Crown Commercial Service Jobs – Project Director In Leicester

Overview

Position Title: Project Director

Company: Crown Commercial Service

Location: Leicester, UK

Job Description

We lead the project delivery and project finance professions across government. Projects are delivered by people, and building professional capability is a high priority for the IPA. We aim to build high performing, professional, flexible and diverse teams to deliver world class projects now and in the future.This role is within IPA’s Project & Structured Finance team of project finance, commercial and technical specialists, policy advisors and analysts who work with government departments, other public bodies, and industry across a range of economic and social infrastructure sectors.

Responsibilities:

• Develop a support package, including datasets, to support contracting authorities through benchmarking and market testing processes.
• Provide advice to ministers and senior officials on the technical and commercial aspects of PFI.
• Represent IPA at conferences, seminars and other speaking engagements.
• Contribute to the development of PFI training courses, leading on the technical aspects, and be part of the team which delivers PFI training to contracting authorities.
• Lead the development of approaches to adopting net zero policies into operational contracts.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across departments and the wider public sector, with account management responsibility for one or more sectors.
• Contribute to the development of PFI guidance, standards and other contract management tools and products, leading on the technical aspects.
• Lead external market engagement with investors, asset managers, lenders, contractors and advisors to build and maintain networks and relationships.
• Work as part of a team on the development and delivery of contract management diagnostic tools, looking at common ways to improve ongoing contract management to address thematic issues across the PFI portfolio.
• Maintain current knowledge and understanding of industry best practice standards and market trends
• Take a lead role in delivering the PFI Contract Management Programme, working across all four pillars of the programme as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Lead the commercial and technical advice to departments and contracting authorities.
• This is expected to include advising on the technical aspects of PFI and will include advising departments and contracting authorities, commissioning advisors, and engaging the private sector.
• Lead on advice and work with contracting authorities to improve operational performance.
• Lead the delivery of Contract Expiry Health Checks and support contracting authorities to develop and implement their action plans.

Requirements:

• A high degree of skill and expertise in the operational aspects of PFI contracts including: contract management; hard and soft facilities management services; asset management and asset condition; and lifecycle forecasting and delivery.
• Experience in the completion of operational audits and contract compliance audits.
• Experience in dealing with investors, debt providers, developers, contractors and service providers in the delivery of PFI infrastructure.
• Direct market knowledge of a wide range of PFI sectors.
• Strong knowledge of Health & Safety legislation with experience of interpreting and applying H&S standards and legislation across a wide and diverse portfolio of assets.
• Ability to review and understand technical information and communicate findings to an audience with a varied degree of technical knowledge and experience.
• Able to work independently and manage a busy workload to meet deadlines and deliver against priorities.
• Experience in developing technical and commercial solutions to deliver net zero policies (or other similar changes) into PFI contracts (desirable)
• Confident and effective personal communications skills, both oral and written, with the ability to communicate clearly.
• Ability to manage specialist technical advisors including commissioning, management and post-task evaluation and implementation.
• Relevant professional qualification and experience commensurate with that required to meet the standards of the Engineering Council’s Professional Registration (CEng, IEng or Eng Tech).
• Though formal registration is not required, the candidate should seek to demonstrate the relevant competence in their application.
• Expert knowledge of Quality Standards Certification and of the processes relating to documentation (Operational and Maintenance Manuals, Health and Safety Files and related processes).
• Expert knowledge of PFI output and performance requirements and the benchmarking / market testing of services.
• Ability to think strategically, working with senior leaders and stakeholders to ensure operational projects are managed efficiently and effectively.
• Extensive experience of the technical and commercial aspects of PFI projects.
• This experience may have been gained as an operator, service provider, technical advisor, or investor/ equity sponsor.
• Technical adviser experience to lenders and equity sponsors will be an advantage.
• Strong leadership, maturity and excellent management skills. Capable of promoting and delivering good practice in operational projects.