Principal Project Manager

At Bath & North East Somerset Council we have one overriding purpose - to improve people's lives.

Temporary - Maternity Cover (June 2026 - July 2027)

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Principal Project Manager to lead delivery of the Milsom Quarter Public Realm strand of the Fashion Museum Bath programme during a maternity leave period.

This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in a high profile heritage led cultural infrastructure programme within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This role sits within the Fashion Museum Bath capital programme, supporting one of its most significant and interdependent delivery strands: the Milsom Quarter Public Realm (MQPR) project. The MQPR works hand in hand with the relocation and development of the new Fashion Museum, forming a single integrated transformation programme for this part of Bath.

The Fashion Museum Bath Programme
Fashion Museum Bath holds one of the world's leading collections of fashion, spanning 400 years of creativity. We are delivering an ambitious capital project to open a new Fashion Museum in 2030. This major cultural investment will transform access to the Collection through new exhibitions, displays, learning spaces and an improved visitor experience.

The Milsom Quarter Public Realm (MQPR) Strand
The MQPR is a flagship regeneration initiative that forms a key enabling component of the Fashion Museum redevelopment. The project is reshaping public spaces (including delivering a major new square at the museum's entrance) and is essential to the museum's successful opening, visitor access and long term operation.

MQPR and FMB are being delivered together as a single, coordinated cultural and placemaking programme, ensuring public realm, access, movement and cultural infrastructure develop in harmony.

In this role you will:

• Lead all phases of MQPR design progression and delivery
• Ensure seamless coordination with the Fashion Museum capital programme
• Oversee movement and access infrastructure critical to the museum's operation
• Work across multidisciplinary teams in Heritage, Highways, Transport, Planning, Capital Delivery and Regeneration
• Act as a senior representative for the Fashion Museum programme in all public realm related forums
• Line manage the FMB/ MQPR Project Officer
• Manage complex stakeholder landscapes, risk interdependencies and major commissioning activity

The Milsom Quarter proposals reshape the city centre to create streets and spaces for people. You will deliver the following elements:

1. Creating a new public square, outside St. Michael's Church and the Old Post Office, transforming a car-dominated area into a new public space for the city.
2. Supporting the Fashion Museum by creating new public spaces and wider pavements around the building which make the museum accessible and keep everyone safe (necessary for it to open).
3. Making streets more welcoming and accessible for people, by improving walking and cycling with wider pavements, raised crossings, and new cycle parking.
4. Keeping access for buses and blue badge holders, with better disabled parking and business loading areas.
5. Adding more trees and plants to support nature, give shade and help cool the area.
6. Highlighting Bath's historic buildings and public spaces.
7. Creating flexible spaces for events, activities, and outdoor learning.

About You
You will be a confident, collaborative and highly skilled project manager with substantial experience in:

• Leading complex public realm or movement strategy projects
• Managing major capital programmes and TRO/HVM processes
• Working within heritage, conservation or museum related environments
• Navigating complex stakeholder landscapes in sensitive locations
• Managing consultants, commissions and multi million pound budgets
• Representing high profile programmes at panels, consultations and public events

You will bring strategic judgement, excellent communication skills, and the ability to provide clear leadership within a fast paced and evolving cultural programme.

Hybrid and flexible working are available, with Bath as your main base.

Interested to find out more?
For more information about this role, please refer to Role Specific Criteria and Role Profile document.

If you are interested in this post and require more details or just to chat through the role and what's involved, please contact Helen Griffiths by emailing to ask questions or to arrange a time for a call.

Interview date: 15th May 2026

No Agencies Please

Please note, BANES Council operates a policy of prior consideration for roles for any individual on the Council's at-risk register (redeployee). This means should a redeployee express an interest in this role, providing they meet the essential criteria for the role they will be considered ahead of external applicants.

Please note that this advert may close earlier than the stated closing date due to high demand. We advise all interested candidates to apply as soon as possible