Capital Estates Associate Project Manager

As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.

We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £250m estates programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.

The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.

We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.

We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.

At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.

As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate Project Manager to join the Capital Planning and Development Team, part of the multi-disciplinary Estates team.

In this role, you will be involved in all engineering and building aspects of assigned projects, from inception to completion, as part of the Trust’s Capital Programme. This includes projects across Trust sites and other locations as required.

You will be accountable for projects under your care, assisting senior project managers and overseeing in-house resources, external consultants, and contractors to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the development of high-quality facilities that support excellent patient care. If you have project management experience in a construction, engineering, or healthcare setting and thrive in a dynamic environment, we would love to hear from you.

Location Base - Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Interview Date - 5th March 2025

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities:

• Capital Planning – supporting strategic development and infrastructure projects.
• Project Feasibility & Brief Development – defining project scopes and objectives.
• Project Delivery – managing major and minor works from initiation to completion.
• Engineering & Building Projects – overseeing technical and turn-key project solutions.
• Project Administration & Contract Management – ensuring compliance with governance and regulations.
• Financial Management – monitoring budgets and expenditure.

Working for our organisation

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.

This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As an Associate Project Manager within the Capital team, you will play a key role in delivering high-quality infrastructure and building projects across the Trust. You will be responsible for managing projects from inception to completion, ensuring compliance with financial, technical, and regulatory standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide specialist construction and estates project advice to Clinical Service Directors, senior management, and other stakeholders.
• Lead smaller projects up to £500K, ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery.
• Oversee feasibility studies, design development, and cost planning to support funding approvals.
• Coordinate surveys, interpret scale drawings, and ensure projects align with Trust needs.
• Support senior project managers in large-scale capital projects.

• Act as the main liaison between Estates, Finance, Planning, Operations, and Board-level stakeholders.
• Negotiate with contractors and consultants, managing contractual and financial aspects.
• Engage with clinical teams to translate service requirements into practical project solutions.
• Collaborate with local authorities on planning, building control, and regulatory approvals.

• Ensure all designs comply with HTMs, HBNs, British Standards, and CIBSE guidelines.
• Oversee commissioning of technical infrastructure elements, appointing independent testers as required.
• Ensure projects adhere to Trust policies.
• Support operational and technical commissioning to ensure high-quality, safe environments.

• Manage project shutdowns and site-wide planning to minimise service disruption.
• Maintain detailed project documentation, including risk registers, progress reports, and financial records.
• Coordinate with external consultants (architects, engineers, surveyors) to ensure project compatibility with existing estates.

• Assist in managing budgets, ensuring financial balance upon project completion.
• Support procurement, tendering, and selection of contractors, ensuring value for money.
• Hold personal delegated financial authority of up to £5K.

• Supervise contractors in line with the Trust’s Control of Contractors Policy.
• Provide support and cover for other project managers as needed.
• Assist with IT systems and software used within the department.

• Maintain project risk registers, escalating issues as necessary.
• Ensure “as-built” records are up to date and compliant with Trust standards.
• Conduct research on best practices in NHS Estates, Hospital Design, and Project Management.

• The role requires regular site visits, including work in confined spaces and exposure to construction environments.
• The post holder must be able to work under pressure, managing multiple priorities with competing deadlines.
• The role involves working with sensitive issues, requiring emotional resilience and strong problem-solving skills.

This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the improvement of NHS facilities and patient environments. If you have experience in project management, construction, or estates planning within a healthcare setting, we encourage you to apply.

Person specification

Qualifiactaions

• Degree in Building, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering disciplines
• Significant proven experience acquired by working in a similar role within an estates department / construction
• Relevant post-graduate registration/diploma or equivalent experience

• Project management accreditation Corporate member of an Institute --- RIBA, RICS, IEE, IIE, CIOB, CIBSE etc.

Experience

• Experience as project lead
• Experience of leading and managing/motivating professional services team.
• Experience of managing capital budgets for various schemes

• Experience of healthcare in estates environment and project delivery Working with NHS capital procurement Experience working in an acute hospital environment
• Undertaking design work in a hospital environment

Technical Skills Competencies

• Design skills in given discipline
• Project management skills
• Use of Microsoft software
• Excellent written and analytical skills

• Building design software packages such as AutoCAD, Revit Microsoft project specifically Or other project management tools
• Health & Safety standards in relation to Building and Construction

Knowledge

• Knowledge and practical experience to complete building projects of various values
• Knowledge of building and engineering services and general construction design

• Familiarity with mechanical and electrical systems
• Good Knowledge of healthcare guidance, HTM’s, HBN’s and other industry specific guidance
• P21+/P22 knowledge
• Knowledge of NEC and JCT building contracts
• Modern methods of construction
• Net zero carbon / sustainability in construction

Other requirements specific to the role

• Driving license
• General good health and fitness to meet the demands of the role
• Able to respond to unpredictable work patterns
• Occupational health clearance

• Working accessing building sites to review progress

Personal Attributes

• Excellent organisational skills
• Ability to work as an individual or as a team member
• Adaptable and imaginative Innovative and enthusiastic
• Ability to organise
• Ability to work under pressure demonstrating the need to react to situations
• Ability to communicate with others at all levels within the organisation and outside the organisation. The ability to explain the impacts and issues relating to a project and make others aware

• General computer literacy in spreadsheets etc.
• Lead on the issues that may affect a clinical environment and ensure that all relevant services are aware
• Lead at meetings i.e. Design Teams and User Groups and chair where necessary

Language requirement

• Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role

Please note:

Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.

This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.

Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.