Sponsor

Salary Base salary: £53850pa to £67300pa depending on skills and experience. In addition, we offer flexible benefits fund of 20% which is paid on top base salary and is fully pensionable, as well as a range of competitive benefits - check them out in the Benefits section on our website.

As the Sponsor you will be responsible for supporting Senior Sponsors to lead the HS2 Ltd Sponsorship Directorate’s accountabilities for either critical delivery packages of the project (such as Main Works Civils, Stations, Rolling Stock and Systems), development stages of the project (such as hybrid Bill development and advice to Government on Northern Powerhouse Rail) and/or issues related to the end-state railway.

The accountabilities are leading the relationship with the Department for Transport (DfT) on relevant issues, enabling the development and delivery of the HS2 programme and owning and managing change to the consolidated set of programme requirements.

HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential. In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish and providing personal and professional development opportunities.

**About the role**:

- To be accountable for leading the delivery of key work areas within the Sponsorship and Shareholder Relations Directorate, proactively building and maintaining relationships with DfT and relevant members of delivery and development teams within HS2 Ltd.
- To be accountable for leading all Sponsorship activity for relevant work areas, ensuring that Sponsorship and Shareholder Relations is able to act as the single gateway into HS2 Ltd for DfT and Government, whilst establishing and maintaining credibility with HS2 Ltd senior leaders, and maintaining formal and informal dialogue with Government officials.
- To be responsible for ensuring DfT requests for information are responded to where appropriate, coordinating input across HS2 Ltd, protecting HS2 Ltd development and delivery teams from ad hoc engagement and ensuring consistent and coordinated responses.
- To be accountable for supporting and influencing decision-making on key DfT approvals (e.g. procurement and funding approvals) in line with the relevant delegations and HS2 schedule, pushing for timely decisions.
- To be accountable for providing support to development and delivery teams on the impact of decisions on top-level programme requirements.
- To be the first point of contact for development delivery teams for issues and advice that relate to top-level programme requirements and for advice on DfT views and engagement.
- To be responsible for supporting Senior Sponsors to resolve issues or conflicts between top-level programme requirements, to give space to development and delivery teams to maintain programme momentum.
- Actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and support and comply with organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.

**About you**:
**Skills**:

- Ability to build and manage relationships internally and externally
- Ability to work across virtual teams to achieve outcomes
- Ability to produce and present materials regarding complex issues to a variety of audiences, including internal stakeholders at various levels in the organisation
- Ability to identify and work through competing interests and conflicting priorities
- Ability to understand complex technical and political issues

**Knowledge**:

- Knowledge of governance and decision making
- Knowledge of policy, project or programme development or delivery

**Type of experience**:

- Experience of working with others to achieve results
- Experience working in a project development or delivery environment
- Experience of working in an environment with a high degree of scrutiny
- Experience working in or with the public sector

The post-holder is expected to behave at all times in a manner consistent with the HS2 values of Safety, Leadership, Integrity and Respect

It is expected that you will actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.