Senior Sponsor

You will be part of the North West & Central Region (NW&C) which consist of three routes – North West, Central and West Coast South – and a regional team supporting Regional Major Programmes & Professional services.

Brief Description

The role is working on the exciting new HS2 interchange station project at Old Oak Common. You will be responsible for the Sponsorship of the asset protection and design assurance side of the station civils project. You will be working closely with Network Rail who is leading the On Network Works and BBVS delivering the station civils on behalf of HS2. You will oversee interfacing asset protection arrangement in both the Wales and Western and Anglia Regions.

The purpose of this role is to lead the development and implementation of the major enhancement project, funded by HS2, where Network Rail assumes a sponsorship role. You will manage the benefit realisation of the project portfolio to an agreed scope, time and cost, whilst maintaining contractual Governance within Network Rail and alignment with HS2 contractual mechanisms.

About the role (External)

1. Build effective relationships, (internally & externally) to balance the requirements of the client HS2, Network Rail, and the industry as a whole. Champion the interests of clients, customers and stakeholders acting as the focal point for escalation within Network Rail.

2. Review and interrogate client remits to confirm their viability. Work with internal and external stakeholders to establish a scope which optimises client requirements, value for money, network availability and capacity for future development and whole life cost.

3. Be responsible for the conversion of the client remit into an agreed project requirement specification. Be accountable for development of the initial project plan and budget; working with the project manager to specify how the project portfolio is going to be delivered, expected milestones and associated timescales, resource requirements, risks & issues and funding needs/sources.

4. Progress cost efficiencies and process improvements across the project portfolio to meet control period targets.

5. Own and manage business cases and investment papers for a portfolio of projects.

6. Devise solutions which maintain the ‘business as usual’ accessibility for our customers, take consideration of the 7-day railway principles and therefore minimise disruption to end rail users. Take a national/route wide view across portfolios to generate additional benefits, identify and resolve conflicting work and drive efficiencies.

7. Lead the process of quantifying risk associated with the project portfolio. Devise mitigating actions and periodically review recovery progress.

8. Interrogate and challenge plans to assess the deliverability of agreed scope within stated timescales and cost parameters, presenting any required scope changes to the client for approval.

9. Hold the Project Manager accountable for programme delivery to cost, time and scope parameters. Hold periodic reviews to understand and challenge delivery progress against the client remit. Communicate progress status against defined milestones and expectations to stakeholders putting contingency measures in place if required.

10. Lead negotiations with customers and stakeholders on the project portfolio’s commercial and contractual terms in accordance with relevant corporate policy and strategy. Act as the focal point for negotiations and resolution of external scheme interface requirements, including any Parliamentary or Statutory processes, external consents issues to optimise the value of the scheme to Network Rail and funder HS2.

11. Comply with the requirements of investment regulations, other corporate governance and the Guide to Railway Investment Projects. Adhere to corporate processes, including those related to safety, finance, legal and corporate affairs.

12. Facilitate the discharge of the duties assigned by the Client as detailed within the Construction Design Management (CDM) Regulations for the programme of projects allocated.

· Qualified to degree level or equivalent.

· Experience of dealing with client portfolios and liaising with people at all levels

· Ability to articulate complex business problems into manageable work packages and produce synthesised logical solutions.

· Proven ability to write coherently, conveying report / investment information in a concise manner.

· Commercially astute, persuasive, and customer focused.

· Proven influencing and negotiating skills

· Experience of leading a successful team

We would also like but it isn’t crucial to have/to be:

· Experience of working with asset protection arrangements, in a sponsorship or project management capacity

· Experience in significant management roles in a commercial environment

· MBA or other related postgraduate qualification

· Experience of negotiating contracts to finalisation and able to demonstrate significant commercial success

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