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The Service

We are the Infrastructure Section, which forms part of the City Council's Regeneration Directorate. We focus on four core areas, which are coastal and drainage, highways design, highways maintenance and project management. We work on a variety of civil engineering projects across the city of Portsmouth to support the realisation of the Council's Plan.

We aim to produce exemplar work, through recordable and monitored processes, to a high standard, that others aspire towards.

What is the role?

Your role will be to successfully project manage major civil engineering schemes from inception through to completion. You will work closely with officers, contractors and elected members to ensure that the highest standards are achieved within the constraints of time and budget.

You may be required to manage some of the construction and professional based framework contracts that the Council operates.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Project Management: To project manage major civil engineering schemes supporting the growth and regeneration of Portsmouth. Work to recognised project management standards following Government guidance and to the council's own project management requirements. Direct and monitor staff in the completion of projects and products. Manage external consultants, as well as project staff to ensure targets are achieved.

Financial Control: Prepare estimates, monitor and review project costs to ensure completion within agreed budgets. Achieve required level of quality and ensure value for money. Agree final measures and payments.

Scheme Implementation and Delivery: To provide successful project management throughout the life of a project from implementation through to and including construction. To ensure design and construction works are to programme, within project budget and that risks and benefits are appropriately managed and tracked. Manage the preparation and assessment of tenders and contract documents with support from legal, procurement, finance and technical teams. To appoint and manage contractors. Produce and maintain accurately the PID (mandate, business case, programme, risk register, budget etc.) Produce and own the Project Initiation Documentation (PID) and work closely with relevant technical teams to develop and deliver projects in accordance with the PID.

Communication: To represent the team and ultimately City Council at meetings, to assist and carry out consultations on scheme proposals and to advise members as necessary. To liaise with the project client, project team, consultants and the general public. To prepare reports (including regular reports to Project Boards) as required. Liaise with other departments, such as the Highways Maintenance PFI team, to ensure that the project interlinks as seamlessly as possible with the existing highway network. Have strong links with internal and external stakeholders such as external funders and various government departments. Ensure design works and construction of works are to programme and within project budget.

Training: To maintain personal technical expertise in new methods and technologies. To encourage more junior members of the team to pursue personal development through effective supervision and allocation of work.

Who is the person?

You need to be/have:

Educated to HND or degree standard in a relevant subject.
An appropriate professional project management qualification (g. Prince 2 practitioner level) and membership of an appropriate professional body (e.g. APM) or demonstrated performance over a substantial period at this level.
Extensive and relevant post graduate experience.
Ability to manage major civil engineering projects from initiation through to successful completion.
Good experience of contracts such as NEC.
Ability to lead small project teams through delegation and management.
An excellent commercial awareness and proven success of working within strict budgetary controls, including the analysis and interpretation of financial information.
Good analytical and problem solving skill, with an ability to prioritise workload in order to manage time effectively. This includes being able to work on own initiative and respond positively to workload pressures.
Good and relevant experience of working with stakeholders, contractors and agencies. Excellent interpersonal, communication and written skills and be able to deal effectively with members of staff at all levels and (at a non-technical level) with councillors and the general public.
Experience of preparing reports and correspondence, using research and information gathering techniques.
An awareness of relevant legislation and regulatory framework for environmental issues is desirable.
Knowledge and familiarity of Microsoft Office applications including Microsoft Project