Assistant Programme Manager

The Estate aims to operate to high standards of equity, diversity and inclusion. We therefore particularly welcome applicants from ethnic minorities, as they are under-represented within Real Estate.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Portman Estate is a major property estate in the West End of London. We are recruiting an Assistant Programme Manager who wants to influence and help deliver an exciting programme of strategic projects that create long term additionality to the operational and management activities of Estate in London.

You will have great people skills and ideally have experience of working with the public sector, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), community groups and others. You should have good project management experience. You should be able to work collaboratively across different teams and support the Associate Director and Strategic Project Director in delivering a range of projects.

This role could suit someone:

• with a relevant degree and some introductory work experience that is seeking a step up, or;
• with demonstrable Project Management experience looking for their next challenge.

You will be responsible for providing administration, coordination, technical input, research and assistant management duties in the following areas:

• Public realm and place shaping
• Sustainability and carbon reduction
• Crisis management and security
• Consultation and stakeholder engagement
• Communications and social media
• Information management

OUR MISSION AND VALUES

The Portman Estate is a forward-thinking property company with an enduring heritage and a commitment to promoting and protecting the long-term success of its assets in Marylebone, part of London’s vibrant West End. In August 2022, The Portman Estate became the first major property company to be certified as a B Corp. This means that we meet high standards of social and environmental performance and have made a commitment to continuous improvement.

We recognise our responsibility to provide a high quality, sustainable environment while seeking to safeguard our community, manage responsibly and evolve our portfolio for the benefit of all. We aim to do this with a Clean Heart and a Cheerful Spirit, as the family motto directs.

Our people are as important to us as the community and the environment. The team is encouraged to grow within the organisation, and we look for ways to enrich working at the Estate through education and learning.

At The Portman Estate we prioritise particular values:

• Respect: maintaining relationships; ability to listen; understanding another’s viewpoint; acknowledging other’s efforts
• Ethical: moral principles; knowing what is right and wrong; high standards
• Inclusivity: ensuring sense of belonging; being open and fair to all; making individuals feel valued and able to reach their full potential; approachable; accessible; open; easy to talk to; welcoming; friendly
• Integrity: honesty; trustworthy; decency; honour; sincerity; high standards of competence and skill; strong code of conduct; loyal to colleagues

and we do so with

• Moral courage: standing up for what is right; taking action for moral reasons

STRATEGIC DELIVERABLES:

The strategic deliverables detailed below summarise longer term objectives that you will be expected to achieve. These objectives are subject to change in line with business requirements:

• Improving the public realm through placemaking to add value to the Estate’s portfolio and reputation as London’s pre-eminent real estate/urban centre
• Minimising the Estate’s impact to the environment and future proofing buildings through the delivery of a sustainability and carbon reduction plan
• Protecting the Estate’s day-to-day operations through an effective risk management programme
• Enhancing the Estate’s reputation through proactive engagement with stakeholders (residents, businesses and local authority) and a programme of communication activities

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Job Responsibilities detailed below are not exclusive or exhaustive and you will be required to undertake such tasks as may be reasonably expected within the scope and role:

Project management

• Supporting the delivery of public realm and placemaking projects from inception to delivery, including those set out in the Business Improvement District’s (BIDs) business plans, public realm visions and strategies and those relating to the curation and activation of spaces, building illumination and place management;
• Supporting the delivery of sustainability projects from inception to delivery including the key themes of air quality, freight and waste consolidation and carbon reduction, aligned with Westminster City Council’s Sustainable City Charter and the Estate’s own sustainability action plan;
• Ensuring projects are delivered in line with Westminster City Council and GLA policies including those relating to the public realm and placemaking, climate emergency, sustainability and greening;
• Develop skills to represent the Estate on external groups and being an active member to drive forward collaborative workstreams for public realm and sustainability;
• Applying for and managing funding according to supplied criteria;
• Managing project programmes and budgets and ensuring they are delivered to time, quality and cost parameters;
• Managing consultants and suppliers and monitoring their performance against set objectives and KPIs.

Communications and stakeholder engagement

• Working closely with partners and stakeholders including BIDs, Westminster City Council, Transport for London, building owners and managers, developers, Neighbourhood Forums and residential and amenity groups;
• Building positive relationships and articulating the Estate’s public realm and sustainability visions and strategies internally and with key external stakeholders;
• Ensuring members and key stakeholders are continuously and fully briefed on projects;
• Contributing to the development of consultation and policy responses;
• Drafting and presenting well written and timely minutes, agendas, reports for various Boards;
• Working closely with the Marketing team to identify PR opportunities for projects;
• Contribute to social media posts to support the above.

Administration and other

• Coordinating meetings and providing administrative assistance on projects;
• Data administration and management;
• Crisis and Incident Management – contribute to the ongoing management of the Estate’s crisis and incident plans and procedures to manage risk to personnel, property and reputation;
• Working closely with the Business Improvement District partners to ensure the Estate’s public spaces are well maintained and managed.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Degree qualified (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline combined with suitable introductory work experience, OR; Demonstrable Project Management experience from public or private sector
• Experience of working in a matrix environment, across departments and organisations;
• Experience of overseeing and balancing a broad and varied workload;
• High levels of written and verbal communication, advocacy and influencing skills appropriate for a complex and dynamic stakeholder environment;
• Knowledge and understanding of project management methodologies and their practical application;
• Knowledge of stakeholder engagement approaches and practices;
• Ability to prioritise, be flexible, be adaptable and approachable with a willingness to learn and take on new responsibilities;
• Ability to work across teams and levels of seniority to influence and manage others to deliver key tasks;

Desirable

• Qualification in business administration, project management, urban design/planning, geography, engineering, real estate and property;
• Experience of working on transformational projects at different scales;
• Experience of delivering initiatives to support an organisations’ objectives such as sustainability;
• Experience of working with and managing consultants and suppliers;
• Experience in managing budgets;
• Knowledge of Business Improvement Districts – purpose and legal context;
• An understanding of local authority structures and roles;