Project Manager - OCS

Mission

To manage and lead the Overhead Contact System (OCS) delivery on the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project. The Project Manager OCS holds full responsibility for the OCS scope on the assigned sections, from take-over of the Civil Works (CW) sites through installation, testing, energisation support and handover, covering planning, cost control, progress and procurement monitoring, interface management, non-conformity management, and control of OCS materials and supply.

He leads a multidisciplinary construction and engineering team, manages subcontractor performance, and is accountable for the safety, quality, cost and schedule performance of the OCS scope in accordance with the contract, project specifications and applicable railway and electrical standards. The position suits an experienced railway professional with a minimum of 10 years' experience, including at least 7 years in OCS works.

Main Responsibilities

Planning

• Develop and update the OCS construction programme aligned with the master schedule, CW site release dates and possession constraints, and break it down into 3-month, 6-week and weekly look-ahead plans.
• Oversee work methods, method statements and short-term programmes including night and possession works, and define resource plans for manpower, plant, road-rail vehicles, wiring trains and equipment.

Cost Control and Commercial

• Monitor productivity and unit rates against budget, analyse variances, implement corrective actions and report monthly on cost performance.
• Validate subcontractor and supplier invoices, prepare Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) inputs, and support the preparation of variations and claims.

Progress Monitoring and Reporting

• Measure and report physical progress by activity, section and work front, and maintain dashboards and daily, weekly and monthly reports for management and the Client.
• Chair and attend progress, coordination and planning meetings with internal teams, the Client and contractors, and take remedial action where milestones or cost estimates are at risk.

Procurement Monitoring

• Monitor purchase orders, manufacturing progress, factory acceptance tests, shipment, customs clearance and delivery lead times with Procurement and suppliers, and support technical evaluations and the award of subcontract packages.

Take-over of CW Sites and Interface Management

• Lead the take-over of Civil Works sites: joint inspections, survey verification and control of foundation positions, embedded parts, cable route provisions, clearances and access; issue take-over records, punch lists and reserves and follow up rectification until close-out.
• Act as single point of contact for the CW contractors, manage the interface register, and coordinate shared access, temporary works, sequencing and co-activity including joint risk assessments.

Design Interface and Non-conformity Management

• Manage the OCS non-conformity process from identification to closure, including root-cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions.
• Interface with the OCS design team: site and technical queries (TQ/RFI), review of layout plans, setting-out plans and cantilever schedules for constructability, design change requests, and capture of as-built, wire height and stagger records.
• Verify that installation complies with project specifications, railway and electrical standards, approved method statements and ITPs.

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop the OCS teams, coordinate the performance of multiple teams and subcontractors, conduct performance evaluations, mentor team members.

HSE, Quality and Risk

• Take leadership responsibility for health, safety and environmental management on all OCS work fronts, including work at height, lifting operations and electrical safety, and enforce isolation, earthing, permit-to-work and lock-out / tag-out procedures for works on or near energised equipment.
• Identify and mitigate risks prior to works commencing, apply inspection and test plans, maintain quality records, and comply with project and company procedures.

Testing, Commissioning and Handover

• Plan and support OCS testing and commissioning: continuity and insulation checks, geometry verification, pantograph runs and energisation.
• Ensure quality, as-built and handover documentation is complete and accepted by the Client and Engineer, and manage punch list and defect close-out through to final acceptance.

Profile

Education

• Master's degree or equivalent five-year engineering degree (Bac+5) in civil, mechanical or electrical engineering.

Essential

• Minimum of 10 years' experience in railway construction, including at least 7 years in OCS / overhead catenary works with site management on major railway, metro or tramway projects.
• Proven track record in managing a complete OCS scope: planning, budget and cost control, procurement follow-up and site delivery.
• Solid knowledge of OCS construction methods: foundations and pole erection, cantilever pre-assembly and installation, wiring and stringing, tensioning, registration and final adjustment, sectioning.
• Able to read and interpret OCS layout plans, setting-out plans, principle drawings, cantilever schedules and erection / assembly booklets.
• Experience in interface management with civil works contractors and in the take-over of civil works sites.
• Proven leadership and people management, financial and commercial management skills, and demonstrated history in safety and risk compliance including electrical safety, isolation and earthing and work at height.
• Fluent in English, spoken and written.

Desirable

• Experience of OCS testing, commissioning and energisation on an operating or newly built railway.
• Knowledge of contractual, legal, commercial and industrial relations matters, and stakeholder management on international projects.
• Proficiency in MS Office, planning software (Primavera P6 or MS Project) and ERP / stock-management tools.

Personal Qualities

• Strong leadership, organisation and communication skills, with the ability to manage multidisciplinary teams in a multicultural environment.
• Rigorous, proactive and results-oriented, willing to work on site and adapt to field conditions, including night and possession works.