Head of Schedule Development and Delivery

Head of Schedule Development and Delivery
Abingdon Rd, Culham, UK
Full-time
Salary: £63,575 + excellent benefits including outstanding pension
Division: UKIFS - Programme Management
Site Location: UKAEA Culham, Oxfordshire
Confirmed Grade: Level 6*
Department: UKIFS - Programme Management

Company Description

The UK Government has established UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS) Ltd., a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), to lead the charge in delivering fusion energy through the design and delivery of the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion plant. UKIFS is establishing itself, setting up the company, attracting talent, engaging with the industry, developing a supply chain, and planning and constructing the STEP prototype.

Fusion energy, crucial for combating climate change and ensuring energy independence, is expected to be commercially viable by mid-century. The UK, led by UKIFS, aims for a prototype fusion plant, targeting first operations around 2040. UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd. will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year. Join UKIFS and the STEP programme to be involved in this groundbreaking journey.

Job Description

As an employee of UKAEA, you will benefit from:

- Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
- Corporate bonus scheme of up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).
- Flexible working options including family-friendly policies.
- Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders.
- Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays.
- Wide range of career development opportunities.
- A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions.

The Role

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As our Head of Schedule Development and Delivery, you will play a pivotal role:

- To oversee and manage all aspects of programme and project scheduling, including developing and implementing the end-to-end programme schedule logic, detailed project schedules, and the integrated master plan (IMS).
- You need to ensure the scheduling work supports collaborative team efforts to meet key targets, demonstrating increasing schedule maturity and reliability for both internal and external stakeholders.
- You would need to work closely with other senior leaders to establish and deliver the programme in the most effective and efficient manner, with decisions grounded in their scheduling implications.
- You will report to the Head of Programme and Project Controls, with significant opportunities to influence the overall programme direction through regular engagements with senior leaders, including the Director of Programme Development.
- You will serve as a crucial member of the senior programme leadership team, contributing to the programme's success and open to individuals with the necessary character, capability, and capacity.
 
Additional Responsibilities:

Leadership and Engagement:

- Lead a team of scheduling professionals to enhance organisational effectiveness and ensure alignment with our core values.
- Act as a visible leader and ambassador, promoting a collaborative culture and maintaining strong relationships across various functions.

Strategic Advice and Board Support:

- Provide strategic insights to senior leadership regarding scheduling capabilities and programme development.
- Develop and execute scheduling strategies that support the overall programme objectives and facilitate strategic decision-making.

Organisation Effectiveness:

- Implement and manage scheduling processes, including regular reviews and integration with key organisational functions.
- Drive continuous improvement in project management practices and develop impactful reporting methods to track progress.

Project Delivery:

- Develop and manage comprehensive project schedules, optimising and managing project delivery through innovative scheduling techniques.
- Lead critical path analysis and risk management efforts to ensure project objectives are met and timelines are maintained.
- Engage in continuous monitoring and adjustment of project schedules, identify staffing needs, and collaborate with HR for recruitment.

Qualifications

Essential Requirements:

- Effective leadership skills with the ability to motivate teams and engender confidence in stakeholders.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision as well as part of a large team.
- A substantial background in programme schedule strategy, development and optimisation.
- Demonstrate appropriate professional qualifications and membership of associated professional bodies (for example the Association for Project Management).
- A track record of increasing responsibility and leadership.
- In-depth knowledge of project scheduling methodologies and techniques, including critical path analysis, quantitative schedule risk assessment and reference class forecasting.
- Excellent leadership and team management skills, with a track record of successfully leading and developing high-performance teams.
- A commitment to ethical business practices and a high level of integrity.

Desirable Requirements:

- Experience working in both public and private sectors.
- Proficiency in scheduling software and tools such as Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, or equivalent.
- Experience working across major projects and programmes that have a collaborative multi-organisational character.

Additional Information

For a full list of benefits and to apply, select the apply button to be taken through to the UKAEA careers pages.

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the UK Government website for information on criminal record checks. If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.