Associate Director - PFI Expiry

Job Description

Role: Associate Director – PFI Expiry

Team: Operational Contract Management

Reports to: Senior Associate Director – Operational Contract Management

About

The Scottish Futures Trust is Scotland’s centre of infrastructure expertise and we are looking for a PFI/PPP expert to join our growing Operational Contract Management Team as Associate Director – PFI Expiry

Appointed to Associate Director level, you’ll be instrumental in leading, creating, implementing, and developing the team’s PFI expiry and handback programme.

And as a PFI specialist, you’ll be an integral part of our Operational Contract Management team.

Contextual information

You’ll be required to engage and build relationships, provide technical and commercial guidance and to support collaborative but focussed dialogue with all relevant public and private sector stakeholders.

As Associate Director – PFI Expiry, you’ll have gained experience of this sector through hands-on change management, working for a public body, PFI project company, management service provider or facilities management service provider within the PFI/PPP sector or through a transferable consultant advisory background.

Along with this, you’ll need to be adept at influencing stakeholders and developing strong working relationships. The workload will be demanding, and you must be able to multitask and prioritise to maximise impact and ensure deadlines are met. The ability to both work effectively as part of a small team and to drive forward activities independently are fundamental to the success of this role.

Benefits

This role is a permanent, full time position (35 hours per week), although we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, including part-time.

An attractive salary is offered together with a car allowance for a low emissions vehicle, immediate membership to our defined benefit pension scheme administered by the Lothian Pension Fund, as well as 34 days annual leave – increasing to 39 after five years service – including public holidays.

Location

You’ll be based at our office at Haymarket in Edinburgh, but can work flexibly with an expectation to be in the office for meetings as required. Additional travel will be required to attend external meetings.

Requirements

As part of our Operational Contract Management team and working with others across the Scottish Futures Trust, you’ll be required to:

• Develop a handback programme and plan for all future handbacks
• Review relevant project agreements and distil out key areas of focus and risk
• Undertake deep dive project reviews (including site visits) around asset condition/life-cycle maintenance, investments, statutory maintenance, and asset information management
• Undertake hand-back readiness reviews and follow up on previous reviews
• Assist authorities with the setup, planning and governance as well identification and implementation of any cross-public sector expiry project management/resource opportunities
• Be the voice at project boards and participate in commercial negotiations based on a risk and priority basis
• Support the development of a project post expiry business case template and consider a database of ongoing costs
• Develop a post hand back review process to consider lessons learned, sharing of best practice and pan public sector collaboration
• Work with other teams within SFT around the handback and contract management agenda

Knowledge and experience

We will expect you to have the following:

• An excellent understanding of the principles of PFI contracts, navigating and working with PPP/PFI contracts and a good understanding of contracting party responsibilities, life cycle obligations and analysis
• Proven experience of driving and supporting complex transactions and developing innovative solutions that meet organisational objectives
• An understanding of Government and public body business case processes including value-for-money assessments
• Excellent proven stakeholder management skills necessary to work collaboratively with a diverse mix of internal and external stakeholders and sponsors
• Experience in the operational aspects of PPP contracts
• A good blend of commercial and technical knowledge

Skills

• The ability to think strategically in working with senior leaders and stakeholders to meet objectives and resolve complex problems
• Well-developed organisation and planning skills with attention to detail, deadlines, and the ability to multitask
• An exceptional relationship builder, with the ability to engage with senior industry leaders and stakeholders
• Tact, judgement, and discretion in handling internal and external contacts
• Able to work on your own and manage a busy workload to deliver on deadlines and priorities