Project Manager - Higher Education

Job ID: 43286Reference: 300016112816875Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | Warrington, Cheshire, United KingdomDepartment: Project & Program ManagementBusiness Unit: AUK UKWork Type: On-siteDate Posted: 2026-08-18Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.Role descriptionWe’re looking for an experienced Project Manager with previous experience in delivering projects within Higher Education, laboratories, or museums across the UK.You will oversee complex building and refurbishment projects, liaising with on‑site contractors and multidisciplinary teams. This role needs hands‑on construction understanding, specialist some technical knowledge (labs and museums), and the capability to handle the varied complexities of occupied educational and cultural environments.Role accountabilitiesManage construction delivery on Higher Education, laboratory, and museum projects, coordinating multiple trades and subcontractors on live, occupied sitesOversee scopes of work, contractor engagement, site supervision, and quality control to ensure compliance with technical specifications and safety standardsLead site coordination meetings, manage programme schedules, and track budgets ensuring projects stay on time and within financial targetsWork closely with estates teams, academic staff, curators, and other stakeholders to handle the challenges of operating in sensitive and complex environmentsUnderstand and resolve typical construction challenges including access restrictions, phasing, noise control, and protection of specialist equipment or collectionsIdentify and manage risks or issues early, escalating where necessary to senior management to maintain project momentum and complianceMonitor and analyse site progress and resource allocation to anticipate delays or cost impacts and adjust plans accordinglyAdvise on construction best practices and continuous improvement opportunities based on experience with similar sectors and environmentsQualifications & ExperienceProven hands-on experience managing construction or refurbishment projects within Higher Education, laboratories, or museumsStrong understanding of working with multiple trades and contractors on live sites with complex access and operational constraintsExperience dealing with specialist environments such as labs (including fume cupboards, gas, containment) or museum spaces (environmental controls, collections protection) is highly desirableFamiliarity with construction health and safety requirements (CDM regulations, risk management, permits)Confident communicator with ability to engage effectively with tradespeople, contractors, clients, and internal teamsCommercially aware with strong time and cost management skills, able to handle the complexities of multi‑stakeholder projectsProject management qualification (MAPM or equivalent) is preferred; construction-related qualifications (CIOB, RICS, HNC/HND) also welcomedIf you have construction knowledge and experience successfully managing the complexities of Higher Education, laboratory, or museum projects, working closely with tradespeople to deliver high-quality outcomes, we want to hear from you.Why Arcadis?We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.Together, we can create a lasting legacy.Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & BelongingWe want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We believe that by working together diverse people with different experiences develop the most innovative ideas. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life and we work closely with our people across six ED&I Workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.