Programme Director (Infrastructure) in Potters Bar

We are looking for a Programme Director (Infrastructure) to join our Scientific and Research Group at the MHRA. The role is full‑time, permanent, based in South Mimms, Hertfordshire, and may also be available on a secondment basis.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end delivery of the Science Campus site redevelopment, from pre‑programme ideation through design, build and implementation.
• Oversee integration of existing infrastructure programmes, ensuring alignment with the agency’s strategic vision.
• Ensure alignment of programmes with the strategic vision, providing clarity of scope, success measures and benefits realisation.
• Provide end‑to‑end responsibility for successful delivery of infrastructure programmes across multiple stages of maturity, funding models and delivery partners.
• Design and operate robust governance and assurance frameworks, aligned to Civil Service and infrastructure best practice, ensuring programmes deliver value for money, affordability over the life of assets and long‑term sustainability.
• Oversee financial planning, funding strategies and commercial models, ensuring affordability and resilience.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Experience Criteria:
• Understanding of project delivery governance, including service assessments, spend controls, and accessibility, security and data protection requirements.
• Proven track record for end‑to‑end delivery of complex infrastructure programmes, including risk and issue management, dependency management, prioritisation and problem‑solving.
• Skilled in stakeholder management, negotiation and influencing at senior levels.
• Proven experience leading large‑scale, complex major infrastructure programmes.
• Demonstrable track record of delivering multi‑year programmes in high‑risk or highly regulated environments.
• Strong understanding of life sciences, research infrastructure or adjacent complex technical domains.
• Experience overseeing major capital projects, construction delivery and technical integration programmes.
• Proven commercial acumen, including managing major contracts, supply chains and commercial negotiations.
• Strong financial management skills, including business case development and benefits management.
• Outstanding stakeholder management skills, capable of operating credibly at Executive, Board and Ministerial levels.
• Experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams through sustained delivery pressure.
• Experience operating within NISTA / MSP aligned governance frameworks, including risk, dependencies and assurance management (desirable).
• Experience with digital infrastructure programmes in government (desirable).
• Understanding of the life science landscape internationally and in the UK (desirable).

• Technical Criteria:
• At least one of the following qualifications/accreditations: MSP Practitioner, PRINCE2 Practitioner, Agile Project Management Practitioner, APM Chartered Project Professional, Major Projects Leadership Academy, Project Leadership Programme, Leading and Managing Project Workstreams ILA associated qualifications.
• Deep understanding of The Green Book, Five Case Model and government investment governance.
• Competence in programme integration, ensuring alignment between engineering, commercial, finance and delivery plans.
• Strong knowledge of major programme governance, risk management and NISTA expectations.

Essential Requirements

• Subject to UK immigration requirements and Civil Service nationality rules.
• Must pass a disclosure and barring security check, as well as animal rights and pro‑life activism checks, and complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

This role is open to all qualified candidates regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation or age.