Earth Observation and Climate Project Lead

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 324146**Salary**:

- £50,305 - £57,760**Job grade**:

- Grade 7**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Type of role**:

- Operational Delivery
- Project Delivery**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Didcot, South East England, OX11 0QRAbout the job

**Job summary**:

- Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons.
- The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The UK Space Agency aims to inspire and lead the UK in space, to benefit our planet and its people. We provide technical advice on government’s space strategy and guide the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision. We design and deliver programmes that implement government strategy, including as a sponsor of national capabilities and an early-stage investor in space research and development.-
**Job description**:
Earth Observation is a fascinating and complex technology that has the potential to drive substantial industrial growth in the UK space sector. It is also helping us to understand and tackle the challenges facing our planet, including climate change. The UK has world-leading expertise in Earth Observation satellites.

The UK Space Agency is seeking an enthusiastic professional to develop and deliver satellite Earth Observation and Climate projects within the UK Space Agency.

This is a role which will combine the skills of project delivery with a chance to lead the UK stakeholder and policy aspects of building new space enabled climate services.

This vital role in the Agency’s Earth Observation and Climate team will help to shape the future of Earth Observation domestically and globally. It provides an opportunity to join a busy team at the forefront of delivery of for enabling innovation and growth in the UK satellite Earth Observation sector.

The core role is to lead the Governance and finance management of programmes such as Space4Climate and the Space Climate Observatory and to lead the UK Space Agency involvement at the COP meetings. The role will involve assisting the G6 to run the partnership and drive a seamless supply chain for climate services in the UK.

**Person specification**:
The post holder will be responsible for:

- Direct line management of the Earth Observation and Climate services officer providing support, oversight of workloads and development in line with performance objectives.
- Oversee day to day contact with the Space4Climate group ensuring the high-profile complex programme foster innovation and grows national capability in climate and satellite Earth Observation services.
- Chair and represent UKSA at regular meetings with UK scientists and industry.
- Lead the Governance and finance management of programmes such Space4Climate, the UK Space Agency Climate Services Calls and other related programmes.
- Oversee reporting for the Earth Observation and Climate area risks and the development of governance, monitoring and evaluation tools for the projects.
- Drive and support activities in relation to other Earth Observation and climate activities including involvement with other key project areas as necessary.
- Lead engagement with commercial and finance teams to ensure all the procurement activity in Earth Observation is in strict accordance with UK Space Agency requirements and rules.
- Oversee the drafting of briefings for senior colleagues including UK Space Agency CEO, Department for Science Innovation and Technology Minister and officials from other government departments related to the climate brief.

**Skills**:

- Project management skills
- Finance skills
- Familiarity with mechanisms to formulate policy across government.
- Ability to write clearly and concisely, including distilling down complex topics for particular audiences.
- Analytical skills
- Strong stakeholder skills
- Comfortable working as part of a team and balancing own priorities to deliver team and corporate objectives.
- Line management

**Experience**
- Project office delivery and public sector finance experience
- Engaging with a range of government and non-government stakeholders on complex issues.
- Procurement experience, including setting up announcements of opportunity and invitations to tender, is desirable.
- Experience of working in the Programme Management office is desirable but not essential.
- Developing and delivering government projects and policy and working within non-negotiable deadlines.

**Qualifications**
- Project management qualificatio