Senior Project Sponsor – Construction

We are seeking a Senior Project Sponsor with extensive experience in large-scale construction projects valued at £100 million plus. The Senior Project Sponsor will be responsible for overseeing a programme of expansion work in one of several designated areas. These roles report directly to the relevant Head of Programme Delivery for a major infrastructure programme.

The post holder will serve as the primary contact and leader of significant teams composed of outsourced professional service providers. Working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders, the Senior Project Sponsor will be tasked with developing project proposals from mandate through to completion, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget, while demonstrating value for money and achieving the desired benefits.

In this role, the Senior Project Sponsor will also be responsible for the timely drafting and submission of individual project option appraisals, feasibility reports, business cases, and board papers, all while driving design innovation. They must possess a level of knowledge that enables them to confidently challenge suppliers and delivery partners.

Additionally, familiarity with the Government Soft Landings framework is essential. The ideal candidate will be adept at coordinating complex projects and managing multiple stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of large infrastructure programmes.

Key accountabilities:

• Present at Board and Senior level briefings as required
• Work with commercial teams to procure supply chain resources, by providing the appropriate project briefs.
• Manage the performance of supply chain partners, by providing clear instructions and collating and reporting on key performance measures
• Identify risks and issues and making sure mitigation plans are in place, submitting early warning notices when contractual remedies are thought to be required.
• Embed wider efficiency targets such as the implementation of building information modelling, government soft landings by the inclusion of FM professionals, and collaborative procurement - particularly early contractor engagement and project bank accounts.
• Line management and leadership of a team, providing strong professional direction.
• Ensure critical paths are in place for all projects and Project Performance Indicators (PPIs) are in place and the resulting data is used to keep project to time and quality.
• Ensure project detail sheets are submitted on time, having first challenged and assured the data and information being supplied is accurate.
• Manage the end to end requisition to pay process.
• Ensure lessons learned are carried out as best practice and findings are collected and distributed across stakeholder groups, including technical services, FM and commercial.
• Travel required to sites in England and Wales and on occasions, London and Scotland.

Key requirements:

• Large Scale Construction Experience (£100m+)
• Knowledge and experience of drafting and presenting business cases, option appraisals and board papers.
• Knowledge and use of Government Soft Landings (GSL).
• Knowledge and experience in delivering projects through the industry standard of the RIBA digital plan of works.
• Knowledge and experience of good supplier relationship, contract and commercial management outcomes.
• Knowledge of sustainability policy and its application in property/projects
• Knowledge of the strategic direction and objectives in managing and improving the Government estate.
• Knowledge and use of construction contracts to deliver large scale projects, managing contractual claims and contractual variations

Highly Desirable:

• Awareness of Government Property Profession.
• Experience in management of property disciplines e.g. Facilities Management, Sustainability, Health & Safety, Fire Safety
• Successful experience of delivering challenging programmes in a complex environment
• Knowledge or experience of implementing continuous improvement methodologies e.g. Lean, Six Sigma etc.
• Experience of delivering through project bank accounts and timely payment of supply chains through the requisition to pay process.
• Knowledge and use of PPC 2000, NEC3 forms of contracts and contract remedies.

If you consider yourself to have a disability or if you are a veteran, and you meet the essential criteria for the role, you will be put forward for the ‘Guaranteed Interview’ scheme whereby you will have the opportunity to discuss this role and your suitability with a member of the Sourcing team.

If you are successful in securing this role, please note that for the entire duration of this contract, regardless of extension you will be working this role at the equivalent PAYE rate that has been advertised. For absolute clarity, we only work on a PAYE basis. If you wish to understand PAYE vs Umbrella more, please let us know and we can send you some additional information.