Climate Action Project Manager

Spencer Clarke Group are working alongside a local authority based in Oxford to appoint a talented **Climate Action Project Manager** on a contract basis.

As a **Climate Action Project Manager**, you will work as part of an evolving team to support the delivery of a series of complex service and business improvement projects across the Environment and Place Directorate (cross organisation). Thepost holder will lead by example, promote the values of the organisation, facilitate others to deliver their objectives and facilitate a joined up holistic approach and culture across the Council.Responsible for the lifecycle management of a project or portfolioof projects, co-ordinating the key deliverables to ensure complete solutions are delivered on time, within budget and to agreed standards. Projects will be focused on ensuring change is embedded in the organisation through innovative solutions to difficultproblems

The post holder will be responsible for a range of activities in the Climate Action Team including:

- Providing oversight and management of the climate action programme - setting milestones with teams, be responsible for risk reporting, generating key performance indicators.
- Supporting key projects within the climate action programme such as assessing embodied carbon within capital projects and implementation of PAS2080 across the Council
- Support the outcomes and actions of the internal climate action audit.
- Maintain the ongoing carbon literacy training programme and support out ambition to become an accredited organisation.
- Support Climate Action Programme Board (CAPB), Carbon Management Plan Delivery Group, Climate Action Delivery Group (Oxon) and other forums as required.

**About the role:
- Proactively lead and deliver all aspects of the Council's climate action programme, recognising these are high profile and sometimes politically sensitive complex projects and programmes.
- Work with the Director's Leadership Team, senior operational managers, and wider stakeholders to produce the required business cases and reports to receive Member approval.
- Produce high quality project documentation establishing project objectives and benefits, metrics, risk, and financial data in addition to cost / benefit analysis to prioritise scope / phasing of deliverables with associated production of detailed projectplans and an assurance framework.
- Be accountable for the successful development and management of projects to ensure that they are delivered using recognised project management standards including leading on the delivery of all stakeholder engagement and communications activities.
- Define and set-up the project organisation structure and governance, assembling team members with agreement of appropriate line managers. Leading/chairing regular core project meetings establishing also robust monitoring and escalation arrangements.
- Direct and manage multi-disciplinary project teams to ensure successful delivery of projects objectives and outcomes
- Be accountable for project delivery with the ability to hold others successfully accountable for delivery including professionally challenging senior managerial and operational leads.
- Lead procurement programmes and contract implementation on behalf of service owners
- Manage Service and Business Improvement Project Officers
- Agree and manage the project resources/budgets on behalf of the SRO in accordance with the council's policies and procedures
- Maintain excellent, effective working relationships with stakeholders, key strategic partners, senior council directors, politicians, and operational teams.
- Promote a strong customer service focus within the Service and where possible take account of customer requirements, including responding to customers in ways that are clear and jargon free
- Remain contemporary with legislation and best practice across all areas of the Directorate and ensure that relevant initiatives are adopted to develop the effectiveness of the service
- Establish productive working relationships with elected members, senior managers, and external organisations.

About you:
- Education to degree level (level 6) or similar level of qualification or substantial experience of leading complex and on occasion politically sensitive projects (at least five years
- Demonstrable interest/expertise in Climate action and sustainability
- A project management qualification such as Prince II and substantial experience of leading complex and on occasion politically sensitive projects (at least 3 years
- Management qualification and/or experience of managing at the required level i.e. managing multi-disciplinary project teams
- Experience of dealing with and managing senior staff and/or Cabinet members to deliver the required project outcomes to time and within the agreed financial envelope. (Ability to hold others to account)
- Ability to demonstrate analytical, judgement and developmental skills to analyse and interpret very varied and complex information to produce solutions and strategies to support very senior level decision making within the Directorate
- A working knowledge of financial and budgetary management
- A broad knowledge of the latest legislative requirements as they relate to the identified specialist field
- demonstrable
- A broad knowledge of commissioning and procurement arrangements to enable project management of service led procurements and new service implementation
- Experience of effective engagement with customers and stakeholder