Assurance Delivery Lead

We are MHCLG

Are you looking for a rewarding role supporting our biggest and highest risk programmes, at the heart of the department? If so, the Assurance lead role is the right fit for you. Our department is at the heart of the government's agenda for change, focused on building good homes and strong communities where people can live, work and thrive right across the United Kingdom.

Positioned in the Central Delivery Units (CDU) Assurance and Approvals Team, you will be responsible for delivering assurance to our biggest and most complex programmes and setting the standard for assurance.

You will work closely with Programme Teams and Senior Civil Servants (SCS). The team have been developing assurance for four years, building a more structured and value-add approach for all stakeholders, utilising various digital tools, working collaboratively across professions, developing guidance for project/programme teams and supporting assurance cross-government.

The wider team also provides expert advice to the department maximising scrutiny and assurance to business case development, planning, management and benefits across all stages of a programme lifecycle.

The ideal candidate will be highly organised with effective project planning skills, strong communication abilities, and the confidence to engage with stakeholders at all grades. They will manage tasks independently or with little supervision.

As Assurance Lead, they will manage the internal assurance system as a whole including liaising with Senior Subject Matter Experts, drafting reports, monitoring actions and tracking progress. You will also be responsible for effective identification of thematic risks facing the department, working closely with teams across CDU to improve programme delivery.

This is a high-profile position, providing you with exposure and insight to a wide range of programmes, internal and external stakeholders. You will be joining a high performing and solutions-orientated team, who value inclusivity and collaborative working.

• Engage with Portfolio Offices, Corporate Partners and Programme Teams to enable effective planning and risk-led assurance.
• Develop guidance and products associated with the assurance processes and update our internal guidance platform, the Project Delivery Hub.
• Manage and develop products to update our seniors and governance forums on the status of assurance, including identifying themes of risk across multiple reviews.
• Uphold the high standards of assurance through effective stakeholder engagement, assurance planning, report drafting and effective tracking and monitoring.
• Bring together highly-skilled Senior Civil Servants from across government to assure MHCLGs major and high-complexity programmes.
• Collaborate with Portfolio Offices, the Governance Centre and external partners such as the Government Internal Audit Agency and National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) to maintain effective and proportionate assurance through long-term planning and continuous engagement.
• Collaborate with NISTA on their new Artificial Intelligence tool which supports assurance reviews, with a long-term view to potentially implement the tool in the department.
• Support the identification and implementation of long term continuous improvement to deliver a centre of excellence for assurance in MHCLG.

• Attention to detail and strong management skills to deliver a quality service, including excellent communication skills and confidence working with stakeholders at all grades.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and flex in an ever-changing environment.
• Ability to digest complex information and relay in a concise, accessible manner.
• Ability to build strong working relationship at pace.
• Have experience and expertise in assurance, and/or managing a complex secretariat function.
• Hold a certified Project/Programme Management Qualification at Foundation Level such as APMG International Better Business Cases, PRINCE2, Managing Successful Programmes, Association for Project Management, Managing Projects and Leading Workstreams or a willingness to work towards it.  
• Hold Foundation Level Government Project Delivery accreditation or willingness to work towards it.