Open roleExternal

Connections and Commissioning Project Manager

Job Description

Lead meticulous, detailed upfront planning for every connections and commissioning site — removing ambiguity well before construction starts, so that outage windows, sequencing and resourcing are certain rather than assumed.
Sit within the design review cycle for every Water Infrastructure package, supporting design development so that constructability, connection and cleaning requirements are built in rather than resolved after the design is frozen for construction.
Work with the Engineering Manager and early contractor involvement (ECI) partners to validate siphon connection buildability ahead of each Issue for Construction (IFC) package.
Ensure the chosen cleaning and commissioning methodologies and associated access/space requirements inform design geometry.

Lead the integration of key supply chain partners into a single, coherent delivery plan — self-delivered reinforced concrete works, MLS and MEICA delivery partners, specialist cleaning contractors where required, and commissioning support if needed.
Engage supply chain partners early to secure experienced and competent resources, plant and capability against known market constraints, protecting programme certainty.
Own the connections and commissioning delivery sequence for every site, from pre-outage investigation and detailed design through early connection works to construction completion and Operational Readiness.
Develop the detailed Commissioning Plan by working backwards from each site's Ready-for-Outage date, with activities planned down to two- and four-hour blocks to maximise productivity within restricted outage windows. Engineering manager, planner, and supply chain support.
Manage the operational constraints that govern every connection: only one MLS line offline at a time, no more than two siphons exposed concurrently, minimum gaps between partial outages, and the correct connection order across siphon lines.

Set up every site — compounds, working areas, hygiene controls and access arrangements — in a way that protects quality and gives certainty of outcome from day one, drawing on direct experience of what good looks like on a clean water project.
Ensure every connection and commissioning activity is delivered within the controls set by the Build Clean Strategy and the Water Quality Assurance Management Plan (WQAMP).
Own the cleaning and disinfection regime for new pipework and Water Infrastructure — flushing, chlorination, standing time, sampling and testing — in line with contractual requirements and UU's stringent water hygiene standards.
Track the multiple clocks that apply once a sample is taken (entry into service, return of the asset to UU control, and post-connection water quality monitoring) so no statutory or contractual window is missed.

Act as a key point of connection and integration with United Utilities as the asset owner, building the working relationship needed to align design, planning and delivery decisions with their expectations and standards.
Lead STRABAG's engagement with the Water Quality Risk Board (WQRB) through its review cadence in the run-up to each outage, and coordinate closely with the SUK Water Quality Assurance Manager.
Engage the wider United Utilities/CAP stakeholder group as required, including the Asset Supportability Engineer and the Aqueduct/Operational and Networks teams.

Direct the testing and commissioning programme for each asset: pressure testing, disinfection, water quality monitoring, water into supply, and the monitoring period that follows.
Ensure Inspection & Test Plans are complete and that hold points are respected before material production, dispatch and release for cleaning.
Own contingency planning for test or sample failure, including timely submission of remedial proposals to the client where required.

Own the successful commercial and delivery outcome of one of the highest-risk scopes on the project — protecting STRABAG UK from the substantial compensation and delay-damage exposure attached to connections and commissioning.
Track every contractual submission deadline and ensure packages are ready in good time, avoiding avoidable compensation events.
Maintain and report the commissioning and handover document register, giving leadership clear visibility of what is complete, in progress, or still open.
Contribute to commercial strategy discussions and the evaluation and selection of delivery partners and key subcontractors for the connections and commissioning scope.

Support with, and manage as needed, engagement with the regulatory and statutory bodies relevant to the scope — including the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency, HSE and other relevant authorities — as connection and commissioning activities require.
Support customer and community communications during connection and outage works.
Provide clear day-to-day leadership across the connections and commissioning effort, working in close partnership with the Connections and Commissioning Lead, Engineering Manager, Commercial team and Compound Representatives.
Ensure structured training and competence — site-specific hygiene training and broader training needs analysis — is delivered to everyone involved in cleaning, disinfection, testing and commissioning.
Champion health, safety and quality standards across all connections and commissioning activity.

Relevant experience gained on clean water infrastructure projects, ideally including connections and commissioning works delivered directly with a water company or other asset owner.
First-hand experience of the connection and integration process with an asset owner - understanding how their standards, review boards and sign-off processes shape delivery, and how to work within them.
Practical knowledge of water quality requirements - hygiene standards, disinfection and testing regimes for potable water assets - and what it takes to pass water quality testing first time.
Experience in setting up sites in a way that protects quality and gives certainty of outcome - compound layout, hygiene control, access and working-area planning.
A meticulous, detail-driven approach to upfront planning, with experience developing plans and sequences robust enough to remove ambiguity before construction starts.
Experience integrating multiple supply chain/delivery partners - civils, MEICA, cleaning and specialist subcontractors - into a single, coherent delivery plan.
Experience embedding commissioning and buildability requirements into design development, working closely with engineering and design teams.
Comfortable owning delivery and commercial outcomes on high-value, high-risk scopes with compensation-bearing or liquidated-damages exposure.

#J-18808-Ljbffr