Job Title: Project Manager
Advertised Salary: £35,000 - £40,750 + car cash allowance (£4,860 p.a.) + benefits.
** Contract: Full time, 12 month maternity cover contract **
Location: Remote, with regular travel across our regional network. See here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network
We are the charity who look after and brings to life 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, because we believe that life is better by water. Every role across the Trust plays its part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better, bringing wellbeing benefits to millions.
We are currently looking for a Project Manager to join our high performing delivery team to provide maternity cover, overseeing our development phase of the restoration of Ellesmere Yard, Shropshire.
Our focus is on ensuring more people have access and the ability to use our towpath and waterway network and ultimately benefit millions of people across England & Wales. The project, funded by the Trust and National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) will see the development and submission of the stage 2 bid to NLHF in May 2026. Work includes the development of our activity plan, including overseeing creative consultants, who will work to bring to life and create a sustainable future for the site. Managing our evaluation, volunteering, and education will also be at the core of the role. You may be accountable for line managing 2 part-time staff, dependant on the candidate.
Ellesmere Yard is an amazing collection of buildings dating back to 1807 and has been a hub of canal-related activity ever since. Time has not been kind to these buildings, which are now in need of extensive, sensitive repair and then finding a sustainable use for the future. This is where you come in. You may already have experience in managing NLHF activity plans.
You will use your skills and expertise to continue to develop activities from start to finish, work with our teams of third-party funders, heritage managers, ecologists, engineers, funders and local communities and of course our contractors/consultants. You will look for efficiencies and opportunities and be accountable for project safety, delivering to the highest standard.
As one of our Project Managers you will be within the Asset Improvement Team and play an important role in supporting our vision and delivering our Waterways and Wellbeing strategy ensuring our national waterways, are improved, managed & maintained for our visitors, customers & service users to benefit from. You may be new to project management; we will provide training and support from our Senior Project Managers.
Location & coverage
Offered on a remote working basis, but based extensively at Ellesmere Yard, Shropshire with a requirement to attend our main hub spaces as and when required for team working and collaborative meetings. Your local hub would likely be Ellesmere Port Boat Museum or the Roundhouse in Birmingham.
Regular accessibility to this network is essential. See our network: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network
In this role you will be working with a diverse range of stakeholders and partners planning and delivering our third party funded projects. You will be managing projects of low/medium risk and/or low/medium complexity by applying processes, methods, knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the project objectives. Activities will range from £20,000 to £100,000 in value and be delivered by a range of consultants who have already been commissioned and approaching the final milestones within their workstreams.
You don't need to have worked in a charity before, but we believe we can offer you an exciting change of environment and impactful projects to support and manage. Our towpaths and various historic assets provide a refreshing backdrop and unique working environment. As a Project Manager with the Canal & River Trust you will further develop your skill set and project management career alongside our canals and waterways, in an organisation that values wellbeing and work life balance.
Key accountabilities
About you
Qualifications:
HND (or equivalent) in a related discipline.
Project / Programme Management accreditation / qualification i.e., APM Project Management Qualification, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), Prince 2 [Desirable].
Valid UK driving licence - Car Cash allowance & regional/national travel, including to remote locations is expected.
Experience:
Previous Project Management experience of successfully managing multiple low/medium complexity projects.
Managing activity plan, interpretation and other consultants.
Community engagement.
Managing NLHF projects.
Knowledge of project management processes and systems.
Experience of finance control of project delivery.
General skills:
To apply: click on the "Apply for this job" button and follow the process - complete the application form & upload current CV
If you have any questions about the role please contact CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk
In addition to your salary of £35,000 - £40,750, you will benefit from a Car Cash Allowance of £390 per month, a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, great holiday entitlement and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits, all of which can be found here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits).
Other benefits include:
At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.
All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.
When you join the Canal & River Trust you become a member of an engaged team working to preserve our heritage for future generations. Come and share your passion and knowledge with a team that makes a difference to millions of people every day.
Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us