Senior Programme Manager

About the role

Lead a £500m–£750m programme. Shape the future of water. Deliver impact that matters.

Location: Peterborough

Balfour Beatty play a key role as part of the {(6) Anglian Water's @one Alliance: Overview | LinkedIn} @Anglian Water's one Alliance. The Alliance is a ground-breaking collaboration between Anglian Water and eight industry-leading partners: Balfour Beatty, Barhale, Binnies, MMB, MWH Treatment, Skanska and SWECO. And together, we deliver around 40% of Anglian Water's capital investment programme.

As we enter AMP8, our most ambitious Asset Management Period yet, we're taking on nature-based, sustainable solutions like wetlands and urban drainage schemes. We're setting global benchmarks in environmental infrastructure and empowering our people with exceptional career growth opportunities.

We are now seeking an exceptional Senior Programme Manager to lead the successful delivery of a major, multi-year investment programme valued between £500m and £750m.

What you'll be doing

Reporting to the Business Unit Delivery Director, you'll provide strategic leadership across a multidisciplinary team, guiding programmes from early inception through design, construction, commissioning and final handover.

This role is central to the performance and evolution of the @one Alliance — combining leadership, delivery excellence, commercial acumen, stakeholder influence and a passionate commitment to safety, innovation and people.

You'll also play a key leadership role on the Water Business Unit Leadership Team, shaping the culture, strategy and success of the alliance.

What You'll Be Leading

Delivery Leadership

• Lead world-class health, safety and wellbeing performance across your programme area
• Develop delivery strategies that align with Anglian Water's Business Plan
• Ensure successful delivery of all projects to scope, schedule, quality and cost targets
• Oversee governance, ensuring a consistent "Right First Time" approach
• Ensure competent and capable teams are deployed to deliver exceptional results

Commercial & Financial Performance

• Achieve growth targets across turnover, gainshare and programme pool
• Implement routes to efficiency and drive cost-effective solutions
• Manage annual budgets, forecasts and financial controls
• Support robust supply chain strategies that deliver capacity and capability

Stakeholder & Communication Excellence

• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders across Anglian Water, @one partners, suppliers and regulators
• Ensure clear, consistent communication frameworks across all stakeholders
• Represent the programme at senior forums, boards and leadership groups

Innovation & Digital Transformation

• Drive the adoption of innovative materials, methods and technologies
• Embed digital systems that enhance safety, performance and efficiency
• Champion continuous improvement and share best practice across the alliance

People, Culture & Inclusion

• Lead diverse, high-performing teams with openness, trust and collaboration
• Champion talent development and succession planning aligned to @one's people strategy
• Promote a culture of inclusion, exploration and empowerment
• Embed behaviours that support wellbeing and safer working

Who we're looking for

What You'll Bring

• Degree-qualified (Engineering, Quantity Surveying or similar) OR equivalent experience
• Strong background in multi-disciplined construction delivery
• Proven leadership of large, complex capital programmes
• Track record of achieving budget, safety and performance outcomes
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Ability to develop business plans, lead change and inspire high performance
• Commercial awareness and experience driving customer-focused benefits
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and negotiation skills

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK's most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Why join us?

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn't rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You'll have the freedom to shape the package that's right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

• Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
• Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…

About us

Balfour Beatty's Highways business delivers major schemes including motorway upgrade programmes, complex national infrastructure projects and regional investment programme works for National Highways. We have a strong orderbook and a positive pipeline of opportunities, we put the road user, at the heart of everything we do. We work safely, reduce carbon emissions and added social value to the communities within which we work.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit:

We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at:

Job Reference: BBUK16598