• A track record of delivering high technology science or technology constructions to time, budget, safety and quality Broad and deep understanding of construction processes, practices, current standards and industry best-practice Demonstrated ability to lead teams and develop organisations
• Proven commercial acumen in managing construction and installation contracts, coupled with extensive experience in overseeing craft effort contractor management on operational sites.
• Engineering Degree (or equivalent demonstrable experience) with Institution membership and significant experience within scientific or engineering related discipline
• Familiarity with modern standards in the areas of Safety, Health and Environment, and Quality Assurance 

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organization. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.