project manager Selby, England
Job description
SELBY ABBEY ORIGINS PROJECT – Project Manager Brief
Title: Project Manager
Budget: £17,500 including expenses
Duration: Fixed Term For 1 year with potential 2-year contract to follow, dependant on funding and appointment process.
Location: Flexible with access to free office space* available at Selby Abbey Parish Church/School
House Office (approx. 3min walk from the Abbey).
Introduction
Our National Lottery Heritage Fund project, Selby Abbey: The Origins, focuses on the monastic heritage of Selby Abbey, its restoration and developing community skills, spaces, and access to heritage. The first year of this project focuses specifically on developing our organisation and project idea for the delivery of our capital project and activity plan between 2024-2026 (dependant on funding). This post will coordinate the development phase of the project, initially on a 1-year contract.
Selby Abbey was founded in 1069. Originally a Benedictine monastery, Selby Abbey is a Grade 1 listed building, built in what is now the heart of Selby town centre. Having survived the reformation,
Selby Abbey was made a parish church in 1618 and has survived for nearly a millennium due to its involvement in the community and the support of people from across the town. The church and monastic warehouse (Abbott’s Staith – currently under private ownership) is all that remains of the monastery, but it still dominates the landscape, heritage, culture, and community of Selby, drawing people from across the region, country, and globe.
Through this role we will be managing a multitude of consultants who will support us in making the
Abbey more sustainable, developing our business model, creating a marketing, and fundraising for heritage strategy, renewing our conservation management plan for the building, and reviewing our governance, education offer and consulting with the local community on how they want to engage with us. Drawing this together under one project will maximise the Abbey’s resilience after it has propelled out of the COVID-19 pandemic reacting to the needs of the community. By doing so, we will prepare for significant investment from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver a capital restoration project and large activity plan surrounding the monastic past between April 2024 and
April 2026.
The Project Manager will report to the Selby Abbey Origins Steering Group which consists of members of both Selby Abbey Parochial Church Council and Selby Abbey Trust, along with key staff.
Support will be available through North Yorkshire Council. The role is funded primarily through
National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Project Manager will be contracted through by Selby Abbey PCC.
*Access to free office space available at Selby Abbey Parish Church/School House Office (approx.
3min walk from the Abbey). The office in the School House office is not equipped with IT equipment.
Access to a phone and copier is available in the Abbey office.
Project Manager’s Brief
The main purpose of this Project Manager contract is to deliver the outcomes of the National Lottery
Heritage Funded, Selby Abbey: The Origins Development Phase Project. We expect that the following tasks will be delivered through this role.
Engage a wider range of people in heritage:
- Support core staff to develop an activity plan that responds to local needs and wants.
- Liaise with the eco group regarding bio-diversity engagement activity
- Support and provide secretariat for the Steering Group
Making Selby Abbey more resilient:
- Commissioning reviews and reports on governance, sustainability, education, business planning, marketing, and fundraising for heritage to help drive plans forward for growth.
- Supporting staff to maintain partnerships with external voluntary organisations, local authority, and funders.
- Working with an evaluation consultant to create an evaluation matrix and implement relevant data collection practices.
- Reviewing volunteer base for gaps based on the activity plan.
- Assist, where appropriate, in the development of the delivery phase bid to the National
Lottery Heritage Fund.
- Compile and submit reports as required by National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Selby Abbey will be in better condition:
- Prepare the Abbey for its capital project by working up tender documents and specs in conjunction with the architect.
- Work with consultants to develop a conservation management plan.
People will develop skills:
- Oversee plans for volunteer and staff training
- Support the Eco Committee in conducting bio-diversity audits and consolidating recommendations for making the churchyard a better place for plant and wildlife.
Heritage will be identified and better explained:
- Develop an interpretation plan for the capital restoration St Germain window and the external monastic gardens.
The delivery phase of the project (subject to future funding and appointment process) is expected to also meet the outcomes below:
- People will have better wellbeing
- Selby will be a better place to live, work and visit
Fees
The fee for this commission is £17,500, excluding VAT but including expenses.
The contractor will be required to present evidence of their Self-Employed status to undertake this work, and will be responsible for all tax and National Insurance arrangements.
Management
The project will be managed by the Selby Abbey Origins Steering Group.
Contract
The Project Manager will be contracted by Selby Abbey PCC and this brief will form part of the contract.
Insurance requirements
The Project Manager will be required to hold Public Liability insurance to the value of £5million and
Professional Indemnity to the value of £1 million.
Selection and appointment
The Project Manager will be appointed through a shortlisting and interview process.
Skills and experience
This project will require an experienced Project Manager who is able to collaborate with other professional disciplines. The successful Project Manager is likely to meet the criteria below
Essential qualifications
- A degree / professional qualification within the heritage sector; project management; business development or significant evidenced experience in a related field to project management, heritage, or business development.
Desirable qualifications
- A project management qualification
Essential Experience
- Demonstrable experience and specialist knowledge of project managing a complex development project.
- Demonstratable experience in working with freelance consultants
- Experience of reporting to funders (ideally NLHF but not essential)
- Experience of developing evaluation frameworks for projects and implementing relevant measures to capture data.
- Ability to manage complex working structures and relationships. For example, between core staff, volunteers, boards, funders, freelancers, and local authority.
Desirable Experience
- Knowledge and experience of working in a major church
- Knowledge and experience of the Third Sector
- Knowledge and experience of sending projects to tender
Additional Requirements
- Understanding of the Christian faith, beliefs, and ethos of the organisation.
- Willing to work flexibly (days/ evening/ weekends) in accordance with policies and procedures to meet the operational needs of the post
- Strong organisational and time management skills with the ability to work under pressure
- Ability to work using own initiative and making appropriate decisions
- Ability to work effectively under pressure and thrive in a challenging and changing environment
- Willingness to undertake mandatory safeguarding training through the Church of England
- Computer literate with Microsoft packages
Requirements for submission
Project managers who feel that they meet the criteria for this appointment should submit:
- A short proposal (no more than 2 sides of A4) setting out why you are interested in this project and how your previous experience makes you a suitable candidate
- Evidence of your previous experience in similar settings and information about a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 projects
- An up-to-date and detailed CV
- Two recent referees (relevant settings preferred)
- A budget showing how you would deliver against the brief requirements including your daily rate, how many days you would give to the project and over what period
If you would like to discuss this project or need any clarification, please contact [email protected]
The deadline for applications is close of business on 14th July 2023
Please submit your application to [email protected]
Job Type: Freelance
Benefits:
- Flexitime
Schedule:
- Flexitime
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Selby
Application deadline: 14/07/2023
