Join us as a Planning Manager with CTP
(London, Hybrid, Full-time, Permanent)

About Capita
At Capita, we support clients across a range of sectors, including local Government, central Government, education, transport, health, life and pensions, insurance and other private sector organisations. We support with expertise applied by the talent across our business in combination with technology, insight and analytics to keep our clients ahead of change, sharper than competitors and more efficient than ever ??? and we always need new talent to help us achieve our goals.

Job Summary

The current operational environment for the Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters (CTPHQ) is dynamic, and CT Policing must continually respond to the threat faced, therefore change is at the heart of CT. Working within CTPHQ, the Planning Manager is part of the Change Pillar. The Change Pillar within CTPHQ is responsible for overseeing change activity across the CT Network

Working within CTPHQ Change Pillar, the Planning Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of the approach, product sets and standards to manage plans at a portfolio level - across the national and London Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters (CTPHQ) portfolio of projects and programmes.

The Role of a Planning Manager
Working within the Portfolio Management Office (PfMO), the purpose of this role is to ensure effective management of plans and schedules at project, programme, and portfolio level. This will include ensuring that portfolio and programme level interdependencies are understood and managed within the plan.
The role holder will need to work flexibly in periods of high demand. Whilst sitting under the team structure of the Portfolio Management Office (PfMO), the role holder acts as Centre of Excellence lead for Planning and will:

Provide support to projects or programmes to apply portfolio standards in developing and managing plans and schedules, including facilitation of workshops and internal upskilling. Work with portfolio and external stakeholders to develop the tools, templates and guidance for planning and scheduling at project, programme and portfolio levels. Maintain Portfolio-level planning controls.

In periods of high demand there could also be a requirement to provide support to the Portfolio Reporting or RAID Managers.

Typical Role Responsibilities.

Portfolio Management:

Day-to-day management of the national and London CT & PS portfolio plans, supporting the sequencing of key change programme and project activities and deliverables, and ensuring that all milestones and internal and external dependencies are identified, logged and monitored. Track key milestones and highlight dependencies in the change delivery portfolio, understand how these contribute to delivery of benefits and how any changes affect the risk profile. This will require close working with the Risks and Issues Manager and the Benefits Management Manager, and with the Reporting Manager to ensure that reports accurately reflect progress against the portfolio plan. Day-to-day management of portfolio level planning process across CTPHQ PfMO, maintaining structure and control at all levels and liaising with senior stakeholders across change.

Centre of Excellence:

Develop, maintain and implement robust, effective and efficient planning approach and processes, and provide associated guidance and tools required, at portfolio, programme and project levels. Provide planning tools and products for monitoring areas such as project milestones, overview plans and timelines, and be responsible for ensuring these are reviewed within programmes and projects and on a regular basis.  Ensure that consistent planning management standards and practices are adhered to across the CT & PS change portfolios at all levels, working with Project and Programme PMOs to achieve this. Use experience and lessons learned to provide best practice guidance to support successful delivery of the projects and programmes within portfolio. Provide planning expertise at national and London CT & PS portfolio level, and act as a ???critical friend???, ensuring plans are robust, realistic and achievable. Maintain effective working relationships with Programme Managers, (Senior) Project Managers, Regional Change Managers and others to ensure planning practices are embedded either at portfolio, programme or project levels, both nationally and regionally, as appropriate.

Whilst sitting under the team structure of the Portfolio Management Office (PfMO), the post holder could be tasked to directly support projects or programmes in periods of high demand, when requested, to provide hands on specialist support and advice to Programme and Project Managers in in the development and management of effective planning controls.

Work closely with other roles in the PfMO, notably the RAID and Reporting Managers, providing cover for both in times of need to ensure resilience within the team.

Expected Skills/Qualifications:

Good interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with people at all levels. Good facilitation skills, with the ability to elicit information and agreement from different types of stakeholders. Good communication skills, both verbal and written. Use data to judge progress of the plan, milestones and objectives to support effective decision making. Strong attention to detail, ensuring that planning products are accurate and contain the necessary information to support effective decision making. Ability to provide effective challenge to support delivery of plans. Ability to support people with limited knowledge of effective programme or project planning. Adapt processes within planning parameters to support effective decision-making. Exceptional planning and organisational skills, and able to meet demanding deadlines in a pressured environment. Ability to work unsupervised and as part of a team. Self-starter, confident and capable of working both independently and collaboratively to tight deadlines with plenty of initiative.

Strong IT skills in the use of Microsoft Products, especially Microsoft Project.

Essential Experience

Understanding of the principles of planning, using the relevant tools and techniques. Experience of facilitating groups, balancing conflicting opinions, building consensus as necessary. Good working knowledge and application of Microsoft Project across major change programmes or projects. Experience of applying PPM methodologies in a large project, programme or portfolio environment. Experience of providing coaching and guidance to promote adherence to standards. Knowledge of and direct experience in applying programme and project management approaches such as MSP and PRINCE2.

Desirables
 

Experience of establishing and implementing planning processes within a large Programme or portfolio environment. Experience of setting and delivering planning frameworks and dependency management processes within a large programme or portfolio environment. Previous experience of working in (local) government, a security agency or policing. A clear understanding and knowledge of CT Policing including its London (MPS), National (UK Force wide) and international responsibilities; including a clear understanding of CT Policing relationships to Government, security and intelligence agencies and legislative process including their governance arrangements desirable.

Qualifications
Experience within areas outlined will also be considered should the essential qualification not be met. We will provide training for the successful candidate.

Essential: Project Planning & Control: Practitioner and/or recognised industry equivalent qualification MS Project and/or recognised industry equivalent qualification PRINCE2 Foundation
Desirable: P3O Certification (Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices): Foundation Management of Risk (M_O_R): Foundation MSP Foundation Minimum SC Clearance. Candidates must hold or be prepared to undergo National Security Vetting Security Check (enhanced) SCe level, with a willingness to undergo Developed Vetting (DV) once in post, if required

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the very best of luck with your application.