Programme Investment Appraisal Manager in Birmingham

Shape the Future of Major Investments! Join us in a pivotal role where your expertise will influence multi-million-pound projects across the region. As part of our Programme Investment Appraisal team, you'll play a critical part in assessing and challenging Business Cases for major investment initiatives, ensuring they align with WMCA's strategic priorities and deliver real value for our communities. You’ll lead independent appraisals, craft high-level summaries, and provide clear, evidence-based recommendations to our Decision-makers, including Executive Directors and Investment / WMCA Board. Your work will give confidence that projects are commercially viable, well-managed, and capable of delivering on time, within budget, and to the highest standards. If you thrive on strategic thinking, rigorous analysis, and making decisions that matter, this is your chance to make a lasting impact.

What you will be doing:

• Appraise and assess projects within the WMCA Investment Programme, producing reports which are consistent with the Government's Green Book and Five Business Case model.
• Utilising the Project Register and other intelligence regarding the likely timing of project Business Cases; Plan workload in order that Business Case appraisals can be undertaken and presented to Investment Panel / Board promptly to include processing of the project and its delivery timetable.
• Support the appraisal and technical assessment of non-delegated projects and lead on the appraisal and assessment of projects.
• Secure internal and external expertise to provide an independent critique of the Business Case submission e.g. input from the Office for Data Analytics to review the strategic and economic Business Cases.
• Contribute to producing a high-level summary of each project Business Case assessing concerns and issues, liaising with project owners to clarify any issues.
• Fully service Investment Panel and Investment Board meetings including scheduling meetings, circulating papers in advance and recording decisions and support the presentation of Business Case summaries, reviews and recommendations to WMCA's Investment Panel and Investment Board.
• Liaise with project owners and legal team to ensure that any conditions placed on projects at investment decision stage are reflected in the legal agreements for WMCA funding and, if applicable, the Monitoring and Evaluation Plans for those projects.
• Work with multiple teams to provide advice and guidance on the development of robust and compliant Business Cases for WMCA investments, whilst maintaining the ability to independently review completed Business Cases.

What's essential:

• Experience of working within a project/PMO environment.
• Ability to communicate and support/influence across all levels of roles within WMCA and bring issues to resolution.
• Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills and ability to deliver briefings and presentations.
• Excellent written and analytical skills with an ability to succinctly summarise complex information.
• Customer and results oriented.
• Self-motivated and ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to plan and co-ordinate multiple activities simultaneously, managing time and resource.

Location: The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3SD with at least 2 days a week spent in the office.

Salary and benefits:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) + Statutory days.
• EV car benefit scheme.
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing, and mortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e-bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest-free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology.
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers, and more.
• You can now also obtain a Costco membership through the WMCA.
• Boundless unlocks unlimited entry to top-rated UK attractions and loads of extra benefits and discounts.
• Eye Care Scheme, offering a free eye test and a financial contribution towards your glasses.

Reasonable adjustments: We have an accessible recruitment process and welcome applicants with accessibility needs, disabilities or conditions requiring adjustments. Please contact our recruitment team (careers@wmca.org.uk) for assistance.

Right to Work in the UK: Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements before any employment offer can be confirmed. Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). We are also proud to be a Ban the Box employer, which means we do not ask about criminal convictions at the initial application stage and will only ask after an offer is made as part of onboarding checks, helping remove barriers for people with past convictions and supporting fair opportunities for all.