Project Director - Remote worker London London, England
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About the job
Job summary
We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates
At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.
Equality and Diversity - Department for Education
Are you passionate about project delivery and interested in having a personal impact on one of the Department’s top policy agendas? We are looking for excellent Project Directors to lead the delivery of DfE capital projects across the School Rebuilding Programme. This is an exciting time to join the team, you will be leading in the rebuilding and/or refurbishing those school buildings in the very worst condition across the country, transforming the most run-down school buildings to ensure young people can be taught in an environment where they can fulfil their potential.
About Us
There’s a shared sense of pride amongst our 500-strong team knowing the real difference a great school with modern facilities can make to local communities. And there’s nothing better than seeing the excitement of children, teachers and parents as our projects take shape on sites.
Our work is every bit as complex and commercially challenging as any you’ll find in the private sector, but it’s a great feeling to know that we’re doing this for a purpose, not for a profit.
Our vision is to ensure the Civil Service represents modern Britain and is a truly inclusive employer – an example to other employers. We will build an organisation where diversity is not only respected and valued – but celebrated.
Job description
As Project Director, you will be expected to lead diverse and multiple delivery teams. This requires leadership through pre-feasibility, feasibility, contract, construction and project close-out. You will be expected to lead on programme wide issues and take forward improvement priorities relating to areas such as procurement, processes or partner management.
The projects your teams are working on are ranging in complexity, and could include:
- Whole new build primary and secondary schools in locations all over the country.
- Refurbishment and remodelling of listed buildings.
- Relocation of schools to new sites include school mergers and school expansions.
- Establishing new schools on sites which were not previously school sites.
Person specification
Responsibilities:
This is a challenging role and key responsibilities will include:
- Pro-actively lead a multi-disciplinary team of Project Managers, specialist delivery team and advisors, providing advice and support to facilitate the successful delivery of educational premises that demonstrate value for money. As Project Director, this would involve coordinating the work of ICT, Technical, Legal and Property specialists to enable delivery of the sites, school premises, ICT and FF&E within the agreed budgets to tight timescales.
- Lead on various areas of expertise across programme wide issues relating to areas including procurement route, delivery stage, construction type and value for money. As Project Director, this would involve coordinating, monitoring and reporting on the performance of the technical advisor and associated specialist advisors and agreeing proposals for commissioning further surveys and associated costs and timings.
- Work with colleagues to ensure that proposals provide value for money and where appropriate with the procuring body to support the procurement process.
- Identify, raise and resolve strategic level risks and issues to ensure that the projects are delivered to cost, quality and programme.
- Develop and maintain client relationships, leading and attending school visits, contractor meetings and Responsible Body meetings as necessary, providing Department for Education representation, strategic direction and oversight on the projects and wider programme.
- Review final procurement documents and administer the construction contract, including dealing with any contractual claims or contract variations.
- Work in partnership with other parts of the Department in: developing the project; finalising the funding requirements; ensuring policies and framework requirements are implemented; securing all necessary approvals; and, preparing papers for ministerial and/or Treasury approval.
Hear from two of our team:
Project Managers at DfE - YouTube
About you
We are looking for you to demonstrate the following essential skills:
- Solution focused, motivated self-starter, with a consistent record of successful multi-project delivery through management of a skilled team of people.
- Ability to work at pace, prioritising work whilst delivering a large number of projects.
- Ability to negotiate, influence and persuade within and outside the organisation at a senior level in order to achieve required results. You will employ an adaptable style and persuasion skills to respond to complex relationships and differing perspectives.
- Constructively find opportunities for improving the delivery of the capital programmes and work effectively with others, to continually review these in the light of changing policy.
- Work and make decisions independently, but within clear guidelines and understands when it is appropriate to raise issues.
- Working in an encouraging and inclusive way, respecting the diversity of the people you work with.
One of the following is essential:
As well as demonstrating the above list of essential criteria, you are also required to demonstrate at least one of the following essential criteria too:
- Experience of working with and/or within local authorities, schools or academies
- Experience in the procurement of major infrastructure projects including developing business cases, feasibility studies and letting of contracts.
- Experience of delivering major infrastructure projects, including consultation with contractors on delivery programmes, variation management and cost management.
The following skills/qualifications are desirable:
- Experience of leading and delivery though multi-disciplinary teams
- Excellent portfolio of programme and project management skills
- A relevant professional or technical qualification to degree level or equivalent (e.g., project management, quantity surveying, construction or relevant subject matter)
- Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the institution Civil Engineers, the Chartered Institute of Building, the Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers).
Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision.
Benefits
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King's Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Stage 1 – Application Stage
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and statement of suitability to demonstrate your experience against the essential criteria above. We will assess against this criteria.
You should use your statement of suitability as an opportunity to further highlight how you meet the essential criteria set out in the responsibilities section. You may wish to include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advertisement. (1250 words max)
CVs will be scored inline with the Statement of suitability against the essential criteria listed in the advert.
Stage 2 – Interview Stage
You will be asked to attend an interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion on your previous experience in the context of the skills and experience listed within the job description.
You will also be asked to deliver a 5 minute presentation, the subject of which will be sent out with the interview invitations.
Other Information
We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.
DfE cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DfE holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Department of Education via [email protected] soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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