View Vacancy -- Environmental Sustainability Programme Director - MLC 1868

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. 

The Medical Research Council (MRC) is a great place to work and progress your career, be it in scientific research or in the support functions.  

Overall purpose:

• The purpose of this role is to lead the day-to-day activities of the Environmental Sustainability Programme on behalf of the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) to ensure that the desired programme outcomes and objectives are delivered.
• Responsibility for ensuring that appropriate programme management is in place and that all individual workstreams are progressed within budget, programme timeline and agreed quality parameter.

Main duties / key responsibilities:

As part of the above, this will include

• preparing the programme brief, project initiation documents or equivalent, and business case among other documents
• appraising options and submitting for approval
• securing resources and expertise from the client organisation as required, for example, appointing professional advisers to support the project sponsor role
• co-ordinating and directing end user input
• co-ordinating value management strategy
• controlling changes following approval
• identifying and mitigating risks to the programme
• handling the programme budget, including risk allowance
• co-ordinating and fostering teamwork
• establishing formal reporting arrangements on progress
• defining criteria for control and management of the programme or project
• producing detailed reports on the programme
• ensuring the programme manager receives decisions on time
• establishing a common approach to major issues that arise
• establishing a mechanism to ensure regular dialogue with contractors to promote problem solving, team working and risk sharing
• establishing excellent stakeholder relations
• developing an effective communications strategy and managing internal and external communications, announcements, updates and reporting

Working relationships:

Immediate section

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

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 Environmental Sustainability
• Risk & Assurance Team
• Commercial team
• MRC institutes teams (estates, lab operations, etc.)

The post holder will report to the MRC Environmental Sustainability Programme Board and the MRC executive Board and Council. The post holder will also need to deputise for the SRO at the UKRI Environmental Sustainability Programme Board. 

External including consultants

The Programme Director will need to work with the wider science community and partner organisations in government, industry, higher education, etc. 

Additional information:

The post holder will be responsible for ensuring accurate reporting of environmental data to the UKRI central database (ECOMETRICA) and report on programme related information.

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 the 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:

• Education to BSc Level
• Project or Programme Management 

Desirable:

• NEC4 practitioner qualification

Previous work experience required:

Essential:

• Programme/ Project Management experience on complex project/programme 

Desirable:

• Environmental Sustainability work
• Organisational Change management

Knowledge and experience:

Essential:

• Good practice in Project Management and Project Governance
• Management of public funds
• Budget management
• Programme scheduling
• Risk management 

Desirable:

• Engineering
• Environmental Sustainability

Personal skills/behaviours/qualities:

Essential: 

• Good communication skills, team player and able to collaborate with colleagues
• Compassionate leadership
• High level of personal integrity
• Influencing skills
• 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
• Experience in Cost reporting and budget management 

Desirable:

• Experience in coaching and mentoring

This role will be based at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell but will sit within the Estates and Major Projects Directorate at MRC, which works with all our Institutes and HEI units.  The role will report to the MRC Director Capital & Estates. 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. Therefore this role is working in a very flexible manner.

 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 post holder for 6 months.