IPA Deputy Director for Functional Standards

The IPA is the government's centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects. We sit at the heart of government, reporting to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury.

Our core teams include experts in all elements of project delivery: infrastructure, IT, defence transformation, project finance and project profession capability who work with government departments and industry.

We lead the project delivery and project finance professions across government. Projects are delivered by people, and building professional capability is a high priority for the IPA. We aim to build high performing, professional, flexible and diverse teams to deliver world class projects now and in the future.

About the Role

We are looking for an individual with a unique blend of experience for developing policy and strategy in government, deep expertise of project delivery practise and theory, and using functional levers to drive up standards and expectation of practise across a large and complex environment. In this role, you will hold a significant degree of autonomy to deliver the strategic development of project delivery as an expert function across government, with your decisions impacting multiple departments and arms'-length bodies. You'll play a key representational role, working with other government functions, national professional bodies, academia and industry to improve project delivery practise and application across government and beyond.

You will be responsible for leading the delivery of a comprehensive and integrated body of knowledge for project delivery in government, building out from the recently published 'how to' guide on project delivery in government; the Teal Book. In addition, you will be responsible for developing and implementing functional standards, guidance and tools , including the government project delivery hub, a refresh of the Project Delivery Functional Strategy and embedding a continuous improvement assessment tool across all government departments.,

• Leading at pace, the development, formal approvals and external publication of the Teal Book and the associated Government Project Delivery Body of Knowledge, including coordinating, working with and influencing stakeholders across the government project delivery profession, from other professions, including HM Treasury, national professional bodies, industry and academic experts, to contribute to the development of the Teal Book, and to overhaul other functional guidance, products and tools as a result, creating a comprehensive and full supporting body of knowledge for project delivery.


• Lead the development of the 2030 Project Delivery Functional Strategy, setting out government plans for building excellence across the government-wide project delivery function. Providing cross-IPA and cross-function leadership on project delivery standards and expertise, working closely with colleagues across IPA, departments and ALBs, and with professional bodies, academia and industry partners, to develop and maintain best practice, fit for purpose and future-proofed standards, principles, guidance and tools for the government project delivery function and wider stakeholders across the UK.


• Lead for the function, the delivery of project delivery benchmarks through the rollout of the Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework, including implementing government Transforming Infrastructure Requirements in line with Ministerial policy.


Other Responsibilities

• Leadership of a central team of circa 6 staff and wider corporate leadership of the government project delivery function


• Lead the design and overhaul of the cross-government Project Delivery Hub, which provides services to 22'000 users across government bodies and the wider public sector, so that the Teal Book and Body of Knowledge can be delivered as user-centred, interactive, searchable and accessible documents.


• Represent the IPA and Government Project Delivery Function by providing expert contributions to professional events, training, development of new products and other activities across departments, ALBs and the national professional bodies, including government input into development of the new Body of Knowledge and associated Chartership standard being developed by the Association of Project Management (APM), as the UK's chartered body for project delivery.