Project Manager - Education

Join Our Team as a Project Manager - Education!

Location: Homebased - Nationwide Travel is Essential to This Role

Salary: Up to £42,000 Per Annum (Dependent Upon Experience)

Benefits:

• 30 days' Annual Leave (increasing to 35 days with length of service) + Bank Holidays
• Company Pension Scheme
• Life Insurance x 2
• Employee Discount Scheme

About Us

Welcome to Polaris, one of the UK's leading communities of children's service providers! For over 30 years, we have passionately improved the lives of young people through our independent fostering and adoption agencies, Leaving Care services, Residential, Education, and bespoke children's services contracts. Our nurturing community is dedicated to achieving the best outcomes for every child in our care. We are ambitious for our children, young people, families, and staff, and we believe in their futures.

What We Are Looking For

Are you an experienced Project Manager ready to make a real impact? We are seeking a motivated and skilled individual to join our Organic Growth team. In this role, you will drive our plans to develop new schools, ensuring they provide outstanding education to our young people across our community. Your expertise will help bring these new schools to life, ensuring they open on time, within budget, and meet all regulatory requirements.

If you are passionate about delivering projects that genuinely make a difference and thrive in a fast-paced, people-focused environment, this could be the perfect next step in your career!

Key Responsibilities

• Identify potential new sites proactively and efficiently.
• Manage the establishment of new schools from purchase through to opening.
• Support the production of and monitor planning applications.
• Ensure all construction and refurbishments comply with the Building Safety Act.
• Manage projects to agreed timeframes and budgets.
• Build and establish a suitable contractor base to minimize project downtime.
• Assess and procure all required works, ensuring compliance with Health and Safety regulations.
• Collaborate with education specialists to ensure regulatory compliance (Ofsted, LA, etc.) for timely school openings.
• Work alongside our Estates Team to develop site maintenance schedules.
• Build relationships with LA commissioning teams to understand demand for schools and agree on key commercial terms.
• Coordinate with central functions to ensure resources are in place and Marketing is informed of timings.
• Develop and maintain project plans and reporting documentation for successful project delivery.

About You

• Post-Project Management qualification experience (all levels of post-qualification experience will be considered).
• Up-to-date knowledge of RICS requirements and relevant legislation.
• Strong leadership, communication, and influencing skills.
• Ability to think strategically, creatively, and under pressure.
• Highly organized with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Confident working independently and collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience in managing and delivering to budgets.
• Possess a full valid driving licence.

At Polaris, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. All applicants will undergo enhanced DBS checks and thorough referencing prior to appointment. We are an equal opportunities employer and positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

Ready to make a difference? Join us in shaping the future of education!