View Vacancy -- Senior Project Officer - MLC 1890

The Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell (MLC) https://www.har.mrc.ac.uk/ is located in an expanding science innovation park in Oxfordshire and is an internationally renowned centre at the forefront of genetics research. 

Overall purpose:

• To contribute towards the efficient and effective management of the MRC Estate and to the successful delivery of new building and refurbishment projects within time and budget.
• To work with other MRC Head Office and Institute staff and with individuals outside UKRI MRC to deliver premises for research and other uses that are modern, efficient, fit for purpose and well managed.
• To provide estates information to UKRI, MRC and central government that is both accurate and produced within deadline.
• To deal with a wide variety of small and medium size projects to enable other members of section to concentrate on major projects.

Main duties / key responsibilities:

1. Project management– To support the Director Capital & Estates in planning for; initiating; running and reporting on projects for new build and refurbishment works on the MRC estate. Liaising with joint funders; host institutions, senior users, contractors, consultants and senior MRC management and any other interested parties to ensure that projects are carried out on time and within budget and successfully meet stated objectives. Ensure good practice is applied in the governance of all projects.
2. Estates - To support the Director Capital & Estates in ensuring that Leases; Licenses or some other form of suitable accommodation agreement is in place at all MRC premises and to undertake negotiations with host institutions on new agreements and changes to existing ones – at all times taking account of advice from solicitors and other professional advisors e.g. surveyors.
3. Reporting- Assist the Director Capital & Estates in the reporting to MRC Council, UKRI and government departments of all estates-related data and information.
4. Risk management– To be the Directorate’s representative on the MRC’s Risk Management Committee
5. Facilities Management- The MRC Institute Directors are directly responsible and accountable for the accurate management of the facilities. The Post holder will support the Directors and their relevant staff and for the provision of assurance to MRC Executive Board that the facilities are managed well and in compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements. You will also establish compliance to GovS: 004, including the development and maintenance of a Strategic Asset Management Plan for the MRC.
6. Any ad hoc work as required by line management.

Working relationships:

Immediate section

Reports to the MRC Director Capital & Estates and works alongside the Head of Health & Safety, Environmental Sustainability Officer and the Programme Director for the Environmental Sustainability Programme.

MRC / UKRI

The post holder is required to establish good working relationships across the MRC and UKRI, specifically with the following departments/ groups:

• Finance
• Science Estates Management Group
• UKRI Head of Health & Safety
• Risk & Assurance Team
• Commercial team

External including consultants

The role involves regular use of consultants for authoritative advice on a variety of specialist issues. Maintaining a good working relationship with those consultants that we use most often in fields such as legal matters, surveying, mechanical and electrical engineering and architecture etc. while at the same time being aware of government procurement rules and UKRI commercial arrangements for tendering new work. The post holder will be required to coordinate the relevant contracts and ensure critical metrics are adhered to.

Additional information:

In addition to the above the role also involves information collation for benchmarking and facilities management value for money returns to central government and other ad hoc requirements that arise from HM Treasury; Government Property Unit; and/or BEIS initiatives.

Equality & Diversity:

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of UKRI’s vision where the ultimate aim is to create a research and innovation system that is ‘by everyone, for everyone’, and we were recently awarded a Bronze Inclusive Employers accreditation. 

EDI is a key priority in the MRC and ‘Diversity’ is one of our organisational values. Everyone working for the MRC has a personal responsibility for implementing and promoting our EDI principles in their day-to-day dealings with each other and with partners and collaborators outside the Council, and there are numerous opportunities to get involved that are detailed on our Workplace Inclusion webpage.

 UKRI is a Disability Confident Committed employer, and we welcome applications from talented people from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage individuals who identify as being from an ethnic minority group and those with disabilities or long-term conditions to apply, as they are under-represented at this level in the MRC.

Corporate/Local responsibilities & requirements:

The job holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to MRC’s:

• Code of Conduct
• Equality and Diversity policy
• Health and Safety policy
• Data Protection and Security policy 

Job descriptions should be reviewed on a regular basis and at the annual appraisal.  Any changes should be made and agreed between the post holder and their manager. 

The above lists are not exhaustive and the job holder is required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post.  All employees are required to act professionally, co-operatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the MRC. 

Education / Qualifications / Training required:

Essential:

• Project Management qualification or relevant, equivalent experience
• Estates Management qualification or relevant, equivalent experience 

Desirable:

• Qualification in Estate surveying
• NEC4 practitioner qualification

Previous work experience required:

Essential:

• Management of construction projects including Design development
• Estates management experience 

Desirable:

• Facility Management experience in the life science sector (research or hospital facilities)

Knowledge and experience:

Essential:

• Good practice in Project Management and Project Governance
• Public procurement expertise
• Statutory and regulatory requirements for the operation of life science facilities
• Management of public funds
• Budget management 

Desirable:

• Quantity surveying experience/understanding
• Experience in Cost reporting and budget management

Personal skills/behaviours/qualities:

Essential:

• Good communication skills, team player and able to collaborate with colleagues, stakeholders, etc.
• High level of personal integrity
• Ability to influence decision makers
• Compassionate leadership
• Problem solving skills
• Analytic skills
• Presentation skills
• Very good MS Office skills, including MS Project
• Ability to understand and respond to legal texts, planning regulations, etc.
• Ability to read and understand design information 

Desirable:

• Experience in coaching and mentoring

Additional information: 

The post will be based in MRC Harwell. MRC Capital & Estates are a directorate, which works with all our Institutes and HEI units and therefore is working in a very flexible manner. The post holder will be required to be available in person if this is critical but will be in control of diary and priorities of work. 

MRC is keen to find the right person for this role and will provide training for aspects of the work in addition to working alongside the current postholder for 6 months.