Programme Manager - Quantity Surveying Service - Major Capital Delivery

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsible to: Major Capital Delivery (MaCD) Service Manager/Major Capital Delivery Senior Team (MaST)

Responsible for: The Programme Manager will be responsible for delivering large scale/complex projects through their project life cycle in accordance with governance procedures.

They will be the contact point for all issues pertaining to the project(s) assigned to them, including liaison with Department of Education (DE), the Council for the Catholic Maintained Schools, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, the Governing Bodies Association, Boards of Governors and external suppliers to ensure delivery is consistent with project plans.

The Programme Manager will support the Head of Service, Major Capital Delivery Service Managers and relevant stakeholders, through the delivery of comprehensive project, contract & financial management, to ensure the effective and efficient development and delivery of Projects and Contracts, in order to meet the Authority’s strategic objectives.

The Programme Manager will work with colleagues across EA Directorates to ensure that proposals and project governance (as set by the Major Capital Delivery Service), are delivered to enhance the operations of the Authority; and ultimately contribute to improved outcomes for children and young people. They will also play a key role in realising the transformation objectives within the service and across other Directorates.

JOB PURPOSE

Through the delivery of comprehensive project, & contract & financial management, the Programme Manager will support the Head of Service, Major Capital Delivery Service Managers and relevant stakeholders to ensure the effective and efficient development and delivery of Projects and Contracts, in order to meet the Authority’s strategic objectives

The Programme Manager will work with colleagues across ICD Services, and other Directorates across the Authority; to ensure that solutions and good project governance (as set by the Major Capital Delivery Service), are delivered to enhance the operations of the Authority; and ultimately contribute to improved outcomes for children and young people. They will also play a key role in realising the transformation objectives within the service and across other Directorates.

They will ensure that regular status reporting on projects is provided to the appropriate Authority, Steering Group, Project Board, MaST and Programme Board, ensuring any issues are quickly escalated to the appropriate level. They will manage the risk profile of the project and provide early warning on all assurance matters. Be responsible for the planning and overall management of a work programme that may include several projects, or workstreams within large scale programme or portfolio and the management of teams engaged in the development of projects and management of contracts.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

PROGRAMME MANAGER

The post-holder will be expected:

· To be responsible for ensuring that the project meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits.

· To ensure that the project maintains its business focus, has clear authority and that the context, including project related risks, are actively (collectively) managed from within the dedicated Project Board.

· To be responsible for providing approvals and decisions affecting progress and delivery throughout the Programme / Project.

· To chair the Steering Group or Project Board, who takes executive responsibility for decisions relating to the Programme / Project. The Group or Board provides the Programme / Project SRO with stakeholder/technical input to decisions affecting the Programme / Project; however ultimate authority and accountability resides with the Programme / Project SRO.

The role of the Programme Manager can be summarised as follows:

· Is a named individual with the ultimate responsibility and accountability for the outcome of the programme or project.

· Is the key decision maker, chairing the Steering Group or Project Board.

· Has ‘ownership’ of the Business Case.

· Is responsible for the realisation of the business benefits arising out of the programme or project.

· Appointing the Project Sponsor, this is the named individual responsible to the Senior Responsible Owner.

· Ensuring that the project is subject to review at appropriate stages within the delivery lifecycle in line with Gateway principles (including completion of a Risk Potential Assessment in consultation with the Project manager at an early stage).

· Signing off the Project Brief and Project Initiation Document or equivalent.

· Agreeing all major plans.

· Authorising any major deviations from the agreed stage plans.

· Signing off the completion of each stage, including the deliverables, and giving approval to start the subsequent stage.

· Communicating information about the Project to the organisation(s) and stakeholder groups as necessary.

· Ensuring that the required resources are available.

· Resolving any conflicts escalated by the Project Board, client, supplier or delivery agent.

· Agreeing the Project tolerances for time, quality and cost.

· Providing overall strategic guidance for the Project.

· The establishment of an effective risk management strategy.

· The establishment of effective quality assurance arrangements.

· Providing advice and direction to the Project manager.

· Resolving deviations from plans or escalating as necessary; and

· Mediating & resolving conflicts between Project Board, end users, suppliers and delivery agents or escalating as necessary.

· Ensuring that appropriate and timely post-programme or project evaluations and reviews are carried out and documented.

The post-holder needs to:

· Take responsibility - including putting things right when they go wrong and ensuring that recognition is given when they go right.

· Have a good understanding of the business issues associated with the project.

· Be a senior reputable figure (a peer) approved by the organisation’s management board and have delegated authority to be the SRO for the programme or project.

· Be active and engaged, not just a figurehead.

· Have sufficient experience and training to carry out SRO responsibilities.

The post-holder must be someone who can:

· Broker relationships with stakeholders within and outside the project.

· Deploy delegated authority to ensure that the project achieves its objectives.

· Provide advice and guidance to project sponsors or managers as necessary.

· Acknowledge their own skills or knowledge gaps and structure the Group, Board and Project Team accordingly.

· Give the time required to perform the role effectively.

· Negotiate well and influence people.

· Be aware of the broader perspective and how it affects the project.

· Represent the interests of the project through effective networking with peers and key stakeholders.

· Be honest and frank about project progress.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The Programme Manager will lead, manage, co-ordinate and participate in the procurement, design and implementation of the following Services:

· The overall responsibility for the successful procurement, initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling, administration, and closure of projects or workstreams allocated to them.

· To be responsible for managing and delivering a work portfolio that may contain several strands within a programme, project or workstream.

· To work closely with team members to ensure that all project requirements, deadlines, and schedules are on track, including submitting or reviewing project deliverables, preparing status reports, establishing effective project communication plans, the proper execution of plans, monitoring requirements and standards, and ensuring projects meet time, cost and quality constraints.

· To make sure that the scope and direction of each project is on schedule, in line with agreed parameter’s/budgets, set by the Head of Service/Service Manager.

· To manage the risk profile of the project and provide early warning on all assurance matters.

· To escalate issues appropriately, in accordance with project governance.

· To act as a Senior Responsible Officer / Project Sponsor / Client Advisor / Project Manager on projects.

· To act as the service representative when engaging with other Directorates and Services, Department of Education (DE), Boards of Governors and external suppliers, providing project management advice and enabling the provision of projects required for transformation.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES APPLICABLE TO THE ROLE:

LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT

The post-holder will be expected to:

· Line Manage employees aligned to Service area;

· Provide professional support and advice to Senior Responsible Officers, Department of Education (DE), the Council for the Catholic Maintained Schools, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, the Governing Bodies Association, Boards of Governors and external suppliers.

· Provide non-managerial support, information and training as required for other employees within MaCD services.

· Lead and support employees in the team in the effective and efficient operation of services.

· Promote the corporate vision, values and culture of EA as a single regional organisation, in all processes linked to all projects.

· Provide leadership to their service staff and ensure transformational changes and new structures, strategies, policies and processes for their system/service are implemented while maintaining the high standards of the Authority and any future challenges.

· Ensure that employees, consultants and contractors within each project are provided with clear structure, roles and responsibilities and are supported to work in an integrated way.

· Work closely with Team members to ensure that all requirements, deadlines, and schedules are on track. Responsibilities include submitting agreed deliverables, preparing status reports, and establishing effective communication plans.

· Foster a culture that supports achievement of the authority’s Strategic Plan by role modelling core values and leadership behaviours to staff.

· Act as a mentor to new staff and help them fine-tune their skills and improve their industry knowledge.

· Undertake such training as may be required for his/her own personal and professional development.

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY INFLUENCE

The post-holder will be expected to:

· Work with the Service Manager / Head of Service to establish, maintain and communicate a clear and compelling strategic direction for the service.

· Contribute to and where appropriate, lead the development and implementation of specific targets relating to the EA corporate plan and MaCD business plan.

· Challenge conventional approaches, harness new approaches and technology and maximise efficiencies.

· Contribute to the development of a comprehensive service development plan.

· Work collaboratively with other Senior Officers and Heads of Service, to ensure that priorities are translated into manageable objectives and communicated to relevant teams within the Service as appropriate.

· Work collaboratively with Senior Officers to devise and implement effective systems to monitor, measure, control and report on the work of relevant teams within service to take account of changes in the internal and external environments which may impact on and influence priorities and needs.

· Provide reports that can inform policy and strategic direction using formative and summative information which will guide future models of service delivery in relation to the service area.

· To establish effective, accountable and rigorous quality assurance systems to achieve highest possible standards of performance, with focuses on maintaining the needs of internal and external customers.

CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The post-holder will be expected to:

· Contribute to the strategic planning, implementation, and on-going monitoring of the service area.

· Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and statutory frameworks.

· Establish, maintain, manage and review effective data systems.

· Co-ordinate, deliver, or contribute to training and support with regards to specific service areas as required.

· Facilitate the induction of new staff and ongoing professional development of all staff in relation to the core objectives, expected outputs and outcomes in relation to the service.

· Prepare and deliver reports on behalf of the Authority as required.

· Ensure that employees within the service have an awareness of the corporate culture, values and processes which underpin organisational development.

· Delegate responsibilities and deploy staff in accordance with their skills and abilities, the needs of the EA and service specific priorities.

· Ensure key principal risks are assessed and monitored, managed and controlled effectively aligned to the EA risk process.

SERVICE DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

The post-holder will be expected to:

· Assist the Authority in the development of policies and plans in line with overall strategic policy and objectives.

· Ensure effective and rigorous quality assurance systems are in place to maintain high standards.

· Ensure effective and rigorous quality assurance systems and monitoring arrangements with local teams.

· Participate in review processes to enable the development, review and compliance of all quality assurance policies and procedures.

· Foster and facilitate the development of staff skills in relation to negotiating and collaborating with stakeholders and other professionals.

· Liaise and work co-operatively with colleagues in other sections of the Authority to ensure consistent and coherent approaches towards training and services in relation to language and communication support.

· Manage staff to perform to their potential, promote their professional development and give support when required.

MANAGING FINANCIAL RESOURCES

The post-holder will be expected to:

· Follow robust corporate governance procedures and financial control frameworks for effective management of the budget for the service and monitor expenditure ensuring propriety, regularity and value for money within the allocated budget.

· Facilitate reporting protocols that are required by the EA, DE and other bodies.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING

The post-holder will be expected to:

· Enhance the development of the service by building on effective partnerships.

· Develop links across the Authority’s Directorates as necessary.

· Ensure effective systems are in place for communication and consultation with service users, both internally and externally.

· Contribute to attendance at meetings both internally and with other stakeholders, in accordance with corporate goals, service targets, multi-agency action plans and in line with EA and DE requirements.

OTHER DUTIES

· Comply with EA policies and procedures in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the post.

· In accordance with the business needs of the Infrastructure and Capital Development Division, may be required to assist in the delivery of Minor Capital Delivery Programme.

· Deputise for the Major Capital Delivery Service Manager as required.

· Any such other duties that the EA may from time to time require.

The list of duties is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. The post holder may be required to undertake various other duties as deemed necessary and commensurate with the level of responsibility of the post. The Authority reserves the right to update the Job Description to reflect the changing needs of the Service in consultation with the post holder.

This job description is intended to provide a broad outline of responsibilities and reflects an initial assessment of the needs of the Directorate. As such, it is not intended to be exhaustive and may be subject to on-going review and refinement to ensure the Directorate’s ability to meet the evolving needs of the business. Other reasonable duties may be assigned by the Director, Assistant Director, Head of Service, Service Manager in consultation with the Project SRO.

In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.

To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS

1. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.

2. You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.

3. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.

4. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.

5. Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.

6. In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form on how you meet any desirable criteria.

Section 1 - Essential Criteria

The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and which may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

FactorEssential CriteriaMethod of Assessment

Qualifications/ ExperienceHold a Bachelor’s Degree (UK Qualification and Credit Framework Level 6) or an equivalent or higher qualification.

Be a Chartered Member of a relevant professional body e.g., Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), or equivalent.

Have a minimum of three years' experience in a Quantity Surveying Service, of the successful leadership and management of complex infrastructure and capital projects / programmes with evidence of knowledge and experience of:

a) Financial management;

b) HR management / management of teams;

c) Analysis and interpretation of information; and

d) Governance

Demonstrable experience in a Quantity Surveying Service, of regularly and directly supporting and advising Heads of Service management in complex operational situations.

Evidence of leading sound and effective business planning processes in a Quantity Surveying Service.

Have a minimum of five years' experience of using the NEC Suite of Contracts, in the delivery of multiple large-scale projects, in excess of £5m construction value, in a Quantity Surveying Service.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Skills/ AbilitiesProven ability to achieve challenging targets and objectives through the engagement of teams in a Quantity Surveying Service.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Guidance InformationAs part of your response, each project / programme description should be included, including your role.

OtherA successful applicant must be prepared to undertake an EA funded NEC Accredited Project Manager Qualification.

The successful candidate will be required:

to have access to a suitable vehicle (appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business) that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion;

OR

be able to provide sufficient information on the application form that will satisfy the employer that he/she has access to an appropriate alternative form of transport that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Section 2 - Essential Criteria

The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage in line with EA’s Game Changing People Model.

FactorEssential CriteriaMethod of Assessment

Qualifications/ ExperienceKnowledge of the requirements of a Programme Manager.

Knowledge of the requirements of a Senior Responsible Owner.

Knowledge of the requirements of a Quantity Surveyor.

Knowledge of the requirements of a Line Manager.

Knowledge of the service of Major Capital Delivery.

Knowledge of the functions of the Education Authority.

Knowledge of EA policies and procedures.

Interview/Presentation

Skills/ AbilitiesIn line with EA’s Game Changing People Model we will look for evidence of:

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to talk and present to a range of audiences, acting as a translator between parties.

The ability to deliver high performance whilst working under pressure on multiple projects within project timeframes.

Strong collaborative skills to build genuine and productive relationships with internal & external stakeholders.

A customer focused passion for creating solutions with a positive attitude to implementing improvements/change.

Excellent proven analytical & creative thinking and an informed evidence-based approach to decision-making.

Interview

Values Orientation Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values. You will find information about our Values here.

Interview

Section 3 - Desirable Criteria

Some or all of the desirable criteria may be applied by the Selection Panel in order to determine a manageable pool of candidates. Desirable criteria will be applied in the order listed. You should make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet the desirable criteria, as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

FactorDesirable CriteriaMethod of Assessment

ExperienceDemonstrable experience in digital proprietary cost management software platforms.

Demonstrable experience of project management in the delivery of multiple large-scale projects, in excess of £5m construction value.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Our Values

Through the selection process we will also seek evidence that the personal values of candidates align with those of the EA. This will include evidence of commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery. These reflect our aim which is to meet the needs of all our children and young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential.

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.

In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.

Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.

APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES

To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here.

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The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.