Job role: Senior Project Manager

Grade: G7

Directorate: Property

About us

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice.  We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and want to make a difference in people’s lives in delivering justice. If you’re interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

About the role

The role as a Senior Project Manager within the Capital and Major Projects Team in HMCTS Property Directorate offers a unique opportunity to assist in improving the justice system around the needs of all those who use it by delivering projects that deliver new and improved premises. The opportunities offered will enable you to access professional development including an enhanced and tailored development plan, and access to the unique Government Property Profession career framework, not to mention your participation in some of the country’s most ambitious projects.

As an experienced property project manager, you will be responsible for leading and managing a number of interdependent, large scale, complex or contentious projects. This will include the associated business change activities and establishing appropriate governance and assurance processes, monitoring progress, monitoring risks and issues and ensuring the business readiness for change. The role requires professional expertise in the effective use of project management methodologies and techniques. You will be responsible for the overall integrity and coherence of these projects. You will have effective leadership, interpersonal and communication skills.

Being accountable to a G6/Senior Civil Servant, you will manage projects which are high-profile, large scale or complex where the risks to be managed are significant. In this role you will have overall accountability for your projects, operating with considerable freedom. You will be comfortable working with infrequent management guidance.

Delivery of results through others and effective negotiation at senior levels will be key. Senior Project Managers develop and maintain strategic partnerships and relationships and influence others where there may be divergent and conflicting views. This role requires significant leadership, management, representational and influencing skills both within the organisation and with external stakeholders. Work at this level can have a major impact on the achievement of departmental objectives or bear a significant risk for the department.

Finally, you will be expected to coach and mentor junior team members across the wider profession to build professional capability.

Your role as the Senior Project Manager encompasses several key aspects (but not limited to):

Delivery (management and leadership)

Lead and be responsible for managing a number of interdependent, large scale, complex or contentious property capital projects where the risks to be managed are significant.

Project Management (autonomy and own decisions)

Lead and manage the overall integrity and coherence of property capital projects. This includes the day-to-day management and leadership of the projects and the programme team. Provide effective leadership and management controls. Set project controls. Design the project structure and organisation appropriate to stage. Set appropriate delivery methodologies. Manage effective transition between project phases.

Drafting Business Cases (impact and own decisions)

Provide expert support and guidance to enable development of the Business Case or Project Briefs, with input from specialists as necessary.

Budget (impact)

Lead on developing, securing, and agreeing budget forecasts across a number of interdependent projects to enable delivery to be tracked against budget.

Resources (management & leadership)

Use leadership knowledge and experience to understand skillset required to deploy and develop resources across a number of complex projects. Direct line management of a medium sized team.

Benefits Realisation (impact)

Develop and maintain Benefits Realisation Strategy, working alongside Finance colleagues to develop benefits models to ensure benefits can be tracked, and monitored to ensure the longer-term delivery of benefits against the business case.

Stakeholder Management (informing & advising and impact)

Develop and maintain strategic partnerships and relationships and influence others where there may be divergent and conflicting views. Provide support and advice to project teams based on knowledge and previous experience taking ownership when required to ensure relevant outcomes are achieved. Provide assurance to senior leaders on the effectiveness of stakeholder management arrangements.

Risks & Issues (impact and own decisions)

Manage the risks in respect of high-profile, large scale and complex property capital programme/projects. Taking accountability for ensuring appropriate mitigation is in place or is developed and risk are being actively managed. Provide assurance to senior leaders that effective risk management is in place and escalation is controlled and managed effectively.

Governance & Assurance (problem solving)

Lead and be responsible for managing a number of interdependent, large scale, complex and contentious property capital projects ensuring the appropriate level of governance in place. Dependency management is in place and being actively monitored and the governance lifecycle is being assured. Implement a reporting structure to provide a mechanism to support delivery, highlighting potential problems at an early stage to enable mitigation, providing solutions and recommendations to Project Board.

Change Management (informing and advising)

Lead on establishing and implementing protocols in respect of scope changes, including recommendations based on analysis of costs, benefits and timescales. Flag up and determine any changes coming down the line and review change requests that are ready for movement into Boards to assess whether all impact assessments complete and we are comfortable to take to the Boards.

Guidance & Support (informing & advising)

Provide support, guidance and coaching for the project team. Show commitment to personal development. Promote effective individual and team performance.

Project Performance & Controls (problem solving and own decisions)

Provide expert guidance and insight whilst leading on developing and implementing project/programme controls on behalf of the Programme Director. Ensure that a process is implemented that reports on project progress and status to appropriate bodies. Identify common capabilities, opportunities for linking up and reuse and sharing of methods, process, assurance across projects/programme. Develop and maintain the project plan, embedding new practices and lesson learned with the delivery teams.

Key interactions will be with:

• HMCTS, including colleagues within the wider Property Directorate, Finance and Operations

• Ministry of Justice staff including Estates and Commercial

• Project Senior Responsible Officers and Project Managers

• Supplier Representatives

• Local and Senior Judiciary

• Stakeholders in the justice system.

• Technical and cost consultants

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Who are we looking for? (Person Specification)

The ideal candidate for this position should demonstrate:

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of working in the Government Property Profession in central government (or equivalent) with a track record of successful delivery.

• Experience of leading large scale, complex or contentious property capital projects, programmes or portfolios with the ability to identify, profile and secure the resources required to deliver projects.

• Knowledge and understanding of property capital project delivery practice including CDM 2015 Regulations and Government Soft Landings.

• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including the ability to work across boundaries to influence and gain confidence of senior project delivery leaders and sponsors.

• Experience of leading teams, with a strong, visible leadership to staff and stakeholders. With the ability to engage, motivate and coach others. To act as a role model, inspire and empower others.

• Holds, or is working towards a Government Property Profession Core Accreditation for Property & Construction Project Management (or equivalent)

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62ab0341e90e070391963cc3/GPP_Career_Framework.pdf)

Desirable Criteria

• Professional project management qualification (PRINCE2 Practitioner, APM Practitioner, APM Registered Project Professional, Property Leadership Programme)

• Extensive experience in Project Delivery, leading and delivering major property capital projects and/or substantial property capital maintenance programmes

How to apply

Application Stage

Please submit:

• An anonymised CV

• Statement of suitability demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria (up to 750 words)

Please ensure you cover both ‘what’ you do but also ‘how’ you do it. (i.e., the effective skills, knowledge & experience needed to undertake the role)

We aim to sift all assessment criteria as advertised at application stage, However, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift may be conducted on the Statement of Suitability. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the Statement of will either progressed to a full sift where the remaining criteria are assessed or progressed straight to interview.

Interview Stage

If successful at sift, you will be invited to attend a remote interview, via Microsoft teams. During your interview, you will be assessed against the following Civil Service Success Profiles which will include:

• A 5-minute presentation against “Delivering at Pace" Civil Service behaviour, followed by questions from the panel. The presentation brief will be sent to you in advance.

• Two experience questions in relation to the essential criteria for this role.

• Two behaviour question in relation to the “Leadership" and “Making Effective Decisions" Civil Service behaviours.

About our benefits

We reward our people for their hard work and commitment. We have a number of family

friendly and flexible working polices that will help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition, we offer a range of employee benefits which include generous annual leave, a highly competitive contributory pension scheme, childcare benefits, season ticket and bicycle loans.

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.