Construction Manager (HVAC)

Construction Manager (HVAC)

Nuclear & Safety-Critical Infrastructure

The Opportunity
We are partnering with a premier UK engineering specialist to appoint an experienced Contraction Manager (HVAC).

The Role
Reporting directly to the Operations Manager, you will take ownership of multi-site installation performance across nuclear and safety-critical environments. You will lead Project Managers, Site Supervisors, and a directly employed blue-collar workforce, driving a _first-time-right_ delivery culture.

Your core mission is to turn off-site manufactured products into fully tested, commissioned systems safely, on schedule, and within budget.

What You Will Be Doing

• Act as the visible champion of nuclear safety culture. Enforce RAMS, permit compliance, and a strict _stop-work_ authority where safety or quality overrides all commercial targets.
• Own blue-collar deployment, crew sizing, and shift patterns. Establish site labour norms, run short-interval planning, and tightly manage cost drivers like overtime, agency spend, and rework.
• Conduct weekly practicability assessments and daily readiness checks to clear blockers before teams mobilise. Mandate digital compliance in Dalux for real-time progress tracking and audit-ready handover records (LTQRs).
• Champion Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) principles and enforce strict component quality and material traceability upon site arrival.
• Navigate UK national agreements (NAECI, BESA) and build constructive relationships with trade unions. Enforce contemporaneous change capture at the workface to protect commercial positions under NEC contracts.
• Support pre-construction teams with realistic labour histograms and methodologies. Coach site supervisors, enforce SQEP (Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel) deployment, and build clear progression pathways for field teams.

What We Are Looking For

• Proven multi-site leadership delivering mechanical, HVAC, ductwork, or engineered services packages.
• Strong track record managing blue-collar labour deployment, workface planning, and productivity norms.
• Uncompromising commitment to safety culture within nuclear, defence, or similarly regulated sectors.
• Deep working knowledge of UK national agreements (NAECI, BESA, HPC/SZC site agreements) and union engagement.
• Hands-on experience embedding Integrated Management Systems (IMS), running assurance audits, and using digital field tools (Dalux or similar).
• Solid understanding of off-site manufacturing workflows and strict material traceability.
• Formal qualification in Construction Management or Engineering, alongside IOSH Managing Safely (or nuclear equivalent).
• Familiarity with NEC contracts, early warning notices, and DfMA integration.