London, UK
Project manager
at Cockpit Arts
Cockpit Arts is seeking a project manager to join its team in London.
Role: project manager
Contract: fixed-term contract September 2021 to end of April 2023
Salary: £50,000-£60,000 dependent on experience
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Location: Remote working initially, then from our central London studios
Reports to: Head of Operations
Works with: CEO, appointed professional team, and the full Cockpit team
Apply by: midnight on Tuesday 15 September
Interviews: week of 20 September (via Zoom)
About Cockpit Arts
Cockpit Arts is London’s leading centre for contemporary craft. We empower makers to succeed creatively and commercially.
Established in 1986, we’re the UK’s largest, most diverse cluster of makers and the country’s only craft business incubator, recognised on the NatWest SE100 index of top-performing social enterprises.
Home to 150 makers, practicing in over 20 different disciplines – from ceramics to fine jewellery, hand weaving to bespoke tailoring – we equip talented people with the tools to succeed: specialist studio space and equipment, in-house coaching, and public showcases.
Creativity, innovation, and business success are fuelled by diversity. At Cockpit we foster an inclusive, ambitious culture where all aspects of diversity are seen as fundamental to achievement. Recognising that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not, over three decades our mission has been to break down and overcome the barriers standing in the way of creative success.
Each year we support 30 emerging practitioners with awards and bursaries, providing free studio space for 12 months, professional development and training, and introductions to buyers and curators. These highly sought-after places provide a grounding for artistic success. Many of the artists and makers based at Cockpit enjoy a global reputation as leaders in their field.
The Deptford Vision
With this being the largest single capital project that Cockpit Arts has ever had the privilege to undertake, our aspirations are to transform Deptford to optimise the existing space, create new facilities and studios as well delivering a contemporary and inviting space for the community.
The project is a full refurbishment of an existing 2,300 sqm space compromising of makers studios, workshops, education and community spaces, office, communal areas and a new café. The proposed scheme will see an extension into the front yard for a large education space, creating more space for studios at ground level. The presence of a new education structure at the front would play an important role to make visible the new public accessibility of the building. At level 01, the existing space is to be converted into additional studios.
Main purpose of the job
This fixed-term role will lead the delivery of our ambitious Deptford site redevelopments.
Specifically, the project manager will:
- lead and project manage all aspects of the project including but not limited to design, planning, construction and delivery
- manage all external partners and the professional team (architects, engineers, surveyors, planning consultants, funders etc.) to ensure they deliver effectively to meet the ambitions of Cockpit for the development of Deptford, in line with and according to the agreed programme and budget
- manage and mitigate all risks throughout the project lifecycle
- provide clear and timely reporting to the head of operations, financial controller and CEO to ensure successful delivery of the project
Main duties
Project management:
- as project manager you will show initiative and ambition to manage your own projects with support from the senior leadership team
- lead on all areas of project delivery and management including scoping, planning, budgets, managing suppliers and partnerships, producing reports and risk management
- produce and manage the delivery plan, defining timelines and dependencies, to ensure high-quality, on time delivery of all objectives and outputs
- responsibility for all project financial management – manage budgets, ensuring value for money and that the project is delivered within budget
- develop strong relationships with key stakeholders across the programme, positively engaging with the projects funders to influence and act as the key liaison between Cockpit Arts and funders to ensure the project meets all agreed deliverables and outcomes
- source, contract and manage project delivery partners (where applicable), such as engineers and contractors
- manage the design team, consultants, contractors and work closely with the head of operations to ensure buildability and value engineering opportunities are seized
- responsible for managing all design and build risks and impacts. You will be expected to identify project risks and put forward solutions
- responsible for reporting on progress and ensuring any issues or amendments are carried out to a high standard and within budget
- responsible for organising all project meetings, monitoring and reporting to Cockpit’s board of trustees, funders, and project board
- oversee the design and technical coordination on site to ensure a timely delivery to handover
- work alongside the head of operations and project coordinator to support on community engagement and consultation
Person specification
Essential knowledge skills and experience:
- proven experience leading complex development and refurbishment projects delivering them on time, to budget and to a high quality
- excellent project management skills including effective planning, prioritisation, risk management, and reporting
- excellent financial management skills – budget setting and monitoring and resource management skills
- experience working on large-scale construction projects
- experience of contracting, negotiating with, and managing external suppliers (e.g. engineers and contractors) to ensure high quality delivery
- ability to understand Cockpit’s requirements and to translate effectively between design and build consultants and non-development stakeholders
- knowledge of best practice in equality, diversity, and inclusivity
- excellent people management and negotiation skills
- strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate to a broad range of people across the organisation
- five years’ experience in design and build projects
- MRICS, MCIOB or equivalent experience
Desirable knowledge, skills, and experience:
- experience of project management on cultural, heritage or creative sector projects
- experience of interfacing with local authority and grant funders
- experience of main contractor side delivery
- knowledge or experience of community engagement and consultation
Essential qualities and attributes:
- enthusiasm for the potential of the redevelopment of Deptford to optimise existing space and create engaging and accessible spaces for the community
- first-class attention to detail and high standards of professional conduct
- solutions focussed, empathic approach, able to communicate and build professional relationships with a wide variety of people and to adapt delivery style as appropriate
- affinity with Cockpit Arts’ mission and values as a leading UK social enterprise enabling creative people to succeed and engaging with our community
- commitment to keeping abreast of design advances and willingness to share your knowledge with the wider staff team
- self-starter with an ability to work positively as part of a small team