JOB PURPOSE
The postholder will manage projects and workstreams and ensure that regular status reporting is provided to the Project Board as required, ensuring any issues are quickly resolved or escalated to the appropriate level.
They will manage the risk profile of the project and providing early warning on all assurance matters. They will advise senior management on the planning and overall management of the programme that will include multiple projects or workstreams and the management of teams engaged in the development of systems or services.
The Programme Manager will be required to take on the entirety of the project manager role. This will span reviewing project architecture, through to leading project teams of varying scale to deliver outputs & milestones against schedule and providing appropriate accountability and assurance for the Programme Managers, SRO and/or Project Board.
The Programme Manager should ensure the effective and efficient development and delivery of the project, in order to meet the Authority’s strategic objectives.
The Programme Manager will work with colleagues across EA Services, to ensure that technology solutions and good project governance, are delivered to enhance the operations of the Authority; and ultimately contribute to supporting improved outcomes for children and young people. They will also play a key role in realising the transformation objectives within the EA and across other Directorates.
Programme specific responsibilities
The Programme Manager will lead the procurement, design and/or implementation of the following:
1. To hold overall responsibility for the successful procurement, initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of projects allocated to them.
2. To work closely with team members to ensure that all project requirements, deadlines, and schedules are on track. Responsibilities include submitting project deliverables, preparing status reports, and establishing effective project communication plans as well as the proper execution of plans.
3. To assist or lead the provision of assurance to the SRO and Project/Programme Board through the establishment and maintenance of robust project/programme governance processes and ensuring that they are adhered to throughout the project/programme life cycle (aligned with PRINCE2/MSP requirements).
4. To be responsible for managing and delivering a project work programme that may contain several strands within a project, programme or portfolio structure.
5. To make sure that the scope and direction of each project is on schedule, in line with agreed parameter’s/budgets set by the Senior Programme Managers, SRO and Project/Programme Board.
6. To make links and form relationships with external agencies in order to develop better public sector partnership working.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES APPLICABLE TO THE ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGER
LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT
The post-holder will be expected to:
7. Line Manage employees aligned to project area;
8. Provide non-managerial support, information and training as required for other employees within the project/programme;
9. Lead and support employees in the team in the effective and efficient operation of services;
10. Promote the corporate vision, values and culture of EA as a single regional organisation, in all processes linked to maintenance, development and implementation of Infrastructure architecture assignments;
11. Provide leadership to their service staff and ensure transformational changes and new structures, strategies, policies and processes for their system/service are implemented while maintaining the high standards of the Authority and any future challenges;
12. Ensure that employees within the project are provided with clear structure, roles and responsibilities and are supported to work in an integrated way;
13. Work closely with Team members to ensure that all requirements, deadlines, and schedules are on track. Responsibilities include submitting agreed deliverables, preparing status reports, and establishing effective communication plans;
14. Providing high quality leadership to project teams as required and ensuring that appropriate, accountable and supportive staff management practice is being applied across all aspects of the project/programme (aligned with EA’s Game Changing People Model).
15. Foster a culture that supports achievement of the authority’s Strategic Plan by role modelling core values and leadership behaviours to staff; and,
16. Undertake such training as may be required for his/her own personal and professional development
STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY INFLUENCE
The post-holder will be expected to:
17. Work with Heads of Service to establish, maintain and communicate a clear and compelling strategic direction for the service and Projects.
18. Contribute to the management of programmes/projects by attending Executive Team and Board meetings as required.
19. Challenge conventional approaches, harness new approaches and technology and maximise efficiencies.
20. Contribute to the development of a comprehensive service development plans;
21. Work collaboratively with other Senior Officers and Heads of Service, to ensure that priorities are translated into manageable objectives and communicated to relevant teams within programmes/projects as appropriate;
22. Work collaboratively with Senior Officers across directorates to devise and implement effective systems to monitor, measure, control and report on the work of relevant teams within programmes/projects to take account of changes in the internal and external environments which may impact on and influence priorities and needs;
23. Provide reports that can inform policy and strategic direction using formative and summative information which will guide future models of service delivery in relation to the service area.
24. Advise on the establishment of effective, accountable and rigorous quality assurance systems to achieve highest possible standards of performance, with focuses on maintaining the needs of internal and external customers.
CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
The post-holder will be expected to:
25. Contribute to the strategic planning, implementation, and on-going monitoring of the service area;
26. Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and statutory frameworks;
27. Establish, maintain, manage and review effective data systems;
28. Co-ordinate, deliver, or contribute to training and support with regards to specific service areas as required;
29. Facilitate the induction of new staff and ongoing professional development of all staff in relation to the core objectives, expected outputs and outcomes in relation to the service;
30. Prepare and deliver reports on behalf of the Authority as required;
31. Ensure that employees within the service have an awareness of the corporate culture, values and processes which underpin organisational development;
32. Delegate responsibilities and deploy staff in accordance with their skills and abilities, the needs of the EA and service specific priorities.
33. Ensure key principal risks are assessed and monitored, managed and controlled effectively aligned to the EA risk process. This includes, but is not restricted to, completing project progress reports, project finance reports, checkpoint updates, RAID tracking and benefit realisation monitoring and reporting.
SERVICE DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
The post-holder will be expected to:
34. Assist the Authority in the development of policies and plans in line with overall strategic policy and objectives;
35. Ensure effective and rigorous quality assurance systems are in place to maintain high standards;
36. Ensure effective engagement, capacity building and monitoring arrangements with local teams;
37. Participate in review processes to enable the development, review and compliance of all quality assurance policies and procedures;
38. Foster and facilitate the development of staff skills in relation to negotiating and collaborating with parents and other professionals;
39. Liaise and work co-operatively with colleagues in other sections of the Authority to ensure consistent and coherent approaches towards training and services in relation to language and communication support;
40. Manage staff to perform to their potential, promote their professional development and give support when required;
MANAGING FINANCIAL RESOURCES
The post-holder will be expected to:
41. Follow robust corporate governance procedures and financial control frameworks for effective management of the budget for the programme and monitor expenditure ensuring propriety, regularity and value for money within the allocated budget;
42. Facilitate reporting protocols that are required by the EA;
PARTNERSHIP WORKING
The post-holder will be expected to:
43. Enhance the development of the service by building on effective partnerships
44. Assisting directly in or leading on managing stakeholder relationships and engagement constructively and effectively, securing commitment, on-going input and support from all partners. Representing the EA in engagements with stakeholders as required.
45. Develop links across the Authority’s Directorates as necessary
46. Ensure effective systems are in place for communication and consultation with service users, both internally and externally;
47. Contribute to attendance at meetings both internally and with other stakeholders, in accordance with corporate goals, service, multi-agency action plans and in line with EA and DE requirements.
OTHER DUTIES
48. Comply with EA policies and procedures in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the post;
49. Any such other duties that the EA may from time to time require.