Project Lead

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the development of a world class science facility delivering infrastructure critical to animal health and farming in the UK at the heart of Defra’s agenda. A ten-year programme of work, with a significant budget has been secured to redevelop APHA’s science laboratories based at Weybridge. You will be part of the team leading a significant portfolio of Critical Works projects and work closely with the The Science Capability in Animal Health (SCAH) programme, delivering new facilities.

Defra group’s mission is to protect and enhance the environment - with policies and actions that are also key to sustainable national growth. Defra group is responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Within the group, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) works to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy. APHA is responsible for veterinary research and surveillance; it is at the forefront of research into diseases such as TB, TSEs, Blue Tongue and Avian Influenza; it is critical in protecting the UK farming and food industries from the impact of animal disease and for ensuring that outbreaks of animal disease are successfully contained.

The site has a wide range of specialist and complex scientific facilities, laboratories and a range of other buildings, and is one of only 30 such sites across the world. The Weybridge site is the largest facility in terms of size and complexity across the Defra network.

**Job description**

We are looking for an experienced Project Lead, with a track record of managing a team to deliver a portfolio of complex capital projects within the Science Facilities Critical Works Programme.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a growing capital projects team. You will be involved with the delivery of multiple construction and infrastructure projects, covering Weybridge and the various regional laboratories, to ensure each is successfully delivered, on budget and on time. As Project Lead you will hold overall accountability and ensure delivery of the agreed business benefits. These projects will vary in cost from £100k to several million and you will be responsible for a portfolio of activity, not just a single implementation.

The Project Lead manages the strategic definition of a project through to concept design. They then work closely with the Project Manager continuing to provide leadership and strategic direction for the project through delivery and handover.

You will be the link between the project, the users and governance groups, act as a mediator, make decisions and chair the project board.

You will represent Defra and play a vital leadership role; in championing the project throughout the organisation and providing business expertise and guidance to the Project Manager.

You may also lead on programme-wide issues alongside project delivery and take forward improvement priorities relating to areas such as procurement, processes or stakeholder management.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Responsibility for a portfolio of capital projects to ensure delivery is on time, to budget and quality standards and in line with the need to successfully handover to operations management on completion.
- Delivering the maximum value to the business whilst focusing on regulatory compliance; ensure that solutions delivered have a whole life focus so that future maintenance costs are reduced as far as possible.
- Managing projects budgets, providing regular forecasts, and that whole life costs are factored in with sufficient operational budget available to support maintenance post-delivery.
- Leading multidisciplinary project teams.
- Managing the procurement process to ensure that the most capable, best value delivery partners are selected and engaged with sufficient lead time to support delivery.
- Contributing to a strong team environment where Defra group Property, APHA, capital delivery and operations management teams work together to drive successful delivery.
- Developing plans for future projects to ensure that approvals are made ahead of time, commitments are made in line with the necessary delivery timetable; be aware of wider consolidation initiatives to ensure that spend is practical and long term.
- Following project governance processes for each project.
- Identify, escalate and resolve strategic level risks and issues to ensure that the projects are delivered to cost, quality and programme.

**Person specification**

**Key Criteria**
- Experience as a project lead/project manager, delivering construction or infrastructure projects involving a supply chain and with multi-disciplinary teams.
- Experience of budgeting and financial management