About the job
Job summary
As the Programme Director you will play a crucial role in the recovery from the Grenfell tragedy, delivering a memorial determined by the Grenfell bereaved, survivors and immediate community, that honours the memory of those whose lives were lost.
We particularly encourage applications from those of an ethnic minority background and those with disabilities, as well as those based in locations outside of London, who are underrepresented at this level in MHCLG. Please note that, due to the nature of the role, regular travel to London will be required.
Job description
As the Grenfell Site & Memorial Programme Director you will join the Safer & Greener Buildings Group reporting to the Director: Community and Memorial, as the SRO for the Grenfell Site and Memorial Programme.
As the successful candidate you will bring a blend of strategic vision, operational excellence and empathetic leadership to this critical role, ensuring the Programme is delivered with integrity, transparency and respect for the Grenfell community.
The role includes:
- Ensuring the safe and secure management, operation and maintenance of the tower and site.
- Leading preparation of the site for future use once a decision on the tower has been taken (see published engineering advice Grenfell Tower Summary note. Stage 3 and basement propping is complete).
- Leading delivery of the memorial project, providing programme management across all workstreams: memorial design and construction; any deconstruction work (noting no decision has yet been made on the tower); construction of the memorial either directly or via a partner; ownership, digital memorialisation, second site, tower materials) backed by high quality business cases.
- Keeping the community closely engaged and informed, using trauma aware approaches, as all tower and site related decisions are made and implemented.
- Managing a smooth hand-over to a body, acceptable to the community, when the site is prepared for its long-term future.
- Providing assurance to the SRO, seniors, Ministers and the IPA on delivery of the Programme, as a Major Project within the Government's Major Projects Portfolio.
- Working effectively with stakeholders, including contractors, Ministers, public authorities and other local stakeholders.
Key Accountabilities
As the Grenfell Site & Memorial Programme Director, you will be personally responsible for:
- Effective management of the Grenfell Tower site, including strategic and operational decision-making, ensuring expert input as appropriate.
- Leading an open, sensitive, transparent and trauma aware approach that builds the trust and confidence of bereaved, survivors and immediate local community in Government's management of the tower and site, alongside the Deputy Director for Grenfell policy and engagement, and ensuring that all partners and those in the supply chain also deliver in this way.
- Delivery of the Grenfell Site & Memorial Programme in line with the vision of the community, and all related projects including managing performance, meeting success criteria, monitoring and controlling progress, managing costs, engaging fully with assurance processes and responding to recommendations, and identifying, prioritising, assessing and mitigating strategic and operational risks and issues.
- Providing high quality advice and assurance on the delivery of the Grenfell Site & Memorial Programme and related projects to Ministers, senior officials, the IPA and others and inputting into advice and recommendations on key decisions.
- Leading and maintaining the performance of a multi-disciplinary delivery-focused team that includes civil servants and contractors, to successfully deliver the Grenfell Site & Memorial Programme and related projects.
- Creating an environment for success, working effectively with a wide range of internal and external partners, managing their inter-dependencies and driving a high performance 'one team' culture and approach to ensure successful delivery
As one of the Department's senior leaders, you will be a visible role model for the Civil Service leadership behaviours.
Person specification
This is a high profile and important role which requires an ability to think strategically and operationally, to identify and manage risk and delivery and manage a programme of the utmost sensitivity.
You will need to be an experienced Programme Director capable of operating effectively in a high profile, complex, political environment, providing effective governance and assurance to the Programme SRO. You will have extensive construction or built environment experience, including client-side, with an ability to talk to the sector and work effectively with the supply chain. You will have commercial experience and be able to deliver the programme within budget.
You will understand the importance of the Programme and projects and the need to work in a trauma aware way. You will be motivated by a wish to build the trust of the bereaved, survivors and local community to deliver the Programme and project objectives. You will be able to use your judgment, drawing in outside expertise and assurance as needed, to advise Ministers and ensure delivery.
You will be an effective communicator, credible at senior levels, including with Ministers, senior central government officials, private sector CEOs, local councils, and other stakeholders. You will be able to handle and balance a wide range of relationships, internally and externally, including sensitively working with community representatives.