Portfolio Manager at UK Fusion Energy, Lincoln, 12 Months, £Contract Rate

Fusion energy offers the potential for significant quantities of low-carbon, inherently safe, abundantly fuelled, baseload energy, supporting sustainable climate action and energy independence. While the technical challenge remains high, confidence is increasing, and the rewards of realising fusion are almost incalculable. Anticipated to come online for commercial purposes in the middle of this century, fusion offers a viable means to sustainable net zero in the UK and globally, as well as to increased energy security. The UK is currently a world leader in fusion research and development and in the drive to realise commercially viable energy from fusion, a sector with an estimated value of £tns per year.

STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) is the UK's flagship national programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant, targeting 2040, and a path to commercial viability of fusion. STEP is deliberately bold and ambitious and seeks people who want to be part of a world-changing endeavour and who have credible and relevant experiencing in delivery.

ILIOS consortium was selected in early 2026 as Construction Parter on STEP. Ilios is a 50/50 joint venture between Kier and Nuvia, supported by consortium partners AECOM, AL_A, and Turner & Townsend, and support from strategic suppliers.

The Portfolio Manager for ILIOS is a visible leadership position on STEP to ensure the ILIOS portfolio of work best aligns to STEP Whole Programme Objectives Full Business Case and Business Plan, and realises the greatest benefits. They take Intelligent Client responsibility for the prioritisation and effective allocation of ILIOS resources to ensure STEP "best for programme " needs are met. They work closely with ILIOS, Commercial, Technical, Finance, Programme and Project Management, and other stakeholders.

As a Portfolio Manager your main responsibilities will be to:

• Develop and maintain the ILIOS portfolio aligned to the Whole Programme Objectives, Full Business Case and Business Plan
• Evaluate and prioritise the Ilios portfolio and resources to ensure "best for programme " approach
• Take programme wide ownership to develop and maintain a coherent ILIOS pipeline of Task Orders
• Work with STEP teams to identify ILIOS Task Orders, in a proactive and timely manner to meet STEP programme needs within budget and headcount constraints.
• Monitor ILIOS portfolio resource demand and supply
• Use data and insights to drive continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to increase ILIOS portfolio value and outcomes.

Essential:

• Extensive experience managing a portfolio of projects and/or programmes, ensuring delivery against strategic objectives, budgets, timelines, and business outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Relevant Project Management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, PMP, APM, MSP, MoP, or equivalent).
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with experience managing project and programme budgets.
• Experience working within industrial, engineering, infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, utilities or energy environment

Desirable:

• Experience in change at portfolio level

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.