Head of Programme Requirements

R&R Client Team

The R&R Programme has a mandate from both Houses of Parliament to preserve the Palace of Westminster for future generations and ensure the safety of all those who work in and visit the Palace, now and in the future.

Staff Benefits

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including:  

• 30 days’ annual leave (increasing to 35 days after first full leave year). 
• Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. 
• Access to training and development. 
• Flexible working. 
• Interest free season ticket loan and bicycle loan.

Introduction 

The R&R Client Team is a new Joint Department which acts on behalf of both Houses of Parliament, and formally on behalf of the Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the House.  Its role is to ensure that the requirements and benefits of R&R are clear, to instruct the independent Delivery Authority in its work, and to scrutinise work on the programme to ensure value for money.

It has a crucial role in developing the case for R&R, engaging on this and securing political and wider agreement on the strategic delivery of the programme.  This is an exciting time as we have new Governance arrangements reporting to a Client Board (the Commissions of each House meeting jointly) and working through a new, highly performing R&R Programme Board including extremely senior political and external membership.

The Role 

The Business Case and Strategy directorate is a small and energetic team, responsible for the development and management of the programme strategy including necessary business cases, strategic objectives and plans, requirements and benefits management.

As the Head of Programme Requirements, you will facilitate the discharge of Client Team accountabilities and responsibilities as set out within the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019. The purpose of the role is to define and agree the Corporate Officer and other Client Requirements and to manage any change associated with the Client Requirements.

Some of the responsibilities for this role include:

• Define and manage the Requirements Strategy by consulting and working with the Head of Parliamentary Engagement and Head of Programme Management, and their teams, and other key stakeholders.
• Strengthen challenge elements Define and manage the process of agreeing and aligning the Programme requirements with wider parliamentary project requirements by consulting and working with parliamentary colleagues.
• Work with the engagement teams to prioritise stakeholder aspirations and needs, identifying trade-offs to ensure that proposals from the Delivery Authority are deliverable within budget and agreed timescales and satisfy value for money tests.

Skills and Experience

Qualification

• A relevant degree or other professional qualification, e.g., programme or project management, commercial, technical, quantity surveying or procurement.

To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:

• A strategic thinker with high-level problem-solving skills; able to spot linkages and dependencies and manage high-level risks and uncertainties.
• Experience of developing and driving an effective strategy, taking account of political, economic and legislative trends, issues and risks.
• Experience of working at the interface between Parliament / Government and the private sector or of working in the civil service and/or a sponsor relationship. 
• Ability to identifying competing priorities between delivering our commitments and ensuring value for money.
• Continually works across the organisation to drive high quality outputs and improvements in effectiveness and efficiency.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact and communicate effectively with people at all levels. Ability to work successfully within a team, whilst upholding the values of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to absorb, challenge and communicate complex issues with developed problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely to senior people.
• Experience of managing contract variations and change processes to ensure value for money, anticipating and managing high-level risks, changes in contractual arrangements and engaging stakeholders to resolve them.

Next Steps and Additional Information

• CV & Supporting Statement – If you would like to apply for this role, please submit your CV and supporting statement with a 750 max word limit providing evidence of how you meet the criteria listed in the job description. 

More information on the role and the full criteria can be found in the Job Description. 

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