Your new role

National Highways have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Programme Manager to join the Complex Infrastructure Programme (CIP) within the Major Projects directorate, to help shape the next generation of projects.

As Programme Manager, you will be accountable for the delivery of the early stages of a portfolio of three to five large highway projects (+£100m) to be considered for delivery in the Government’s Roads Investment Strategy (RIS3) for 2025-30. The projects are within the ‘North’ region which include the North East and North West of England, and the Midlands.

You will be responsible for all aspects of the delivery of the projects (e.g., managing the professional services consultants, values and benefits realisation, cost estimating, cost forecasting, risk management etc) as well as the development of a team of project management professionals.

You will report to the Regional Delivery Director and be able to deputise for this role on occasions (e.g., annual leave).

National Highways support flexible hybrid working, and as this role is based across the North of the country, either Birmingham, Manchester or Leeds will be used as the base office. While one of these offices will be your ‘base’ you will be willing to travel to the other offices to ensure collaboration and efficient management of the projects and your team. The expectation will be to spend 2-3 days a week in the office, and the rest can be working from home.

What you’ll be leading on

1. The performance of the programme of works assigned to you which will typically consist of the development of the early stages (option identification and option selection) of 3-5 large-scale (+£100m) highway projects.
2. Managing, motivating and resourcing of your team under your direct management which will include circa 10-15 No. project management professionals including Senior Project Managers, Project Managers, Assistant Project Managers and Project Support Officers.
3. Ensuring the appointment of external delivery partners and consultants responsible for the development of the projects and lead on managing the NEC4 professional services contracts with them.
4. Working collaboratively with the other Programme Managers within the North region to share knowledge, learn lessons and ensure consistency in the delivery of the different projects.
5. Ensuring a collaborative culture within the other functions of the company to ensure efficient delivery of the project such as the National Highways’ Programme Management Office, the Sponsors, the Commercial and Estimating team, the Communications and Publics Affairs team, as well as the external delivery partners.
6. Continuous improvement of health and safety performance and wellbeing within your team and the delivery of key performance indicators (as a minimum) for health and safety of your projects.
7. Development and maintenance of effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including leading meetings and presenting to Members of Parliament, to ensure alignment with each project’s strategic and delivery objectives.
8. Delivery of your projects in accordance with the governance requirements of National Highways and the Major Projects division. In collaboration with the Project Sponsor, ensure that the appropriate approvals are granted, value for money is delivered and project benefits, including carbon reduction and air quality improvements are realised.
9. Promoting continuous improvement and innovation across the portfolio to ensure that work is conducted in a manner that takes into consideration wider stakeholders, political nuance, and the long-term strategic aims of National Highways.

To be successful you’ll need

• To demonstrate significant experience in the management of a programme or portfolio of large-scale (£50million or more) capital projects (3 or more projects running simultaneously), preferably in:
  • Infrastructure sectors such as highways, rail, utilities, or aviation
  • Client-side roles
  • The earlier stages of the project lifecycle (eg. prior to consent approval)
• You will be able to show how, through your leadership and involvement, the schemes for which you have been responsible have achieved their principal objectives and/or outcomes.
• To demonstrate experience as an influential leader or senior manager, including the direct management of a team of professionals.
• People will be at the centre of what you do and you will have track record of inspiring and motivating teams to achieve the desired outcomes.
• You will be an outstanding communicator and comfortable dealing with chief executives and senior politicians as you would be when talking to local community officials, parish councillors and the public in general.
• You will have demonstrable experience of leading meetings and presenting to different levels and seniority of stakeholders.
• Experience of working with extensive supply chains of professional and/or technical service providers and show that you can collaborate, inspire and hold to account in a multi-professional environment.
• Preferably, you will have managed or overseen the management of the contract between the client and the consultants, ideally under the NEC3 or NEC4 contract.
• Evidence of setting and maintaining standards of health, safety and wellbeing in the teams and the projects.

A bit about us

The Complex Infrastructure Programme (CIP) is responsible for some of the largest and complex ‘Tier 1’ projects of national significance. Our projects are in the Government Major Projects Portfolio due to their level of investment, complexity of stakeholder and political landscape and importance as elements of national infrastructure that will lead to economic growth.

Want to know more?

To request a copy of the role profile, please contact hrhighwaysengland@mailgc.cx.ukg.oraclecloud.com quoting reference number #1807

About Us

At National Highways we believe in a connected country. We are passionate about creating a culture where colleagues feel connected, included and enjoy greater wellbeing to achieve this.  We’re proud that as an organisation we are continually striving to do better and actively encourage and support our colleagues to do the same with their careers.

An informal blended working approach has been adopted for many of our roles across National Highways. We offer many different ways to work flexibly and we’re open to discuss part-time working, job shares, and flexible start and finish times. Please wait until the interview stage before asking us about flexibility, and we will explore what is possible.

Our benefits package

Our total reward package includes basic salary, the potential for a performance related bonus, and employer pension contributions of up to 10%.

We also offer:

• Annual Leave starting at 26 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising by 1 day each year up to 31 days (plus Bank Holidays)
• Flexible hours and blended working between base location/home
• Life assurance of 4 times annual salary
• Health and wellbeing support, including an Employee Assistance Programme, available 24/7 365 days and network of mental health first aiders.
• Plus access to a wellbeing app to enhance your self-care 24/7, Occupational health service and flu vaccines
• A cycle to work scheme for the purchase of a bicycle and equipment for healthy, low carbon travel
• Significant investment in your career development, through learning and development, talent management, coaching, mentoring and on job experience

And we are:

• Family friendly with enhanced maternity leave and pay, paternity leave (15 days), shared parental leave, adoption leave.
• Plus access to financial support for holiday play schemes and paid special leave (up to 5 days pa), eg for caring responsibilities
• Money friendly with access to a discounts platform including over 3000 discounts for supermarkets, eating out, leisure, holidays. Alongside a financial wellbeing programme

Community friendly – offering paid leave to volunteer, 3 days basic/year plus an extra 3 days to support the national Covid effort

So if you put safety first, take ownership of your work, show passion for what you do, work effectively in a team, and demonstrate integrity in how you do it – then you’ll be a great fit for our organisation  

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