Programme Manager - Corporate Buildings Programme

Education Authority; Ballymena; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Service area: Facilities Support Services

Responsible to: Head of Facilities Support Services

The Corporate Buildings Programme, in line with the Office Accommodation Strategy, aims to deliver modern fit for purpose office accommodation in the right location to meet the needs of EA corporate staff and services over the medium to long term period. To ensure continued service delivery and support strategic priorities, the EA will, over the medium and longer term, seek to provide an affordable, better-connected, fit for purpose and strategically located office estate.

The scope of the programme will cover EA corporate facilities, defined as any facility that provides accommodation for EA Corporate staff. This excludes schools, youth centres, EOTAS / ETA provision and depots.

As well as developing long term accommodation solutions, the programme will seek to realise and implement short term rationalisation opportunities within the existing estate.

RESPONSIBLE FOR:

The postholder will be responsible for delivering the function of Programme Manager within the Corporate Buildings Programme. They will be the contact point for all issues pertaining to the programme, including liaison with multiple stakeholders and teams both across the Education Authority and externally, including suppliers to ensure delivery is consistent with project plan.

This will involve working closely with project team members to ensure that all project requirements, deadlines, budget restrictions and schedules are on track.

The Programme Manager will be responsible for managing temporary teams of employees within EA services, this may include managing employees across all EA offices.

JOB PURPOSE:

The postholder will manage projects and workstreams and ensure that regular status reporting is provided to the Project Board as required, ensuring any issues are quickly resolved or escalated to the appropriate level.

They will manage the risk profile of the project and provide early warning on all assurance matters. They will advise senior management on the planning and overall management of the programme that will include multiple projects or workstreams and the management of teams engaged in the development of systems or services.

The Programme Manager will be required to take on the entirety of the project manager role. This will span reviewing project architecture, through to leading project teams of varying scale to deliver outputs & milestones against schedule and providing appropriate accountability and assurance for the Programme Managers, SRO and/or Project Board.

The Programme Manager should ensure the effective and efficient development and delivery of the project, in order to meet the Authority’s strategic objectives.

The Programme Manager will work with colleagues across EA Services, to ensure that technology solutions and good project governance are delivered to enhance the operations of the Authority; and ultimately contribute to supporting improved outcomes for children and young people. They will also play a key role in realising the transformation objectives within the EA and across other Directorates.

Programme specific responsibilities:

• To hold overall responsibility for the successful procurement, initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of projects allocated to them.
• To work closely with team members to ensure that all project requirements, deadlines, and schedules are on track. Responsibilities include submitting project deliverables, preparing status reports, and establishing effective project communication plans as well as the proper execution of plans.
• To assist or lead the provision of assurance to the SRO and Project/Programme Board through the establishment and maintenance of robust project/programme governance processes and ensuring that they are adhered to throughout the project/programme life cycle (aligned with PRINCE2/MSP requirements).
• To be responsible for managing and delivering a project work programme that may contain several strands within a project, programme or portfolio structure.
• To make sure that the scope and direction of each project is on schedule, in line with agreed parameters/budgets set by the Senior Programme Managers, SRO and Project/Programme Board.
• To make links and form relationships with external agencies in order to develop better public sector partnership working.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES APPLICABLE TO THE ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGER:

LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT:

• Line Manage employees aligned to project area;
• Provide non-managerial support, information and training as required for other employees within the project/programme;
• 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 maintenance, development and implementation of Infrastructure architecture assignments;
• 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 within the 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;
• Providing high quality leadership to project teams as required and ensuring that appropriate, accountable and supportive staff management practice is being applied across all aspects of the project/programme (aligned with EA’s Game Changing People Model).
• Foster a culture that supports achievement of the authority’s Strategic Plan by role modelling core values and leadership behaviours to staff;
• Undertake such training as may be required for his/her own personal and professional development.

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY INFLUENCE:

• Work with Heads of Service to establish, maintain and communicate a clear and compelling strategic direction for the service and Projects.
• Contribute to the management of programmes/projects by attending Executive Team and Board meetings as required.
• Challenge conventional approaches, harness new approaches and technology and maximise efficiencies.
• Contribute to the development of comprehensive service development plans;
• 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 programmes/projects as appropriate;
• Work collaboratively with Senior Officers across directorates to devise and implement effective systems to monitor, measure, control and report on the work of relevant teams within programmes/projects 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.
• Advise on the establishment of 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:

• 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:

• 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 engagement, capacity building 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 parents 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:

• Follow robust corporate governance procedures and financial control frameworks for effective management of the budget for the programme and monitor expenditure ensuring propriety, regularity and value for money within the allocated budget;
• Facilitate reporting protocols that are required by the EA;

PARTNERSHIP WORKING:

• Enhance the development of the service by building on effective partnerships;
• Assisting directly in or leading on managing stakeholder relationships and engagement constructively and effectively, securing commitment, ongoing input and support from all partners. Representing the EA in engagements with stakeholders as required.
• 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, 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;
• Any such other duties that the EA may from time to time require.

This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

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.

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.

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.

Factor Essential Criteria Method of Assessment Qualifications/Experience:

Hold a Bachelor’s Degree (UK Qualification and Credit Framework Level 6) or an equivalent or higher qualification; AND have three years demonstrable experience of working at a senior level within a complex business change projects or programmes;

OR

Have five years demonstrable experience of working at a senior level within a complex business change projects or programmes.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Experience:

Demonstrable experience of delivering complex projects or programmes within agreed control parameters, to include:

• Scoping and planning the implementation of complex business change
• Applying project management principles, processes and themes to the project’s designs;
• Ensuring appropriate risk management strategies are applied

Demonstrable experience with a wide range of stakeholders ensuring a customer centric approach to delivery of robust project outputs.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other:

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.

Factor Essential Criteria Method of Assessment Knowledge:

Clear demonstrable understanding of project and programme management in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Interview

Skills/Abilities:

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

Demonstrable analytical, planning, organisational and project management skills with the ability to develop and implement creative solutions;

Ability to work well in leading a team to deliver results but also have a proven track record of working on your initiative;

Ability to manage conflicting demands of stakeholders;

Demonstrable communication and influencing skills;

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.

Factor Desirable Criteria Method of Assessment Qualifications:

Be formally PRINCE2 certified; OR Be formally accredited in a comparable, widely recognised project management methodology.

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 youWILL 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.

To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here.

The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.