Project Manager - Req24626

Job title: Project Manager

Salary: PO6 £48,474.00 - £51,515.04

Hours: 37 

Location: Office & hybrid working

Internal vacancy. Applications will only be considered from existing Leeds City Council employees.

Everything we do in Climate, Energy and Green Spaces is driven by Leeds City Council’s ambition to become the first net zero city in the country, with the City best prepared for future climate impacts. As well as helping to address some of the biggest environmental issues of our time, this work has immediate benefits for Leeds residents. 

We are at the forefront of the council’s strategy for a sustainable city. Since declaring a climate emergency, Leeds City Council has invested hundreds of millions of pounds on our plans to end the city’s contribution to climate change and to improve the city’s resilience against future climate hazards.

Working as part of the Climate & Energy team, you will live and model values and behaviours to help us to achieve our ambition to become the best city council in the country.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Project Manager, you will ideally have experience of delivering major public sector infrastructure projects, as well a proven ability to work highly effectively with internal and external partners to develop relationships of mutual trust and respect.

You will seek to maximise the impact any schemes can have on the city’s economy, looking for ways to maximise the growth of green jobs and skills through the money we spend. Health and safety will be central to everything you deliver and you will ensure that this is embedded throughout the team and the supply chain.

You will have a track record of resilience and determination in resolving complex issues such that we can ensure value for money for the Council and support service areas in reducing their environmental impacts. 

You will have experience of procurement and contract management and be able to demonstrate excellent skills in working with and presenting data and financial information.

About the role 

This is an excellent opportunity to work on an exciting and fast-evolving infrastructure venture for the Council, making a real impact in terms of the achievement of our net zero carbon targets.  You will have a key role in the management and ongoing development and expansion of the Council’s flagship district heating network.

As well as leading technical and project teams, the role is expected to include all aspects of project management, including developing business cases, procurement, contractor and customer liaison, performance monitoring, risk assessment, budget monitoring and stakeholder management.

The role is integral to our Climate, Energy & Green Spaces team.  The service the team provides is critical to ensure adequate management capacity to deliver the rapid planned expansion of the district heating network within the City and associated decarbonisation.  

In particular this includes securing ongoing grant funding streams for this work such that the network can ultimately deliver the anticipated financial returns to the Council.  In this sense, this post is seen as income-generating and securing funding and revenues which will far exceed its costs.  It is also critical in terms of overseeing major works being carried out by contractors on the Council’s behalf along with the associated H&S responsibilities and obligations.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Andrew Lingham, Senior Project Manager on 0113 378 6370 or email andrew.lingham@leeds.gov.uk.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is ranked 70 on the Stonewall Equality Index 2023. We are also an age-friendly employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description 

Job Purpose

Everything we do in Climate, Energy and Green Spaces is driven by Leeds City Council’s ambition to become the first net zero city in the country, with the City best prepared for future climate impacts. As well as helping to address some of the biggest environmental issues of our time, this work has immediate benefits for Leeds residents. 

We are at the forefront of the council’s strategy for a sustainable city. Since declaring a climate emergency, Leeds City Council has invested hundreds of millions of pounds on our plans to end the city’s contribution to climate change and to improve the city’s resilience against future climate hazards.

Working as part of the Climate & Energy team, you will live and model values and behaviours to help us to achieve our ambition to become the best city council in the country. 

Your role will be important in ensuring the council is more enterprising and efficient, and has in place proper arrangements for the administration and delivery of projects in support of its Zero Carbon priority.

The post holder will be responsible for professional and management functions in respect of limited complexity projects and sub projects of complex projects as well as supporting the council to meet a range of statutory and regulatory undertakings in relation to, for example, procurement and planning. 

The Project Manager will be able to demonstrate relevant skills and experience in project management and will be responsible for leadership functions of projects with limited complexity, or the management of a sub project within a complex project in most competence elements of project management. 

Responsibilities:

• Set and deliver limited complexity projects or complex project sub-projects, planning, organising, co ordinating, delivering, controlling and monitoring areas of work within a context of budget pressures and funding restrictions. 

• Manage projects, overseeing the application of project management methodology, tools, techniques and controls, ensuring the delivery and improvement of services which meet the needs of our communities and stakeholders. 
• Provide advice on project matters across the authority to senior officers and other stakeholders. 
• Contribute to effective joint working within the council and across the city. Provide direction and support to colleagues, clients and immediate line reports, creating an organisational culture of shared accountabilities, learning and continuous improvement. 
• Promote new ways of working, partnership working and long term relationships with key clients both internal and external to the council, to improve corporate priority outcomes and to ensure that developments and improvements remain focused on delivering outcomes for local people. 
• Promote and support positive solutions to achieve diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement activity and human resource areas.
• Support and lead where appropriate effective consultation and communications with colleagues, clients, councillors, partners and other stakeholders in accordance with council policy. 
• Support open, responsive and accountable government, ensuring good governance compliance with financial and procurement procedures. 
• Manage all aspects of risk and be responsible for the safety of staff, clients and contractors in accordance with all statutory obligations and relevant health and safety policies. 
• Lead the project management of limited complexity projects and/or sub projects of complex public sector projects, managing and contributing to key project documentation, ensuring effective project decision-making, reporting, governance and delivery. 
• Manage project resources through a matrix management approach across the council and external advisors. 
• Advise colleagues and internal Clients on project strategy and opportunities, and associated commercial issues. 
• Manage the identifying, and resolving of risks and issues in all major projects. 
• Lead project teams advising on standards for pre-procurement documentation for the feasibility, project initiation, expression of interest and outline business case stages of a project, including options appraisal and pre-procurement strategies for the presentation of projects to the market, managing the preparation of key documents. 
• Lead the management of stage plans and lessons learned reports to ensure ongoing development and improvement in project delivery as well as effective handover of the project to the Client once implementation stage has been completed. 
• Seek new project opportunities and develop resourcing proposals to ensure deliverability of required outcomes for Clients. 
• Promote the identification and pursuit of relevant funding opportunities including leading the development of business cases to external bodies to support the council’s objectives. 
• Lead dissemination of project ideas and best practice to Clients including external Clients. 
• Direct and lead the implementation of standardised project management methodologies including managing and leading project organisation, development of objectives, benefits realisation, risk, issues, actions, configuration, scope, resources, programming/planning, costs, reporting and change, logs and plans. 
• Lead and advise stakeholder consultation in relation to the council’s complex multi workstream projects and or complex public sector procurements e.g. PPP including the development and implementation of appropriate plans. 
• Support the delivery of complex multi competing workstream projects e.g. complex public sector procurement, and ensure that they are delivered in accordance with the council’s governance and management arrangements. 
• Ensure compliance with statutory undertakings. 
• Ensure safety and safeguarding requirements are complied with.

Qualifications:

The following are essential:

• Degree or relevant demonstrable skills or experience.

Essential requirements:

• Degree or relevant demonstrable skills or experience.
• Relevant demonstrable skills or experience at a level equivalent to APM Level C and/or APMP.
• Experience of supporting complex multi and competing workstream projects. 
• Expertise of managing sub projects within large scale multi-disciplinary project, complex procurement and associated commercial services.
• Demonstrate drive, energy, resilience and self management skills as well as integrity, openness and awareness of others in a complex project environment. 
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner using a variety of presentational formats to internal and external Clients.
• Experience of working in and leading a multi disciplinary project environment.
• Experience of leading and developing a multi disciplinary and occasionally geographically dispersed project team.
• Experience of delivering successful project management of change programmes which reflect service needs, provide value for money, and maintain quality.
• Ability to find and implement creative and innovative solutions to complex problems in a complex project environment.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and to form positive relationships with a range of stakeholders and partners.
• Ability to employ a range of management styles which focus on achieving results in terms of outcomes for staff and customers.
• Experience of delivering a high level of customer satisfaction through leading projects or complex project workstreams.
• Knowledge, understanding and experience of leading performance management and programme and project management methodology to drive service improvement.
• A full understanding and practical experience of managing complex public sector projects and responsibilities for integrating commercial approach from feasibility to service delivery.

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics:

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities. 
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade. 
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council. 
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.