Senior Project Manager

Job summary

We are looking for a Senior Project Manager to join the Estates, Engineering and Facilities (EEF) team, which is within the Scientific Facilities and Performance group.

The EEF Department is responsible for engineering, maintenance, environmental sustainability, facilities and capital works projects to the site to maintain safe, regulatory and compliant facilities to meet current and future business objectives. The combined departmental budget is in the order of £40M PA.

The department’s function manages and controls a team of staff, both in-house and contracted to assure governance in the supply of engineering maintenance to fixed plant and equipment, building maintenance and engineering modifications to uphold the asset value of UKHSA’s Porton Down estate, and facilities services to meet EEF’s business plan and the wider organisational needs. EEF engages with stakeholders over current and future facilities, engineering and equipment maintenance requirements to ensure the site is safe, compliant, operational and fully available to meet business needs.

Working for your organisation

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Job description

As Senior Project Manager you will support the Capital Works Programme Manager in delivering Porton’s Capital Programme, working closely with the site’s business units. You will be responsible for the delivery of capital projects up to an approximate value of £5m, in accordance with UKHSA’s Project Management Procedures Manual, and cover all stages of Government Procurement Strategy.

You will lead on the day to day running of projects that are typically moderate to high in complexity. These are likely to influence the UKHSA long term outcomes, goals or in-year strategic objectives.

You will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of the projects, ensuring that the objectives are clearly defined and achieved within the agreed time, cost, and quality constraints. You will have effective leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills, and will play a key role in project governance, working with stakeholders to ensure the agreed project outputs are delivered to enable benefit realisation.

• Provide effective leadership to the project team by motivating team members to meet project goals.
• Develop and maintain project plans and determine appropriate delivery methodology. Setting project controls, managing performance and report progress
  to sponsors.
• Design the project structure and organisation appropriate to the stage, effectively managing the transition between phases.
• Develop and draft the business case, seeking input from specialists as necessary.
• Lead the development of the budget and track project spend.
• Deliver the agreed business case benefits and outcomes.
• Monitor the longer-term delivery of benefits against the business case, ensuring an appropriate Benefits Realisation Strategy is in place.
• Identify key stakeholders, internal and external, and effectively manage these relationships.
• Identify and monitor project risks and issues. Develop mitigating actions, escalating as appropriate.
• Identify and work with related projects to manage interdependencies.
• Identify, evaluate and document ‘lessons learned’ during the project.
• Support effective governance and decision making. Provide project reports, engaging in processes that hold you accountable for delivery.
• Engage with assurance reviews and support recommended action. Co-ordinate project assurance processes and gateway reviews.
• Ensure exceptional project and change management is delivered across the portfolio, using recognised UKHSA methods and governance.
• Role model commitment to personal development, promoting individual and team performance through support, guidance, and coaching.
• Be an active member of the UKHSA Project Delivery Profession Community.

Please note the above is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential role criteria:

• Significant experience of successfully managing several complex projects ideally within infrastructure, construction refurbishment and replacement programmes using NEC and JCT contracts covering planning, scheduling, budget management, resource management, risk and issue management.
• Experience in the design and operation of engineering plant and systems, process and research equipment and corresponding facilities together with detailed knowledge of validation and commissioning techniques and principles.
• Detailed knowledge and experience of project methodologies and frameworks, governance, assurance, planning, requirements management and change control in a project or programme environment.
• Working knowledge of business case development, benefits management, and commercial and procurement processes.
• A visible leader with experience of promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity, respecting differences.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, collaborating across boundaries.
• Excellent communication skills demonstrated through the ability to influence and challenge effectively at a senior level.
• Ability to work well under pressure, with multiple tasks, in a fast-changing and ambiguous environment, with a keen attention to detail.
• Knowledge and experience of Project Management Methodology supported by professional qualifications such as: APM Project Management Qualification or APM Chartered Project Professional.

Desirable role criteria:

• Membership of a relevant Professional Institute or Society such as: RIBA, RICS, ICE, CIBSE, IMechE, CIOB.
• Extensive experience and knowledge of compliant engineering Management Quality Systems and/or HSE Regulations applicable to research facilities.
• Experience in project managing works within research and/or pharmaceutical facilities.
• Detailed knowledge of engineering safety systems and Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,185, UK Health Security Agency contributes £16,276 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Experience, Behaviours, Strengths and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 9 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1500 word supporting statement

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1500 words. Please do not exceed 1500 words.

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your CV. Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications, we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria

We will take pile "Meets all essential criteria" through to shortlisting.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Significant experience of successfully managing several complex projects ideally within infrastructure, construction refurbishment and replacement programmes using NEC and JCT contracts covering planning, scheduling, budget management, resource management, risk and issue management
• Experience in the design and operation of engineering plant and systems, process and research equipment and corresponding facilities together with detailed knowledge of validation and commissioning techniques and principles
• Ability to work well under pressure, with multiple tasks, in a fast-changing and ambiguous environment, with a keen attention to detail

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be invited to a single face to face interview in Porton Down. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours, Strengths and Technical skills will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working together
• Communicating and influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace (lead behaviour)

You will be asked to deliver a presentation, lasting 5-10 minutes. The topic of the presentation is: ‘Delivery of Complex Projects in the Healthcare Environment’

Interviews dates to be confirmed.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Additional Information

Location

This role is being offered as office/lab based at our site in Porton Down. You will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Clearance.

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Eligibility Criteria

External: Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

Salary Information

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Tom Geldeard
• Email : Tom.Geldeard@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk