Buildings Project Manager

Job Title: Buildings Project Manager

Hours: 35 hours full-time preferred but will consider 28 hours 

Salary: £42K (pro-rata for 28 hours)

Location: Based at St James' House but required to work across the Diocese of Liverpool

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager with extensive buildings experience, to support the Diocese of Liverpool and its parishes in implementing the Right Buildings plan in each deanery, ensuring that buildings are fit for purpose and create opportunities for mission and outreach. 

This role is about more than bricks and mortar—it’s about enabling mission and ministry in grassroots communities. This will involve the full project management lifecycle from planning to delivery and handover of projects.  Working in collaboration with the parishes to implement schemes that maximise the mission and ministry use of buildings and the shared use / repurposing of others. 

The main focus will be on managing refurbishment projects ranging from kitchen replacements to larger scale extensions £100k-£1m. The successful candidate will also provide project management support/oversight to the wider team progressing disposals and other workstreams.

In order to deliver successfully, you will apply proven project management principles to ensure clear planning, effective execution and rigorous monitoring of outcomes. You will listen carefully to local voices, integrating feedback into practical solutions aligned to agreed objectives. You will build and nurture strong relationships with key stakeholders, partners and suppliers, which will be critical to enabling timely, efficient and value-for-money solutions.

This is a demanding role, requiring a balance of interpersonal skill and technical expertise, but for the right person it offers the opportunity to apply best-practice project management to help transform our buildings into sustainable assets, to support mission and ministry, making our buildings fit for purpose for the future.

If you want to use your professional skills to make a real difference in the life of the Church, this is your opportunity to help create spaces where communities are served, lives are changed, and God’s love is shared.

Context

The Diocese of Liverpool has embarked on a six-year Strategic Transformation Programme, in partnership with the Church Commissioners, to deliver a clear, shared vision for mission, growth and a sustainable future. This aligns with the Church of England’s commitment to making its buildings more accessible and valuable to local communities.

Job Summary:

This role demands energy, expertise and clarity to deliver the approved deanery plans for churches and church halls. The main purpose of the role:

1. Delivery of refurbishment projects and project management support for progressing disposal and other workstreams for churches and church halls within the Diocese of Liverpool
2. Develop, nurture and manage relationships with key stakeholders to enable the above.

Duties and key responsibilities:

Key responsibilities and tasks include:

• Develop clear project plans, defining scope, objectives, milestones and success measures
• Delivery oversight of practical and timely solutions that meet local needs and priorities
• Manage risks and progress issues proactively to ensure controlled delivery within agreed timescales

• Stakeholder Management & Engagement - Engage with local teams to listen to and capture ideas for each building that requires refurbishment work. Working with parish leadership teams to shape and agree projects
• Build and nurture relationship with key stakeholders and suppliers
• Enable open and transparent communication, managing expectations and securing commitment to outcomes
• Negotiation with and management of supplier contracts to deliver value for money
• Gain all necessary approvals
• Track delivery against agreed plans, providing accurate progress updates internally and to key stakeholders
• Ensure lessons learned are captured and applied across future projects

Person Specification – essential requirements:

Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven project management experience, particularly in property, asset development, or ideally within complex or multi-stakeholder environments
• Relevant degree and professional qualification
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders, including public bodies, contractors, and internal teams
• A track record of developing and delivering projects through calm, persistent engagement
• Ability to nurture creative partnerships and relationships with community and statutory groups
• Emotionally intelligent and self-aware, independent self-starter who takes responsibility to ensure tasks are completed
• The ability to manage and interpret complex information resulting in sound, professional proposals
• Excellent time management and IT skills

Knowledge and skills:

• In-depth knowledge of project management methodologies and tool sets
• Strong understanding of the challenges and complexities of managing land and property
• Familiarity with building refurbishment projects, ideally within a heritage or ecclesiastical context
• Understanding of risk management and sustainability in building use
• Skilled in contract preparation and negotiation
• Knowledge of Faculty approval processes or willingness to learn

Personal Attributes

• Excellent communicator and negotiator, able to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders
• Process-driven with strong organisational and planning skills
• Resilient and tenacious, able to manage complex projects and overcome challenges
• Dynamic and proactive, with a strong sense of initiative and ownership

Other Requirements

• Willingness and ability to travel across the Diocese as required.
• Commitment to the values and mission of the Diocese of Liverpool.
• Ability to work flexibly, including occasional evenings or weekends if necessary.

Desirable requirements:

• Experience in developing and overseeing successful large scale/heritage projects.
• Professional project management qualification (e.g. APM, PRINCE 2, MSP)
• Experience of managing project teams
• Experience of belonging to a faith community
• Experience working within a faith-based or charitable organisation
• Experience of working in a Church context
• Experience of the legal complexities of managing Church buildings
• Knowledge and appreciation of heritage issues
• Knowledge of the structures and organisation of the Church of England
• Understanding of the Church of England’s structure, governance, and approval processes (e.g., PCCs, DAC, Faculty system)
• Knowledge of community engagement and developing buildings as community hubs
• Proficiency in using project management tools and software
• Experience in training or mentoring junior staff or colleagues

The post holder must be in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the Church of England. The post holder must also fully support the Values of the Diocese of Liverpool.