Utilities Sector Project Manager – Associate Director / Director

Job Description & Summary

We are seeking an experienced senior project leader (Associate Director / Director level) to join our Consulting practice, with a focus on the utilities sector. The role offers the opportunity to lead large-scale project delivery and transformation initiatives, supporting utility organisations in delivering strategic transformation, operational improvement and realising innovation-led business outcomes.

We are particularly interested in candidates with extensive experience leading major programmes, projects and transformation initiatives within the utilities sector, including water, electricity and gas. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting clients to address emerging challenges, realise strategic objectives and deliver lasting business value.

Embrace the possibility to apply – at Grant Thornton we are constantly upskilling our staff. If you do not meet all of the listed requirements, please do not be discouraged from applying. We value a growth-oriented mindset and are dedicated to supporting you in reaching your full potential.

Roles & Responsibilities

Collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team to successfully deliver and manage projects across a range of key utilities sector initiatives, including:

Project Management Delivery

• Overseeing and providing strategic leadership in the delivery of complex utilities sector projects and programmes, ensuring high-quality outputs and meeting tight deadlines.
• Defining and driving projects across all stages of the project life cycle, from initiation to implementation and evaluation.
• Leading and mentoring multidisciplinary teams, fostering collaboration across client organisations, delivery partners, regulators and other key stakeholders.
• Developing and maintaining robust project governance frameworks, delivery plans, risk management approaches and stakeholder engagement strategies to support successful programme outcomes.
• Providing strategic advice to utilities clients on major transformation initiatives, including digital transformation, infrastructure modernisation, operational excellence and organisational change.
• Leading the assessment of procurement and delivery models, supporting clients in identifying appropriate approaches for the delivery of complex capital, operational and transformation programmes.
• Combining data-driven analysis and industry insight to address critical challenges and opportunities across the utilities sector, translating findings into practical and actionable recommendations.

Business Development

• Building and maintaining trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders across the utilities sector, positioning Grant Thornton as a strategic advisor and partner of choice.
• Leading client engagement activities, facilitating discussions, workshops and strategic planning sessions to identify business needs, shape solutions and develop opportunities for future collaboration.
• Engaging senior executives, industry bodies, regulators and delivery partners to drive project momentum and success.
• Developing and expanding key client accounts across the water, electricity and gas sectors, identifying opportunities to support clients in addressing strategic, operational and transformation challenges.
• Leading and directing business development initiatives, including the preparation of proposals and tenders for new utilities sector opportunities.
• Collaborating with colleagues across Advisory and the wider firm to develop integrated solutions that address complex client challenges across the utilities value chain.

Skills And Experience

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering or a related field; Master’s degree or relevant professional certification (e.g. PMP, PRINCE2, APM) strongly preferred.
• 8+ years' experience for Associate Director level, or 10+ years' experience for Director level, leading large-scale projects and programmes within the utilities sector, with a proven track record of leading complex, enterprise-scale initiatives and multidisciplinary teams.

Skills And Competencies

• Strong project and programme management experience leading and managing large multi-disciplinary teams comprised of clients, consultants, contractors and third-party delivery partners.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale transformation programmes and change initiatives within the utilities sector, including the establishment and operation of delivery and financial governance frameworks, project quality assurance processes and risk and dependency management approaches.
• Extensive experience working in the utilities sector, with knowledge of its regulatory, operational and commercial landscape.
• Proven ability to direct and deliver complex, multi-stakeholder programmes across the full project lifecycle, including strategic transformation, operational improvement, and capital investment initiatives within utility organisations.
• Experience in process analysis and design, including as-is and to-be process mapping, process performance design, implementation, optimisation and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and advise senior executives and strategic stakeholders, shaping strategy as well as delivering operational outcomes.
• Strong organisational and multi-tasking abilities, with experience managing multiple priorities and delivering in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Significant experience in originating, leading and closing business development opportunities, including utilities sector tenders and complex multi-stakeholder bids.
• Expertise in senior stakeholder engagement, including government departments, regulators, industry bodies and C‑Suite / Senior Management.
• An ability to balance big-picture thinking with acute attention to detail, translating long-term objectives into practical and deliverable solutions.
• A strong interest in the future of the utilities sector and in helping clients navigate emerging challenges and opportunities through innovation and transformation.
• Experience developing and growing client accounts within the utilities sector, with an established professional network and a strong understanding of market trends, client priorities and emerging opportunities.
• A creative, problem-solving mindset and initiative-driven approach.

About Us

We are Grant Thornton

Grant Thornton Ireland is rapidly approaching 3,000 people, in 9 offices across Ireland, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Bermuda. With a presence in over 149 countries around the world and a global network of 73,000 people, we bring our clients the local knowledge, national expertise and global presence to help them succeed – wherever they’re located.

At GT Ireland we work as trusted advisors , bringing local knowledge and national expertise, with a global presence, to help businesses succeed – wherever they are located. We make business more personal by investing in building relationships and empowering our clients to make the right decisions for their organisation now and for the future. Whether that is working with the public sector to build thriving communities, with regulators and financial institutions to build trust, or with a diverse range of businesses to help them achieve their goals, Grant Thornton Ireland work hard to support clients to act on the issues that matter.

At GT Ireland we don’t just predict your future, we build it

A Career at GT

Looking for a more fulfilling role in professional services? One where fresh thinking, collaboration and diversity are valued? At Grant Thornton we do things differently.

What does this mean for you?

A career in a more inclusive working environment, a more collaborative work culture, a more supported, flexible working role, more possibilities to grow and more opportunities to help shape the future for your clients. We respect and value your experience. And we want you to bring your authentic self to work and be at your best. It is how it should be.

Grow with us

At Grant Thornton, we care about our people and work hard to make you feel valued. If you are looking to deepen and develop your skills, knowledge, and experience throughout your career, then that is what you will get, and more.

Our Benefits

Please follow this link for information on our generous benefits package.

About The Team

Equity, diversity and inclusion

At Grant Thornton, we provide equitable opportunities for all our colleagues. We are a responsible, sustainable business where equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) is at the forefront of our workplace culture agenda, and today, we continue to build and develop on our existing ED&I structure and strategy to meet our workplace culture needs. People are at the heart of our business and teams built with varied individuals present diverse viewpoints, which need to be heard and valued.

We are all at our best when we are able to be ourselves and we view integrity and authenticity as integral values to bring to our day-to-day work-life at the firm. We are excited to see the personality and perspectives you will bring to our team because we know we will all benefit from them. Diversity of thought, background and experience enables better decision-making, improves the quality of our delivery, and helps us to meet the needs of our clients. Our firm is built on people and their ideas, so we want to hear all the new perspectives and fresh thinking you have to offer. You form the bedrock of our firm’s best-practice principles and we will champion you as leaders from day one.

Reward And Benefits

Our reward and benefits are designed to create an environment where our people can flourish. We are committed to building a culture where our people have access to the necessary benefits to help promote a healthy lifestyle and thrive.

Recognition

We want to create a culture of recognition and celebrating success, by saying thank you to people who surpass our expectations and recognising the right values and behaviours. Our Shout Out recognition scheme is our way of highlighting and promoting achievements. Whether you simply want to say thank you, celebrate a special occasion or give an award for doing something exceptional, you can do all of this and more through the scheme.

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