Project Support Administration Assistant

Job description

Company Description Work with Us. Change the World. At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations. There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world. We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us. Job Description Start Here. Grow Here. Our Rail Bridges and Structures team in Newcastle Upon Tyne currently has a vacancy for a Project Support Administration Assistant/ Planning Assistant. The successful candidate will assist the Scotland, ERAC North & South and NW & Central teams in organising and planning works on our Inspection and Assessment contracts for Network Rail. The successful candidate will work alongside the current Planning Assistant for a period and will be provided with all relevant training to enable the candidate to undertake the role. The Newcastle Upon Tyne office has an established track record of successfully delivering bridge engineering schemes for more than 75 years mainly in the Northeast but also throughout the UK and overseas. Our modern office has multi-disciplinary transportation assessment and design capability in rail and highway schemes and works closely with other disciplines from Geotechnical, Environment, Transport Planning and Development Sectors. The team provides assessment, concept, feasibility, preliminary and detailed designs on a wide range of schemes, either as standalone bridge commissions or as part of multidisciplinary major projects. In addition to significant long-term commissions on bridge inspection and assessment, principally in the rail environment, our initial assessment often leads to the requirement for the design of the refurbishment, strengthening or replacement. Here's what you'll do: Operational Coordination Liaison internally with each Route Inspection Co-ordinator to understand inspection requirements and attend weekly inspection co-ordination meetings. Support operational planning and day-to-day coordination activities. Manage and coordinate with Network Rail's Highways Interface (Streetworks) to ensure timely submission of any required Roadwork notifications (permits and approvals). The creation and distribution of public liaison letters, such as noise letters to the general public in conjunction with Network Rail. Ensure clear communication between operational teams, suppliers, and subcontractors where required. Maintain accurate operational records, trackers, and documentation. Ensure no operational miscommunication through proactive planning and communication. Procurement & Supplier Coordination Processing of purchase orders for Traffic Management / MEWP’s (Mobile Elevated Working ‘Platforms) and other suppliers through AECOM’s Coupa system. Invoice approvals when required by the Route Project Manager. Liaise with suppliers and subcontractors to ensure timely delivery of services, equipment, and materials. Coordinate hiring of equipment and vehicles, including supplier follow-up and tracking. Manage PPE and operational stock orders, ensuring sufficient stock levels are maintained at all times. Aid Route Project Managers with resolving purchase order queries between suppliers and AECOM’s Coupa system. Training & Compliance Managing and maintaining staff training competencies. Maintain engineers’ training records and ensure all certifications are current, compliant, and securely saved. Coordinate booking of new training courses and refresher training for engineers. Monitor and track compliance deadlines, certifications, renewals, and operational requirements. Framework Sentinel Co-ordinator for booking and maintaining railway competencies. Liaise with Sentinel teams and prepare internal TVPs as required. Provide advance notice for upcoming renewals and training expiry. Fleet, Equipment & Asset Management Managing existing equipment stock and maintain records. Coordinate equipment maintenance, servicing, and calibration, ensuring Health and Safety information is up to date for all calibrated equipment. Track equipment condition and availability, ensuring sufficient operational stock is maintained. Proactively identify issues relating to equipment, vehicles, PPE, or operational readiness before problems arise. Sourcing new equipment as and when required. Arrange hire of equipment from HSS/Speedy/PQS/Sunbelt etc. Provide advance notice for upcoming servicing, and compliance activities. Ensure welfare bags are suitably equipped when any expired items replaced. Manage and organise maintenance of company cars including booking vehicles for MOT/servicing/repairs. Organise and manage hire cars, welfare vans and other vehicles when required. Administration & Logistics Coordinate and manage hotel bookings through AECOM’s FCM booking tool, and travel arrangements for operational teams. Keep records, compliance documentation, and operational files organised and up to date Support general administrative and operational coordination activities as required Qualifications Ready to push the limits of what’s possible? Here’s what we’re looking for: Previous experience in an operational coordination, compliance, logistics, or administration role would be advantageous, however, all training for the role will be provided. Good communication skills, comfortable making phone calls to a number of organisations and individuals. Basic competence of Microsoft office packages, including Excel and Word. Enthusiastic and committed to provide a professional, high-quality service to the Company and the client. Be able to prioritise work, and operate to tight deadlines, Plan, organise and monitor several activities at the same time. Good decision making and problem-solving abilities Calm under pressure – Ability to keep your cool when dealing with highly stressful situations Trustworthy – High level of personal integrity and honesty. Logical thinker – Ability to take a step-by-step approach to analyse information and solve problems. We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us. At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment. Additional Information At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment. About AECOM AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM. Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed. You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients. AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too. Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours. We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address ReasonableAccommodationsUKI@aecom.com if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.