Senior Project Manager (Science Delivery) in London

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security, taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public, and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health. UKHSA’s remit is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health.

The Senior Project Manager will sit within the Science Delivery Team as part of the UK Health Security Campus Programme. The overall aim of the programme is to deliver new modern fit for purpose science facilities, creating a hub for the critical scientific capabilities the UK needs to deliver on key health security objectives and National Biosecurity. The UK Health Security Campus Programme aims to enhance and replace existing UKHSA critical infrastructure, most importantly its aging high containment laboratories, which are essential for protecting the nation against potentially highly infectious diseases.

The main responsibilities for this role are as follows:

• Lead or support the Lead Project Manager with the day to day running of the project, taking ownership and accountability for delivering agreed outcomes within time, cost and quality constraints.
• Develop and maintain project plans and determine appropriate delivery methodology.
• Setting project controls, managing performance and report progress to sponsors.
• Design the project structure and organisation appropriate to the stage, effectively managing the transition between phases.
• Identify skills requirements and deploy suitable resources.
• Identify key stakeholders, internal and external and effectively manage these relationships.
• Identify and monitor project risks and issues. Develop mitigating actions, escalating as appropriate.
• Identify and work with related projects to manage interdependencies.
• Support effective governance and decision making.
• Provide project reports, engaging in processes that hold you accountable for delivery.
• Engage with assurance reviews and support recommended action.
• Co-ordinate project assurance processes and gateway reviews.
• Set up effective change management processes, including documenting agreed changes to the project deliverables.
• Supporting the business case team with the development of the programme business case, providing expert input where required.
• Be an active member of the UKHSA Project Delivery Profession Community.

The job holder will be supported to work towards achieving Government Project Delivery Accreditation where they do not already hold this.

Essential criteria:

• Experience of working with or in microbiology labs or other types of medical, laboratory or health facilities.
• Experience of successfully managing several low or medium complexity projects covering planning, scheduling, budget management, resource management, risk and issue management.
• Detailed knowledge and experience of project methodologies and frameworks, governance, assurance, planning, requirements management and change control in a project or programme environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, collaborating across boundaries with the ability to influence and challenge effectively at a senior level.
• Ability to work well under pressure, with multiple tasks, in a fast-changing and ambiguous environment, with a keen attention to detail.
• Has knowledge and experience of Project Management Methodology supported by professional qualifications or equivalent.

Desirable criteria:

• Knowledge of RIBA stages and experience of design and construction projects.

Location: This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQs. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow.

Benefits of working at UKHSA include:

• Generous annual leave.
• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
• Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours).
• Generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.