Assistant Project Manager

Founded in 1967, ACS International Schools educate over 3,700 students, aged 2 to 18, day and boarding, from more than 100 countries. ACS delivers an internationally renowned curriculum enabling graduates to attend the college of their choice, and many of the world's finest universities.

We are recruiting an Assistant Project Manager to join the Estates & Facilities Team. The Assistant Project Manager will work on specialist capital projects with responsibility for assisting the PM and Senior PM on projects ranging from c£0.1m up to circa £5m.

The role will be to act as a client side APM and be responsible for assisting in establishing effective partnerships and managing a broad range of operational and strategic stakeholder relationships. They will also assist in the commissioning of professional services and contracts, make decisions on delivery, providing guidance to key decision-makers to ensure successful completion and liaison with listed building and heritage officials as necessary. The postholder will also be responsible for managing internal & external logistics, contractor and consultant attendance as well as taking a key role in ensuring safeguarding obligations are adhered to at all times.

In additional to this, the APM will support the facilities team in managing, monitoring and coordination of the ACS Estates and Facilities annual campus improvement and backlog works programmes.

This is a key position in the Estates & Facilities team, with the successful candidate being responsible for assisting in the delivery of multiple projects and ensuring individual projects are completed to the appropriate quality, using best practice, according to statutory requirements, on time and within budget with delivery support from external consultants, the facilities team and other support function heads.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

a) Assisting the ACS Senior Project Manager and Project Manager in the delivery of specific projects and project milestones. This includes ensuring individual projects are developed in sufficient detail for business cases, procurement, and construction, coordinating user groups to develop and input into designs, value for money costs, operational procedures and monitoring requirements.

b) Managing project related campus logistics ensuring all contractors and consultants attendance is carefully monitored and all safeguarding obligations are adhered to.

c)  In conjunction with the Senior Project Manager / Project Manager, assist in the production of a strategy for successful delivery and management of projects across all campuses as appropriate.

d) To assist in the development, monitoring and management of a procurement strategy for all campus projects with on the ground assistance from the Facilities/Project Manager. This could include reviewing or assisting in putting together project specifications for all proposed works in conjunction with site Facilities Managers.

e)  Oversee production of tender schedules and contribute to the procurement processes for all campuses.

f)  Ensure that the overall ACS Estates and Facilities project programme is kept up to date.

g) Ensure that procedures are being followed for the supervision of contractors working on ACS campuses.

h) Take responsibility for monitoring that safe project working practices are adhered to for all ACS and site personnel in accordance with internal ACS, and statutory, regulatory Health and Safety procedures.

i) Ensure a robust process in place to induct contractors on site and that ACS induction documentation is completed, including that the ACS Health and Safety policies have been made clear and understood.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Essential:

• Project management, organisational and logistics management skills.
• Familiarity with the use of different types of construction procurement and contracts.
• Confident and professional, with strong stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to communicate in an effective way that meets a diverse audience, including strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to react quickly and effectively to issues and opportunities.
• Ability to adapt to, and manage, change.
• Ability to self-manage, organise, and prioritise tasks and work under pressure in a time critical education setting.
• Self-motivated and committed to delivery on time and to a high quality.
• Strong IT skills (Microsoft Packages).

Desirable

• Experience of managing professional teams in delivering refurbishment projects through the full project lifecycle.
• Knowledge of listed / historic buildings is an advantage.
• Strong financial management skills, managing budgets and forecasting expenditure.
• Practical experience of CAD and Microsoft Project.
• Knowledge of key project processes such as design principles and construction management processes, procurement and tendering.
• Experience of working within the Education sector and occupied premises is an advantage.
• Experience of the preparation of project specifications for tendering purposes.
• Good technical awareness of construction processes.
• Good knowledge of Health and Safety Management in a construction/engineering environment.
• Experience of managing contractors is an advantage.

Qualifications

• Degree qualified, or equivalent qualifications.
• A project management qualification, preferably as a client-side project manager is desirable.

Start date: As soon as possible

Closing date: 31st December 2023

Location: Hybrid across the campuses in Cobham, Hillingdon and Egham.

ACS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and as an employee of ACS you are expected to share this commitment. The protection of our students’ welfare is the responsibility of all staff within ACS International Schools and individuals are expected to conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of our organisation.