HAY Job Description Senior Manager
/ Job Title / Interim Capital Programme Manager (Maternity Cover)Department / Regeneration and Environment
Section / Regeneration
Grade / Hay 5 (£61,973 - £72,678)
Reports to / Operational Director - Regeneration
Staffing Responsibility / In House Team – Approximately five (direct line management) staff; comprised of project managers and programme officers
Consultants - Various multi-disciplined professional team comprising, project managers/employers agents, architects, cost consultants, structural surveyors, M&E engineers and other relevant professional personnel
Contractors – Small, medium and large size construction contractors, IT specialists and FFE suppliers
Job Purpose:
1. Advise and support the Operational Director - Regeneration in the role of programme sponsor.
2. Provide advice and guidance to Cabinet Members, Strategic Directors and Programme Boards as appropriate to ensure the Council discharges its statutory duties in regard to providing sufficient school places.
3. Support the Operational Director in securing the continuous development, improvement, efficiency and success of the Department as a whole through effective leadership, budget management, strategic direction, planning, management and governance.
4. Responsible for leading the delivery to time and budget of one of the Council’s capital construction programmes – including the current major school expansion programme consisting of managing multi-million pound funding streams in excess of £100m, executive level governance arrangements, and complex inter-dependent programme and project plans. Responsible for leading the delivery of other standalone capital projects ranging in value and complexity.
5. Responsible for the delivery of the educational asset management programme and to oversee the small capital works programme.
6. Lead and support cross cutting corporate initiatives at the request of the Strategic Director of Regeneration & Environment or the Chief Executive.
Dimensions:
Annual budget responsibility
Directly responsible for approximate average £30m capital expenditure per annum
Other key dimensions
Supporting revenue expenditure less than £0.5m.
Submission of grant claims to Central Government for additional funding
Securing inward investment
Principal Accountabilities:
1. Work collegiately with colleagues on the Senior Management Team (SMT), and make a proactive contribution delivering departmental and corporate objectives.
2. Lead and manage a portfolio of customer focused services in alignment with both corporate and departmental aims and priorities.
3. Provide leadership and management to achieve high performance and effective operational delivery; which will include managing the effective use of resources and staff.
4. Work closely with the Operational Director to support effective working relationships with relevant portfolio holders.
5. Support and develop partnership working, including acting as an effective ambassador and advocate with external organisations.
6. Ensure that resources are available from other relevant Council departments and that key officers are briefed effectively on the project as required.
7. Lead and coordinate the evaluation of procurement bids and the subsequent award of contracts for multiple high value construction contracts. Lead on and support the Operational Director and Strategic Director to lead contract negotiations with bidders ensuring that the Council’s interests are protected effectively.
8. Ensure the effective engagement of head teachers and governing bodies of the schools in the programme.
9. Actively support and contribute to the school place planning for schools (primary, secondary & SEN) ensuring that the borough’s case for additional provision and funding is effectively presented to the Department for Education.
10. Responsible and accountable for the school expansion programme. Create business cases for securing maximum funding for the school expansion programme and related regeneration projects and lead on risk identification and risk management for the expansion programme.
11. Overall responsibility for delivering programme to time and budget, including developing strategy and tactical approaches required for a fast tracked complex programme.
12. Manage a customer focused service, leading and working within a ‘One Council’ culture to deliver consistent and cost effective services.
13. Oversee the establishment of a programme of schools asset management programme works, obtain capital funding to deliver the programme and oversee the delivery within time and budget of the programme. Provide prompt and considered responses to urgent maintenance requirements. Contribute to the Council’s compliance with legislation relating to the Health and Safety and other compliance matters in respect of the Council’s school portfolio.
14. Responsible for reporting to CMT, PCG and Cabinet. Representing the service at various internal & external stakeholder forums. Prepare and/or assist other senior officers to prepare reports to the Programme Board, Members and the Cabinet seeking approval at key decision points in the project.
15. Maintain a strong partnership role with public and private sector investors and stakeholders and support senior managers to deliver the aspects of the project that they are leading.
16. Procure external consultancy support as required for capital projects and the school expansion programme. This may be in the areas of project/programme management, technical, finance, legal, education or consultation work. Manage performance and co-ordinate the activities of external consultants appointed to support the programme/project, ensuring that services provided are within the scope of the contract.
17. Establish appropriate teams and project governance arrangements for the successful delivery of capital construction projects. Act as Project Sponsor for capital projects with a range of values, levels of complexity and profile providing necessary project guidance through line management and other project governance..
18. Carry out duties with due regard to the Council’s customer care; equal opportunities; information governance, data protection and health and safety policies and procedures
19. Undertake any other duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of this post.
Job Context:
· Wide range of internal and external contacts including directors, senior managers, elected members, professional bodies, partner organisations and government functions involving the use of a wide range of interpersonal skills.
· Partner other local authorities, public sector organisations and agencies, local businesses, the voluntary sector and other stakeholders.
· Collaborative working with Brent schools and education services colleagues to realise Brent’s bold vision for Improvement and Efficiency and transformation of learning.
· Developing partnership working with key external stakeholders across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
· Management and leadership of a high performance team.
· Lead role in the development of the Council’s services in this area.
· Operates within a framework set by Corporate and Departmental Management teams but with considerable freedom to shape services.
· Leads on policy and development and ensures implementation of new legislative requirements.
· Ensures high professional standards.
Additional Information: Please use this space to provide any additional information about the role.
DBS Status / Not required
Politically Restricted / Yes
Person Specification
Knowledge, Experience & Skills
Specify the knowledge, experience, skills and abilities required.
Knowledge and Qualifications
· Relevant professional qualification e.g. RICS, APM
· Appropriate construction project/ programme management background
· Evidence of significant relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
· In depth knowledge of programme and project management and analysis techniques including governance, dependency management, risk management and financial management.
· Understanding of local government and development finance and experience of managing complex budgets, undertaking financial appraisals and generating income.
· Understanding of development, and the tools available to promote and influence new development through planning, property and procurement.
· Understanding of commercial sensitivities in dealing with development issues and the potential conflicts of interest that can arise.
· Understanding of demand forecasting and undertaking sensitivity analysis with an aim to ensure the Council receive maximum funding for meeting its needs.
· Willingness to investigate and introduce forward thinking processes and products that will ensure Brent is able to deliver its vision and values.
· Knowledge of construction contracts preferably JCT.
Experience
Track record of achievement at a senior leadership level in a similarly large and complex organisation including:
· Delivering customer focused services and service improvements managing demands and pressures on the service and tight deadlines
· Ensuring that the service is effectively resourced to deliver to the required standard
· Planning for a minimum of one year anticipating priorities, changing landscape and predict the future service;
· Highly effective programme management skills required to lead a major (multi-million pound) complex programme ideally applied within a construction capital project management context.
· Capital project budget and cost planning.
· Experience working with the construction sector, particularly within the Educational building area
· Significant leadership and managerial experience and skills, including the ability to manage professional and technical officers and managers effectively
· A track record of successfully delivering, from initiation to commissioning, comparable major construction projects for either a public or private sector organisations, preferably in a client side programme manager role.
· Experience of multi-disciplinary working and managing complex procurement projects involving a number of internal and external partners, in particular, experience in dealing with Governing Bodies, Head teachers and other interested parties and key public sector agencies (including the DfE, EFA, GLA) to successfully leverage maximum investment in pursuit of capital funding, whilst being aware of political sensitivity;
· Ability to support the Programme Sponsor and the Programme Board by identifying key issues and recommending appropriate courses of action.
· Comprehensive knowledge of national policy, legislation, statutory obligations and current thinking on school capital schemes and other complex forms of procurement or capital building schemes.
· Successful experience of managing significant budgets and achieving successful construction outcomes within allocated resources.
· Evidence of success in developing and delivering innovative and creative solutions to difficult issues, including sustainability and energy-efficiency.
· High level influencing, negotiating and conflict-resolution skills capable of delivering functional or organisational goals.
· A proven ability to analyse and interpret complex written and financial information.
· Personal tact and resilience to deal with strict deadlines, budget constraints and a challenging delivery environment.
· Experience linking specific construction programmes to the wider regeneration ambitions of the Council;
· Experience driving maximum quality and value through European procurement processes.
Key Skills
· Strong Leadership and management skills including people, performance and budget management
· Communication, negotiating and influencing skills
· Work collaboratively corporately and departmentally creating a strong team spirit
· Strong role model who demonstrates a personal commitment to high standards of public service, honesty and integrity and professionalism
· A strong commercial and entrepreneurial approach to problem solving;
· Ability to undertake sophisticated programme planning over the short, medium and long term, incorporating a detailed critical path, milestones and positive cash flows;
· Ability to lead people, performance and budgets in pursuit of the timely delivery of major regeneration programmes and projects;
· Ability to work effectively with professionals from other disciplines and brokering discussions, when required, on measures that will overcome barriers to programme delivery.
· Ability to effectively interact with internal/external stakeholders and manage risks proactively.
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