Programme Manager

This is a Full Time Permanent Position.

About Us

The Housing Investment Service is responsible for the management and delivery of responsive and cyclical maintenance, planned improvement works and refurbishment schemes to a stock of 24,000 domestic properties, garages and associated buildings and surroundings. The service is structured around key delivery areas, with teams responsible for Responsive Repairs, Voids, Gas Servicing & Repairs, Electrical, Planned Improvements, Asbestos, H&S, Asset, Finance, Customer Engagement, Contract Support, Home Ownership and Claims. All teams work closely together to provide a uniform and consistent service for all our customers and stakeholders.

The Service is responsible for an annual revenue maintenance budget of c£27m and an annual capital improvement programme in excess of c£55m, both of which aim to actively keep properties in good repair and reduce disrepair, fire safety risks, repairs and disruption for our customers, whilst ensuring ongoing compliance with all relevant building, fire, gas and landlord regulations and associated legislation. As a social landlord, we are particularly focused on excellent customer care and support to persons living in our homes, aiming to provide the best possible customer journey/experience, and are always looking to tailor our service delivery to accommodate individual customer needs.

The Job

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Programme Manager to join a fully established Repairs and Maintenance team within the service. You will manage and lead a team of technical surveying resources, with budget responsibilities in the region of £10-15m per year. The nature of this work is very varied, which includes the implementation of Awaab’s law, the refurbishment of temporary decant properties, allowing for an interesting, rewarding, fulfilling and varied job, with many exciting challenges and obstacles to overcome, in an exceptionally busy environment.

The successful candidate will have proven experience of technical project management as well as line managing and leading staff. You should hold HND/HNC in Construction or related technical subject, or Chartered status/membership of a professional body or have extensive direct project management experience at a similar level in a technical related field. You must be a good communicator and be able to motivate and mentor staff, along with knowledge and experience in applying Construction, Design & Management regulation principles. You must be able to work with minimal supervision, have experience in negotiating with contractors and other stakeholders, as well as experience in managing budgets.

The position is a full-time, permanent role, 37 hours per week, which includes a generous benefits package for working for Hull City Council, including the ability to work from home for part of the week via hybrid working arrangements.

If you feel you have the required skills, knowledge and experience and are ready for a change or would like to further your career in a more senior role, this may be an opportunity for you. Please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team for a further discussion.

ROLE AND PURPOSE

To provide effective, skilled and experienced management of projects within the Housing Investment programme, undertaking refurbishment and maintenance of the Council’s 24,000 Housing Stock making a positive impact on people’s living standards. You will work with technical surveying resources to develop and manage from conception to completion a number of housing refurbishment/maintenance projects, contracts and programmes.

To manage projects and programmes including supporting the procurement/letting of contracts budgets, outputs with direct management of contracts/contractors to achieve agreed project objectives. The post will focus on delivering and working within the Housing Investment Team engaging with other internal Council departments, and its key delivery partners as well as other contracting organisations. To undertake stakeholder consultation and engagement processes throughout the duration of the projects in order to ensure successful communications with tenants and inform the successful delivery of high-quality outcomes.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Strategy - Prepare briefing papers/reports to evaluate and recommend initiatives for implementation within Housing Investment in order to maximise the potential opportunities for the planning, delivery, continuous improvement, efficiency and safety of Housing maintenance and refurbishment of our properties. To support management of procurement e.g., start to finish procurement for refurbishment or maintenance projects to council housing stock, conducting consultation, evaluating bidders against agreed criteria, and coordinating bidders through to selection. To compile and contribute detailed specifications and design briefs linking in where required with specialist designers/contractors, plus preparing feasibility plans, reports and briefing notes for strategic meetings. To ensure a robust communications strategy is in place and implemented in partnership with key stakeholders delivering consistently high-quality information in an organisationally and politically sensitive environment. To assess, advise and ensure value for money and affordability of projects throughout the programme to provide commercially viable outcomes. Research, advise and implement changes/developments in legislation, building construction, energy efficiency, best practice and equipment to remain responsive in providing a cost-effective, safe and efficient service for the Housing department and its customers. Create and co-ordinate the production of contract documentation, contract specifications and related reports to verify that all contracts comply with Council procurement strategies and relevant legislation. Produce and monitor expenditure profiles and co-ordinate workloads with contractors and partners to monitor the efficient management of housing revenue and capital budgets and contracts.
• Customer Focus - Act as the main point of contact on specific projects and programmes, to manage change control, contract variations or disseminate data, and specifications to keep partners and stakeholders informed and involved in progress. Appraise and determine solutions to operational, technical and design problems through discussions and negotiations with governing bodies, trade associations, manufacturers, contractors, tenants and other stakeholders ensuring projects are delivered to legislative compliance requirements whilst ensuring high quality standards of service are provided and maintained. Implement the communications strategy/plan in partnership with key Stakeholders responsible for providing/delivering consistently high-quality information in an organisationally and politically sensitive environment, keeping Senior Management informed on any issues affecting the smooth implementation of the project. Play an instrumental role in ensuring effective and innovative consultation and communication involving members of the public, elected members, delivery partners, local community, tenants and internal colleagues.
• Performance Management – To prepare and present reports on projects and programmes where required to Senior Management and/or a wide variety of other senior staff and key groups. Responsibility for the delivery of specific projects and project milestones within the programme. This includes ensuring individual project or programme work-streams are developed in sufficient detail for business cases and procurement. This will include coordinating user groups to develop and sign-off designs, value-for-money costs, planning and legal consents. Initiate and manage effective relationships with partnering contractors and key stakeholders including, tenants, tenant groups, elected members, and Council staff. Effectively manage, mitigate and clearly report project and programme risks verbally or utilising detailed written reports. Deliver project milestones through skilled intervention with work-streams and task groups taking responsibility for achievement of managed progress towards effective quality, cost and time targets by engaging other key staff and technical consultants. Undertake the role of the Principal Designer in relation to construction refurbishment projects in accordance with the requirements of the Construction, Design & Management Regulations. Develop, monitor and recommend improvements for project and programme performance criteria/KPIs to provide visibility of progress against key milestones and prepare complex reports as required for presentation at Departmental Managers meetings, Area Committees, other members, contractor or public meetings.
• Leadership – Lead and motivate a dedicated team of technical staff to provide continuous safe, professional, responsive and high-quality service to housing tenants and their homes. Lead and manage required internal and external meetings, plus technical surveying resources to facilitate the successful delivery of projects. Ensure effective coordination and communication between Duty Holders in relation to complying with the Construction, Design & Management Regulations. Contribute to the development of departmental training plans to ensure that staff are suitably trained and accredited. Undertake all necessary staff management functions including 1:1’s and team briefs to ensure they are kept updated on any legislative, staff, contractual and technical standards changes. Act in accordance with and deputise for Senior Management as required, including representing the department in a range of environments to promote excellent investment management and high-quality delivery contracts. The post holder will also be required to act as the organisation’s competent person for health and safety and will be required to work proactively with all contractors and tenants to maintain a culture that promotes safe working practices and will further develop, monitor and implement management procedures and provide Health and Safety performance reports in relation to projects under their control.
• Statutory Obligations – To work with key stakeholders in ensuring that the City Council fulfils its statutory responsibilities in respect to Health & Safety, Fire Safety, Gas, Electrical, Legionella and Asbestos duties whilst ensuring strict adherence to the Construction, Design & Management Regulations. Manage, lead, guide and advise a team of professional technical staff to enable high quality work to be consistently produced. Regularly monitor, audit and review work undertaken to verify compliance with policies, procedures and service delivery plans.

Benefits of Working for Hull City Council:

• A competitive salary
• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New Year period
• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
• Supportive and forward-thinking culture
• Great career development opportunities

Please ensure that you complete and submit your application by midnight prior to the closing date. Please ensure that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria against the person specification as listed in the job description.