Contracts and Projects Manager - Braintree District Council
Location:Braintree, Essex
Salary: £36,653 to £40,871 per annum
Contract type:Permanent
Hours:37 hours per week
Closing date: Midnight on Monday 25th September 2023
Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Braintree Council to recruit this Contracts and Projects Manager
To Apply for this role please CLICK HERE
The Opportunity:
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Contracts and Projects Manager within the Operations Service.
The role supports the Operations Strategy and Policy Manager on a range of projects and contracts/service level agreements (SLAs) as well as providing management of the Operations support services.
The role involves:
- Supporting the Strategy and Policy Manager with development and delivery of Strategy and Policy services within Operations.
- Supporting the Strategy and Policy Manager with building/nurturing partnerships with other organisations and deputising at partnership meetings.
- Leading the Operations’ projects to ensure timely delivery within agreed budgets and timescales.
- Leading on the Contracts/SLAs managed by Operations.
- Manage the Operations’ infrastructure/assets (Car Parks etc).
- Overall management of the Operations Business Support team.
- Overall management of the Waste-Recycling and Systems team.
Experience:
Your skills and experience:
- Strong Project Management skills including project governance.
- Contract Management skills, including negotiation and performance management experience.
- Strong presentation skills.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to communicate at all levels.
- Good knowledge of the local government sector and challenges it faces.
- Ability to formulate and develop project plans for their effective implementation.
- Ability to confidently respond to complex issues.
- Strong analytical and report writing skills.
- Ability to inspire and motivate in a positive way.
- Excellent people management skills, to foster and build positive relationships between colleagues in various functions within Operations and colleagues in other services.
- Ability to influence others positively to achieve satisfactory outcomes relevant to the role.
The successful candidate will have a formal project management qualification or a willingness to undertake the PRINCE 2 (Practitioner) certification.
At an operational level, you will have the ability to focus on the key issues, identify appropriate solutions and ensure compliance with corporate and legislative requirements.
The role will require you to be a team player with strong interpersonal and organisational skills and an enthusiastic appoach to challenges.
Accountabilities:
- Manage a programme of business improvements within Operations including key contracts and projects that delivers change across front line services.
- Manage project resources, both internal and external to ensure that the project deliverables are achieved in line with agreed scope, time, budget and quality.
- To promote the need for continuous change through working with colleagues to identify and deliver new initiatives which support the Council’s vision. Ensure that project teams are focused on the need to deliver solutions that satisfy or exceed business expectations and may require ‘out of the box’ thinking to deliver truly innovative working methods that will make a difference.
- Ensure compliance with, and the timely completion of, legal processes and compliance with corporate policies and procedures.
- Ensure the project is fully resourced in line with the project plan. Ensure the availability of the right skills to the project at the right time and to manage utilisation to appropriate levels.
- Ensure that appropriate project change control processes are in place and adhered to, to prevent for example, ‘issues associated with scope creep’.
- To be responsible and accountable for the waste minimisation and recycling, and the infrastructure/assets functions within the service, including service planning and implementation, management of the governance process, and preparation of management information/reports to Senior Management Team (SMT), Management Board and Members.
- Assist in the management of the Council’s vehicle procurement and maintenance contract ensuring high levels of performance and maximum value for money for the Council.
- To be responsible for the preparation of financial estimates and business cases for capital and revenue funded projects, monitor agreed budgets and be accountable for the financial controls within areas of responsibility.
- To take a lead role in managing and coordinating projects identified in the Operations Service Plan including updating the corporate project monitoring system, Pentana, in a timely manner.
- To manage the expenditure of S.106 contributions relating to Operations’ projects.
- To take responsible for preparing performance reports to present to SMT.
- To take the lead on statistical and process benchmarking and soft market testing of services to enable meaningful comparisons to be made against other service providers in terms of both costs and performance.
- Assist with the delivery of the Traffic Regulation (TRO) function in liaison with the North Essex Parking Partnership.
- Undertake staff performance reviews, sickness absence interviews, disciplinary and capability investigations and including formal presentations to panels.
- Develop and approach Equal Opportunities in terms of both service delivery and employment in accordance with the Councils policies and procedures.
Why choose Braintree District Council?
Braintree District Council is a great place to work. We pride ourselves on our creative, innovative, and forward-thinking approach which is led by our staff. We are committed to having an engaged workforce who understand our strategy and how they can help deliver it.
What benefits do we offer?
* Competitive pay and benefits * Flexible working * Free parking
*A mix of home and office-based working * Local government pension scheme * Learning and development for all staff
* Staff discounts at local businesses * Staff recognition schemes
Hybrid working is available for this role, where a mix of both office and home working can be agreed subject to the needs of the job. Further details can be discussed with you at interview should you wish to work a hybrid pattern.
If you would like an informal chat about the post, please contact Samir Pandya on ext. 3335.
For further information about the post and to apply online, please CLICK HERE or visit our website https://www.braintree.gov.uk/jobs-careers
Closing date for receipt of completed applications: Midnight on Monday 25th September 2023.
Please Note – Essex County Council is advertising this role on behalf of Braintree District Council and if successful you will be employed by Braintree District Council