Head of Programme Management

In the Crick's Facilities & Infrastructure Team.

Part of Crick Operations.

Deadline for applications has passed.

Key information

Job reference
R794
Salary
£85,705 - £97,133
Applications closed
12 June 2022, 23:59 BST
Hours per week
36 (full time)
Posted 31 May 2022

Reports to:

  • Director of Facilities and Infrastructure

Contact term:

  • This is a full-time/permanent position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

ABOUT US

The Crick is an independent organisation, established to be a UK flagship for discovery research in biomedicine. Our founding partners are the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, UCL, Imperial College London and King's College London.

The Crick was formed in 2015 and in 2017 became fully operational in our state-of-the-art building in central London, making us the biggest biomedical research facility under a single roof in Europe.  Here 1900 researchers and support staff bring together their wide-ranging knowledge and expertise to work across disciplines and explore biology at all levels. 

We work with our university partners and other organisations across academia, medicine and industry to create a space where talented researchers make discoveries about how life works. We then translate those discoveries into health benefits that improve people's lives and keep the UK at the forefront of medical innovation.

We are proud to have played a role in the response to the Covid pandemic.  Working in partnership with UCLH, we carried out PCR testing for the NHS from April 2020 and ran a vaccine centre at the Crick from Feb – August 2021.

The Crick Code of Conduct sets the standard of conduct for anyone working at the Crick. It outlines the behaviour that we expect from each other and helps us to make decisions in line with the ethical principles we stand for.  It is underpinned by ten key policies and guides us to:

  • understand the Crick’s approach to open science and science integrity

  • work together with dignity, respect, and integrity to create a positive working environment

  • work together responsibly to ensure the Safety, health & wellbeing of ourselves, colleagues, and neighbours, and

  • work efficiently, optimising resources.

Role summary

The Head of Programme Management role was created in 2018 to establish and lead a Project Management Office (PMO) that could deliver an integrated portfolio of major cross-functional projects to drive optimisation of the Institute’s operations following the start-up of the Crick in 2015.  Four years on, the function has been successfully established, and a rolling programme of projects is underway to deliver the next phase of the Crick’s development as a world class biomedical research institute in line with its recently updated strategy, ‘Discovery Without Boundaries’.

The Head of Programme Management has an expanding team of Programme and Project Managers in place and collectively they have made a significant impact, both to the successful delivery of projects and in increasing understanding of how Project Management can make a significant contribution to ways of working throughout the institute. 

The successful candidate will have a strong track record of leading high-performing project management teams in a matrix environment.  They will have excellent stakeholder management skills and significant experience of leading and delivering a range of operational improvement programmes involving significant process, system and people change. 

This is a permanent role reporting to the Director of Facilities and Infrastructure, whilst also working closely with other senior directors including the COO.

Essential duties and responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a proactive and innovative Project Management Office (PMO) that supports delivery of the institute’s strategy in a matrix environment, working with other senior managers and project managers within individual operational functions. 

  • Work collaboratively with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) to support them in the development, planning and delivery of strategic projects initiated at COO level

  • Collaborate with institute directors and their teams to ensure annual operating plans aligned with the Crick strategy are in place and regularly reviewed and updated. 

  • Support the development and scoping of cross–functional projects within the operating plans and shape these into an achievable portfolio of projects, considering competing priorities, resourcing, funding and the impact of change on the Institute.

  • Run the Delivery Steering Group (DSG), a cross-functional group of senior Operations directors, which reports on progress across the portfolio and resolves issues escalated from a number of Project Boards, as well as identifying interdependencies or recurring challenges that require management across the portfolio.

  • Identify appropriate resources required and manage them effectively to ensure the correct balance of quality, cost and pace. 

  • Provide a common and scalable framework of good practice standards, tools, templates and processes for running and governing the portfolio of projects and programmes, ultimately delivering more effective operation of the institute.

  • Oversee the full project lifecycle of the major projects from the development of project proposals to the closure of projects and completion of post-implementation reviews capturing lessons learned, modifying and updating them dynamically as the institute evolves. 

  • Raise the understanding and capability of Project Management within the Crick through training and awareness, so that staff who are not full time Project Managers understand the principles that can be applied to small projects they may undertake. 

  • Ensure Project Managers and team members understand and are committed to their role and accountabilities in delivering and driving the cross functional projects, embedding a cadence of accountability and a focus on performance to ensure successful delivery.

  • Take direct responsibility for project management of specific, high profile initiatives as agreed with the senior leadership.   

  • Ensure effective management and communication of change aligned with project delivery so that change is accepted and successfully embedded into new Business As Usual.   

  • Line manage, coach and develop a team of Project Managers, ensuring that they are able to deliver work to a high standard, being well supported, and to fulfil their potential

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core values: bold, imaginative, open, dynamic and collegial. 

  • Significant experience of leading a high-performing Project Management Office function in a matrix environment. 

  • Experience of managing teams and coaching people to enable to them achieve best possible results and flourish in the workplace

  • Demonstrable success of effectively and collaboratively managing a range of complex business improvement initiatives and change programmes involving process, system and people change.  

  • Experience of successful end-to-end project/programme delivery. 

  • A proven track record of developing and managing robust performance frameworks, using reporting to monitor portfolio activities and analyse and optimise performance. 

  • Experience of producing high-quality, targeted and useful documentation, presentation materials and management information. 

  • A record of driving continuous improvement and a passion for sharing knowledge to increase the capabilities of staff outside the team. 

  • An interest in or experience of scientific discovery and/or innovative or research-led industries. 

  • Recognised formal project management qualification e.g.Prince2, Association of Project Management Professional (APMP) or equivalent. 

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent. 

Skills and abilities

  • Highly-developed interpersonal skills, including high levels of gravitas, credibility and influence to ensure engagement and commitment from senior management and Board.

  • A flexible approach and can-do attitude with the ability to adapt to the developing needs of the institute and key stakeholders.

  • Excellent communication skills, including the ability to develop networks, communicate complex ideas to technical and non-technical people at all levels, and tactfully resolve conflict. 

  • Ability to be assertive when needed, and to manage expectations.

  • Ability to think strategically, critically and analytically, drawing sound conclusions on the basis of complex data.  

  • Ability to provide clear direction and create a culture that champions best practice, values new and innovative approaches and empowers others to do their best work. 

  • Use discretion and judgment in dealing with confidential and sensitive issues. 

  • Ability to use judgement to escalate and recommend corrective action, where appropriate. 

  • Act authentically and consistently, continuously developing self-awareness by seeking feedback from others. 

  • Resilient under pressure and able to work in a highly collaborative and flexible way, reacting quickly to changing circumstances. 

  • Desirable to have experience of working within an environment that will allow relationships to be built rapidly with the operational and science community within the Crick. e.g. within a clinical, research or laboratory environment.