Programme Director
Location Bracknell, UK
Reporting to the COO, the Director of Programmes will be responsible for directing the management of a number of related programmes and projects. These will vary in nature from simple to highly complex and will impact a range of organisations, services and stakeholders at a local, regional or national level. The Director of Programmes will ensure that all programmes and projects produce the required deliverables within the agreed quality, time and cost constraints and to facilitate full realisation of the defined benefits.
The Director of Programmes is responsible for creating and managing the Programme and Project Management (PPM) organisation structure to support the Public Services Managed Service business and will cover programmes and projects of both external and internal stakeholders
Main responsibilities and opportunities:
Programme Management – National
For specific Programmes:
Personal Objectives:
Qualifications, work experience:
Educated to MBA or degree level, or equivalent qualification or experience.
At least 5 years’ experience in a programme management environment and at least 10 years’ experience of project management.
An active awareness or interest in IT (computers, networks, applications etc).
Knowledge (Languages, IT skills etc.)
Personal Skills:
Other information
You will be based at Bracknell, but will need to travel across a number of sites, initially in the south of England but extending to cover the whole of the UK over a short period of time.
The work may involve access to sensitive data covered by the Official Secrets Act. Therefore the applicant may be asked to undergo Security Clearance by the Home Office.
Candidates must be able to demonstrate a pre-existing right to work and travel within the EU. Documentary evidence will be requested at interview.
If you have experience in this field and would like to know more about this role, please apply below:
Reporting to the COO, the Director of Programmes will be responsible for directing the management of a number of related programmes and projects. These will vary in nature from simple to highly complex and will impact a range of organisations, services and stakeholders at a local, regional or national level. The Director of Programmes will ensure that all programmes and projects produce the required deliverables within the agreed quality, time and cost constraints and to facilitate full realisation of the defined benefits.
The Director of Programmes is responsible for creating and managing the Programme and Project Management (PPM) organisation structure to support the Public Services Managed Service business and will cover programmes and projects of both external and internal stakeholders
Main responsibilities and opportunities:
Programme Management – National
- Take lead responsibility for the PPM team and assume responsibility for directing the management of all programmes and projects from a national perspective.
- Lead the shaping of key programmes, contributing ideas, optimising scope to achieve the key objectives and validating viability. Challenge existing thinking, processes and procedures, identifying opportunities for change. Visualise the bigger picture to identify enhancements and cost savings.
- Create a sense of urgency and vision around the programmes, engendering pace and drive to deliver, championing the key deliverables of programmes where appropriate.
- Become a trusted advisor to sponsors and key stakeholders, communicating the status, proposing actions to address issues and risks, and balancing cost and risk of scope changes against benefits.
- Manage relationships with contacts at all levels and across all related Client sites, in order to establish effective working relationships. This will include members of the programme team, sponsors, key stakeholders and the boards. Continually develop this network of contacts across the business to enable achievement of objectives and maintain these for future initiatives.
- Align with Customer Services Directors (CSDs) and ensure that implementation is conducted in such a way as to minimise disruption to the Business-as–Usual service.
- Ensure effective communication of key programme information at all levels across each Client. Assume overall responsibility for reporting programme progress against budget and schedule to sponsors, key stakeholders and steering group audiences, enabling informed executive decisions and actions to be taken.
- Manage finances in conjunction with the Financial Management team, ensuring the timely completion of contractual requirements. Endeavour to reduce cost and increase or bring forward benefits.
- Ensure that benefits are assessed at the start of each programme and that the benefits case is managed including monitoring of benefit realisation.
- Set reasonable, challenging, measurable and clear responsibilities for direct reports, including providing performance feedback.
- Implement the human resources policies (including performance management), procedures and practices of the organisation. Ensure that personnel files are properly maintained and that confidentiality is maintained.
- Ensure all staff members receive orientation and appropriate training in accordance with organisational standards.
For specific Programmes:
- Provide direction for the management of programme activities using the in-house Programme and Project Management Methodology (or agreed industry standard). Define and be accountable for the approach, deliverables and milestone dates.
- Manage a team of approximately 5 Programme Managers with a larger team of approximately 100 matrix staff.
- Identify and secure internal and external resources required to execute a programme. Build a high performing team with the right blend of skills for the work. Motivate the Programme’s team members.
- Manage programme budgets by managing funds according to established accounting policies and procedures.
- Direct the management of programme risks and agree appropriate actions to mitigate and control. Regularly review and assess risks with the Programme Manager. Ensure that Programme and Project Managers adhere to Risk Management methods.
- Pro-actively manage project issues escalated by Programme and Project Managers, taking action to achieve resolution and escalating promptly where necessary.
- Direct the management of programme and project closure in an orderly manner, including post implementation reviews. Ensure projects are formally accepted into Service as part of the closure process.
- Provide programme direction for the Services Off- Shoring Programme.
Personal Objectives:
- Ensure that project baseline documents are sound in terms of quality and positioned in a way to maximise revenue and margin.
- Identify, develop and deliver new opportunities within all accounts to support growth.
- Support, from an operations perspective, a new named deal bid.
- Deliver revenues and margin (specifics to be specified) for BSS sites.
- Manage cost of delivery including cost reductions where appropriate.
- Maximise the billing process and avoid Client disputes.
- Delivery impact will be measured through achievement of business objectives and no adverse reputational impact.
Qualifications, work experience:
Educated to MBA or degree level, or equivalent qualification or experience.
At least 5 years’ experience in a programme management environment and at least 10 years’ experience of project management.
An active awareness or interest in IT (computers, networks, applications etc).
Knowledge (Languages, IT skills etc.)
- Professional qualification in Programme Management (e.g. Prince 2, MSP).
- Experience of operating at board level or senior management level.
- Experience of providing leadership and managing teams of Programme and Project Managers, together with demonstrated experience of running multi-disciplinary teams in complex programme management arenas.
- Experience of utilising Programme Management methodologies, tools and techniques used to control and implement business change, including working knowledge of MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
- An understanding of the functional structure of a business; strategy, operation, purpose, objectives, priorities and critical success factors and in particular the governance of Programmes.
- Broad experience of accounting function including managing the financial aspects of a business, including reading a chart of accounts, managing P&L accounts, understanding revenues, costs and margin.
- Broad experience of the methods and techniques for delivering effective presentations and for preparing and presenting business cases.
Personal Skills:
- Possess the appropriate gravitas and an ability to grasp and apply commercial practices and principles, whilst being an effective leader. Sensitive to political issues and an ability to develop win-win outcomes.
- Understand ethical behaviour to ensure that one’s own behaviour and that of others is consistent and aligns with the values of the organisation.
- Possess the ability to make decisions. Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organisation.
- Possess excellent Client facing skills and be an excellent communicator at many levels. Speak, listen and write in a clear and concise manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
- Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of internal and external Clients to meet or exceed expectations within the organisational constraints.
- Establish, build and maintain positive, effective working relationships, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organisation.
- Possess a positive work ethic, working collaboratively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems and make decisions that enhance organisational effectiveness.
- Be creative and innovative by developing new and unique ways to improve the operations of the organisation and to create new opportunities.
Other information
You will be based at Bracknell, but will need to travel across a number of sites, initially in the south of England but extending to cover the whole of the UK over a short period of time.
The work may involve access to sensitive data covered by the Official Secrets Act. Therefore the applicant may be asked to undergo Security Clearance by the Home Office.
Candidates must be able to demonstrate a pre-existing right to work and travel within the EU. Documentary evidence will be requested at interview.
If you have experience in this field and would like to know more about this role, please apply below: