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Senior Innovation Project Manager

Hybrid in Warrington·Full-time·Added 22 days ago (last checked 4 Oct)

United Utilities

90 open roles

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Overview

Job details

Permanent contract
Full-time.
Hybrid
Office and home days — the ad has the split.

Requirements

Be near Warrington for hybrid days
No relocation package mentioned.
Have senior-level experience
Senior-level role.

Benefits

26 days holiday + bank holidays
Paid annual leave, per the ad.
Up to 14% employer pension
Paid in by the employer, per the ad. The legal minimum is 3%.

Skills

Requirements

What we're looking for

Degree qualified (or equivalent experience) in a technical or engineering discipline
Chartered member of an industry recognised organisation
Project management qualification (APM or equivalent)
Proven experience delivering complex project portfolios
Strong stakeholder management with experience influencing senior leaders
Experience supporting bids or securing funding for projects
Full UK/EU driving licence

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

Competitive Salary | Annual Bonus + £5000 Car Allowance

We recognise the value you bring - and reward it.

26 days annual leave (rising to 30) + bank holidays
Competitive pension scheme (up to 14% employer contribution)
Performance-related bonus of up to 20%
£5,000 car allowance
Company-funded healthcare
Flexible, hybrid working

You'll also benefit from exceptional development opportunities, including:#

APM Project Management qualifications
Chartership support (CEng / IEng)
Leadership coaching and mentoring
Professional memberships and accreditations

The role

At United Utilities, we don't just deliver water - we deliver a better future for the North West. Our mission is to provide high-quality, sustainable water services that support a greener, healthier and more prosperous region.

Ranked #4 in The Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers, we are proud of our commitment to diversity, innovation and creating a workplace where people can truly thrive.

As we significantly increase our investment in innovation over the next five years, there has never been a more exciting time to join us.

We're looking for a Senior Innovation Project Manager to lead from the front - driving cutting-edge engineering innovation across our Commercial, Engineering and Capital Delivery (CEC) functions.

This isn't just project delivery. You'll be shaping how innovation is identified, tested, scaled and embedded across a FTSE 100 organisation - directly contributing to carbon reduction, efficiency and future sustainability outcomes.

We are expanding our award-winning Innovation and Outperformance team at United Utilities, bringing together innovation, decarbonisation, and standardisation to drive step-change improvements in cost and carbon performance mainly focused on our c.£7bn capital programme.

Our team explores innovations that deliver value and drives the deployment of these solutions at scale to unlock outperformance against our ambitious targets.

Be at the forefront of a rapidly expanding international innovation programme
Work on cutting-edge technologies and engineering solutions from around the World
Influence strategic direction within a FTSE 100 organisation
Play a key role in delivering sustainability and carbon reduction targets
Work across internal teams, supply chains and leading external innovation partners

We're seeking a visionary project leader who thrives in complexity, brings energy to innovation and knows how to turn ideas into reality.

Your work will directly support our ambition to build a more sustainable future, delivering innovation at scale and creating tangible benefits for customers, communities and the environment.

This is your chance to lead transformational change - not just projects.

If you're passionate about delivering impactful projects, shaping the future of engineering and driving meaningful change - we want to hear from you.

What you'll do

Lead and deliver a diverse portfolio of complex, multi-disciplinary innovation projects
Take ideas from concept through to adoption, ensuring measurable benefits and real-world impact
Drive efficiency, sustainability and carbon reduction outcomes across the business
Inspire and mentor project managers, championing agile thinking and innovative approaches
Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, shaping decisions and influencing outcomes
Collaborate with external partners and funding bodies including Ofwat, Innovate UK and Horizon Europe
Manage delivery across risk, governance, resources and commercial performance
Promote innovation across the business, increasing visibility and adoption of new ideas
Ensure outstanding Health & Safety performance, operating within CDM and DSEAR frameworks

How you'll work

Permanent | Full Time

Hiring process

United Utilities' recruitment process has several stages, with the team updating you at each one; some roles include online multiple-choice tests (with practice tests offered first), and interviews may be in person or virtual

Candidates can track application status online at any time, and most correspondence is by email.
AI tools may help with grammar or preparation, but application content, interview answers and technical assessments (unless AI is explicitly permitted) must reflect the candidate's own work.
Reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process are available on request.