JOB DESCRIPTION
TITLE: Project Director (known internally as Project Director) REPORTS TO: CMS Senior Sponsor
LOCATION: Any IOPC office (& hybrid, flexible working)
GRADE: 16
SALARY: £68,275
CONTRACT: Two years FTC
PURPOSE
The role of the Project Director is to direct the case management solution (CMS) project and provide leadership to the delivery team. The Project Director is responsible for driving and overseeing the delivery of the project to ensure that the objectives are clearly defined and workstream objectives are achieved within the agreed time, cost, and quality constraints. The Project Director has a key role in project governance and working with stakeholders, to ensure the agreed project outputs are delivered to enable benefits to be realised.
The CMS project is a major undertaking for the IOPC and will look to replace the current legacy case management solution, which is no longer considered fit for purpose. The CMS is central to all operational work and should co-ordinate investigative and casework activity and recording all case data and documentation. It will be used by a large proportion of the organisation and is considered a critical application. The procurement and development of the system is a significant investment for the organisation. The Project Director role has been developed to ensure that the project has the right senior leadership and direction.
This is a senior role and the successful candidate will be expected to liaise and communicate with Directors, Deputy Directors General, and the Director General.
Project Initiation
Using your technical experience and expertise, input to, and supervise the development of the Full Business Case for the new CMS for sign off by Management Board and progress through the Home Office approvals process.
Review the resources available for delivery and ensure they are suitable and sufficient.
Work with Finance and the Delivery Manager to agree the budget and track delivery within budget. Develop and agree the vision and measurable success criteria with the SRO.
Project governance and Reporting
Design and work with the IOPC governance structures and resources to take the project through the phases of business case, selection and procurement, design, development and implementation.
Develop the strategic direction of the project with the Senior Sponsor and Senior Responsible Owner and ensure this is communicated and updated as part of project governance
Work with the delivery manager to develop the project plan and integrate with other inter- dependent projects.
Organise assurance processes such as gateway reviews, as required by the Senior Sponsor.
Provide all reporting as required by the Senior Sponsor and overarching Boards.
Represent the project at the most senior level providing assurance to senior Boards and Directors.
Ensure effective Change Management processes are in place to agree and document changes to deliverables as agreed with stakeholders
Manage risks and issues and escalate to Senior Sponsor where appropriate.
Ensure strategic and operational risks and issues are identified, prioritised, assessed and mitigation actions developed, implemented and monitored throughout the life of the project.
Ensure senior stakeholders are briefed, updated and where appropriate, enrolled in the management and control of key risks.
Procurement
Ensure that organisational requirements are clearly expressed and appropriately signed off
Manage the procurement of a suitable product working within the Civil Service procurement framework
Supervise contracting the agreed supplier
Lead the onboarding of the selected supplier
Manage the relationship with the selected supplier to the point of project delivery Project Management
Lead the project, working with a Delivery Manager and project team
Provide support, guidance and coaching for the delivery manager and project team.
Promote effective individual and team performance.
Identify skill requirements at all stages of the project, recruit resources within budget constraints, oversee effective deployment of resources including building the project team;
delegation of roles and responsibilities; developing capability and fostering innovation.
Ensure the product / transition deliverables are well defined and agreed with stakeholders.
Engage with assurance reviews and act on recommendations.
Design the project structure appropriate to stage and manage effective transition between project phases.
Work collaboratively with the Senior Sponsor to jointly manage senior stakeholders.
Ensure stakeholder interests are identified and addressed.
Manage stakeholder communications and ensure buy-in.
Form collaborative relationships with key stakeholders both internally and externally.
Build consensus across a large and often diverse group of stakeholders.
Monitor and control project progress and performance.
Manage the project budget
Develop and execute the strategy for migration of data.
Ensure appropriate standards, good practices and lessons learned are sought and applied.
Developing a testing and transition plan to the new solution including training
Manage project closure and sign off.
Benefits realisation
Ensure appropriate Benefits Realisation Strategy is in place and monitor longer term delivery of benefits against the Business Case.
Ensure benefits are identified, understood, measured, tracked and owned.
Deliver the agreed Business Case benefits and outcomes
ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT
We work in the context of our agreed values which inform the way we do things at the IOPC. The CMS Project Director will need to be commited to managing in the context of these values.
4 MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
PERSON SPECIFICATION Essential
Knowledge
PRINCE2 Practitioner, Agile Project Management Practitioner or equivalent qualification
Knowledge of UK Government Digital strategy and processes
APM Registered Project Professional
Major Projects Leadership Academy
Experience
Experience of successful IT project delivery – in particular Case Management systems
Experience of successfully navigating Public sector procurement processes.
Experience of working with highly secure government data systems
Experience of applying GDS standards. Knowledge of IT systems to liaise with IT suppliers with credibility
Skills and Abilities
Ability to present and communicate to a variety of audiences including colleagues, Senior managers and GDS
Proven success at leading a multi-disciplinary team
Selection process
This vacancy is using Success Profiles. As part of the application process you will be asked to submit a CV and a supporting statement.
The Behaviours being assessed are:
Seeing the bigger picture
Changing and improving
Making effective decisions
Leadership
Communicating and influencing
Delivering at pace
For successful candidates who reach the assessment stage, we will provide further details of what will be assessed.
5 What is Success Profiles?
Success Profiles moves us to a tailored way of assessing, dependent on the requirements of the job. For each role we advertise, we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity so that we can truly reflect the communities that we serve.
Not all of the elements are relevant to every role, and will vary depending on the level and type of role. You should ensure you read the job description carefully to see what elements are required for the specific job you are applying for. There are separate guides to each of the elements, which will give you more information about what and how you can
demonstrate specific requirements.
How the elements are assessed
You could be assessed in a number of different ways, depending on the type of role and level you are applying for. Using a range of assessment methods helps us to more
accurately match people to the essential requirements of the job. For example, you may be asked to complete an application form; provide a CV and supporting statement; attend an assessment centre; or complete an online test. Often a combination of these approaches will be used and more than one element may be tested within the same assessment method.
Details of which elements will be assessed and how we will assess you against these, are included in the job description.
6 Reasonable adjustments
The IOPC is a diverse and inclusive workplace and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any reasonable
adjustments to our recruitment process please let the recruiting manager know.
Preparation checklist
Review the full job description ☐
Review the behaviours and the descriptors for each behaviour☐
Review the Strengths dictionary ☐ Review the IOPC values ☐
Consider your Strengths (if applicable) ☐
Consider drafting example answers that cover the specific elements ☐ Prepare some questions to ask the interviewers ☐
