Deputy Director, Capital Works (Enabling & Infrastructure), SCAH Programme

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Weybridge and London (presence at both required routinely)

  • Location Weybridge and London (presence at both required routinely)
  • Sector Central Government
  • Client Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
  • Job Type Permanent
  • Salary/Remuneration c £90,000
  • Reference GSe117316
  • Closing Date 17:00pm Friday 6 December 2024

The Animal and Plant Heath Agency’s (APHA) science campus at Weybridge plays a nationally important role in protecting human and animal health. One of only 30 such sites across the world, it has a wide range of specialist and complex scientific facilities, including at the highest level of containment.

The Science Capability in Animal Health (SCAH) programme has been established to oversee the re-development of the APHA site – a 10-year programme, with a budget in excess of £1bn. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the development of a world class science facility delivering infrastructure critical to animal health and farming in the UK. 

Acting as sponsor for capital works delivery on behalf of the Programme’s Intelligent Client Function, the key early challenge for the Deputy Director, Capital Works (Enabling and Infrastructure),  will be acting as lead sponsor for works to clear and prepare the site for construction to begin in 2027, whilst the site remains operational. The role will also have responsibility for strategy, investment approvals, assurance of the Delivery Partner and supply chain delivery of project level design, construction, commissioning and handover.  Member of the Senior Leadership Team for the programme, the role will also need to build respected and trusted relationships with a wide range of partners and stakeholders, to ensure the needs of users are built into delivery plans and all relevant compliance and regulatory requirements are met.

To be successful, you will bring experience of overseeing delivery of major, complex construction projects within an Intelligent Client function, and in a complex, technical design-led programme. The nature of the site and the stakeholders means that experience working alongside scientific and engineering professionals, and delivering to diverse customer groups, will be important. The nature of the programme means you will understand and be able to navigate the governance and oversight requirements associated with the GMPP portfolio or other complex public sector environment. This role calls for strong leadership skills with experience leading and motivating high-calibre, multi-disciplinary teams across multiple suppliers, used to delivering to demanding timescales.

The SCAH programme is one of a handful of programmes of this scale and complexity in the world and offers a rare chance for an experienced candidate to undertake a key role at the heart of the UK’s critical infrastructure. Not only will you be building for the future, but you will also be playing a central role in making sure that the site continues to be operational on a day-to-day basis, so that staff and facilities are prepared to respond to animal health disease emergencies whenever they might arise.

If you are excited by the prospect of the challenges and opportunities it will bring and want to make your mark in building the UK’s scientific capability, we want to hear from you. Join us, and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

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