Lancaster Music Co-op is about to embark on an exciting £700K+ project to repair and renovate our premises. We are now looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Part Time Project Manager to join us on this journey.
Could this be you?
The successful candidate will work in close partnership with the Lancaster Music Co-op board and partners and will be responsible for overall management and coordination of the project.
Lancaster Music Co-op was established in 1985 by a group of Lancaster university students who wanted somewhere to rehearse and record. They soon set up a popular non-profit rehearsal facility and recording studio for the music community in Lancaster and the surrounding area. Lancaster Music Co-op is committed to equality of opportunity, and we are an open access community organisation, so, we warmly welcome people from all backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, and genders. We exist to provide professional facilities and support to ALL those who want to make music at any level and in its many forms.
We are currently working on an exciting new plan (with support and financial backing from Lancaster City Council and the Community Ownership Fund) to renovate the exterior of our premises at 1, Lodge Street and rebuild our internal facilities. We plan to seek tenders in June 2023.
We envisage work will start on site in September and that all the work will be completed by the end of March 2024. The Project Manager post is offered on either a freelance or PAYE basis and is fixed term for a period of 10 months in the first instance, however, if the project is not completed within this timescale there is an expectation that the successful candidate will continue to work for us until completion.
The post is offered as a 0.5 FTE and the salary will be £40,000 – £45,000 pro rata (actual salary £20,000 – £22,500). The hours are flexible to fit with the needs of the project and the successful applicant.
We need a highly motivated, experienced project manager to join us in this exciting and important community venture.
Key responsibilities:
- Accountable for ensuring that Lodge Street renovations are undertaken as per specification, to time and to budget.
- Acting as the key liaison between the contractor, architect and the Lancaster Music Co-op project board, structural engineers, building control
- Providing regular verbal and written reports/feedback on project performance to the project board and partners as appropriate.
- Liaise with Lancaster Music Co-op bookkeeper/accountant/administration team and other professionals supporting the Co-op (i.e. financial modeller/fundraiser) to enable accurate forecasting and reporting of key project information.
- Update any agreed project management reports and documentation (e.g., project status reports against time, cost, quality, benefits and risks; financial expenditure summaries, risk registers; submitting change requests).
- Create progress reports and submit financial claims to Lancaster City Council and the Community Ownership Fund.
What skills are we looking for? Essential:
- Experience of successful construction project implementation, including tendering and appointing skilled contractors after a process of due diligence.
- Experience of delivering projects to time, scope, and cost.
- Experience of managing resources in a similar project environment.
- Capable of identifying project issues, acting on those issues and working with colleagues to rectify.
- Experience of financial monitoring / reporting on similar sized projects.
- Ability to review/critique project plans.
- Ability to develop and maintain good relationships with colleagues and customers.
- Ability to negotiate and influence at higher, strategic levels.
- Ability to work on own initiative and self-manage.
- Excellent verbal and written communication.
- Ability to communicate clearly with people at all levels using jargon free language.
- Highly organised and self-motivated.
- Effective time manager, capable of meeting timescales, with the ability to effectively manage competing demands.
- Commitment and flexibility is key, along with the ability to cope under pressure, while maintaining a calm and rational persona.
- A team player – someone who supports colleagues and works with others to achieve the best outcome and who values the input of colleagues.
- Diligent with strong attention to detail.
- Confident user of Microsoft office packages – Excel, Project, PowerPoint, and Word.
- Ability and willingness to make site visits on a regular basis.
Desirable:
- Experience of working with third sector / community organisations on similar projects.
- Experience of liaising with and reporting to external funding bodies (councils, government departments, National Lottery funding) and providing timely updates on progress and spend to date.
- Experience undertaking the role of Principal Designer in construction projects.
- Knowledge of Construction Design Management (CDM) Regulations.
- Experience working with projects involving restoration of historic buildings.
How to apply:
To apply for the post please email an up to date CV and also a covering letter of no more than 2 sides of A4 highlighting why you feel this project is perfect for you to:
The closing date for applications is Friday 19th May
Interviews will be held in person including a visit to the site
If you have any questions please email info@lancastermusiccoop.co.uk