Civil Programme Manager Jobs

How to Enter

To secure a job as a Civil Programme Manager, many New Zealand firms expect candidates to have previous experience in Civil Infrastructure and be working their way towards Project Management. In most cases, candidates that stand out from the crowd possess tertiary qualifications in Civil Engineering or Construction and an exceptional understanding of earthworks, roads, drainage, structural concrete, and sometimes, coal and gas. In addition, a qualification in Project Management (PMI or PRINCE2) can be hugely beneficial to employability.

The primary difference between a Civil Engineer role and a Civil Programme Manager however, is that they tend to lead a team of engineers and field staff. For that reason, the following additional requirements are commonly being asked for by New Zealand employers:

Organised and motivated
Able to lead others
Great attention to detail
Assertiveness and able to have hard conversations
Excellent communication and negotiating skills
Excellent writing and presentation skills
Able to make practical decisions
Able to think creatively
Can relate to a wide range of people
Can work well under pressure and meet agreed deadlines

Typical Responsibilities

The day-to-day responsibilities of a Civil Programme Manager can include any of the following:

Communicating with project team, clients and internal/external stakeholders
Liaising with local councils over planning permission and building permits
Creating timeline for civil projects and planning deliverables
Reporting on budgets and resources
Creating and updating documentation
Managing civil project and admin team
Managing external vendors and that their services meet agreed specifications

Progression

As Civil Programme Managers gain more experience, they can often expect to move to larger, more complex projects or projects with a higher risk or level of stakeholder. In many cases, Civil Programme Managers can often progress to more senior Project Management, Programme Management or into operational management positions. Alternatively, some may also work as self-employed contractors.