Principal Project Manager

Posted 09 February 2026
Salary £55k - 60k per year
LocationNottingham
Job type Permanent - Full Time
Discipline Highways, Transport & Infrastructure
ReferenceJO0000064392

Job description

Principal Project Manager
 
Project Manager - Highways & Infrastructure. Lead complex highway projects and shape strategic delivery.
 
You will be stepping into a senior leadership role where you can take full ownership of complex highway and civil engineering projects while leading and developing high-performing project management teams. This Principal Project Manager role is designed for someone who wants influence, responsibility and a clear leadership pathway within a respected delivery environment.
 
You will be trusted to make decisions, manage risk, and drive successful outcomes across major programmes without unnecessary barriers.
 
You will be joining a well-established organisation delivering a diverse portfolio of local improvement schemes through to significant and complex highway and civil engineering projects, typically valued between £25m and £35m. My client is known for delivering high-quality project management and technical services, working closely with internal teams, external partners and stakeholders to meet strategic business objectives.
 
As a Principal Project Manager, you will be leading a team of project managers and improvement officers, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently and to a consistently high standard.
 
You will be doing the following:
·Leading and coordinating the planning and delivery of significant and complex highway and civil engineering projects
·Managing company-wide and third-party dependencies, including resources, technical inputs and stakeholder requirements
·Taking responsibility for budget management, programme delivery and financial performance
·Planning resource capacity, forward workload and team commitments to maximise productivity
·Overseeing the scoping, development and delivery of integrated project management services
·Acting as the escalation point for complex technical and contractual issues
·Managing, coaching and developing project management staff to achieve high performance
·Ensuring compliance with all statutory Health, Safety and Environmental responsibilities
·Acting as an ambassador across political, professional and business networks to support reputation and business growth
 
This Principal Project Manager role is well suited to someone already operating in a senior project management position and looking to further develop their leadership impact.
 
To succeed as a Principal Project Manager, you will bring:
·Proven experience managing major highway and civil engineering projects
·Experience delivering design and project management services through appropriate contractual arrangements
·A strong track record of managing people and performance against agreed KPIs
·Experience managing portfolios of large-scale projects to agreed timescales
·Strong financial management and budget monitoring capability
·The ability to influence and communicate effectively at a senior level
·A degree in Project Management, Civil Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience
·Membership of a relevant professional institution or commitment to continued professional development
·Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office and project management software
 
You will receive a  salary of £55,000 - £60,000 per year dependent on experience, alongside a comprehensive benefits package designed to support both your professional development and wellbeing.
 
This will include:
·Competitive salary dependent on experience
·Pension provision
·Annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays
·Professional development and training support
·Flexible working arrangements where possible
 
You will be working within a leadership pathway role, with clear opportunities to influence strategy, develop teams and progress your career. The working pattern and location will be discussed to suit both project needs and personal circumstances.
 
If you are looking for a Principal Project Manager role where you can lead complex projects, develop people and play a key role in strategic delivery, this opportunity offers the scope and responsibility to make a genuine impact.
 
If you feel that you are right for this role technically, but the salary, location or seniority does not suit you specifically then please still feel free to send us your CV. We constantly recruit for roles very similar to this one at all levels UK Wide. We are always keen to chat with you discreetly about your employment situation.
 
Even if you are happy in your current role for now, we always welcome calls from Highways, Infrastructure & Transportation professionals keen to make their introductions for future months or years. Carrington West's Highways, Transport & Infrastructure division is the fastest growing in the country, our specialist team has a combined over 100+ years' experience in this market. Please call Adam Butler at Carrington West on 07889 214 154 for more information.
 
By applying for this position, you are agreeing for Carrington West to hold and process your personal data in accordance with our Data Protection Policy. Your data will be shared with third party clients specifically relevant to any roles you have applied for. If at any stage, you wish to withdraw your consent please contact us.