Project Planning Manager

We are MHCLG

The Elections Directorate (ED) is responsible for a challenging and dynamic policy landscape, always in the public eye, covering electoral policy and law. This includes how elections are run, who can participate and how elections and campaigning are regulated. The Directorate is also responsible for delivering high-profile changes that realise Manifesto Commitments and other Ministerial priorities (e.g. introduction of Votes for 16 and 17 year-olds, improvements to elector registration, revised list of Voter Identification that electors produce at polling stations, etc.). These major changes are being delivered via the Electoral Resilience and Democratic Engagement Programme (ERDEP).

We are looking for another Project Planning Manager to join ERDEP as we move into delivery and implementation. You will be joining a small, committed team that works across EDs Project Directors, Managers, Policy, Bill, Legal, Digital, Business Change and external Delivery Partners to develop and maintain complex, end-to-end delivery plans at pace. Please note: Planning is a distinct discipline to Project Management. Please familiarise yourself with the job description below and the Government Functional Standard on Project Delivery which explains the distinction. You also require Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance for this role. Please ensure you meet the basic criteria before applying as there are no exceptions.

As a Project Planning Manager, you will play a leading role in:

• Defining and developing multi-level delivery plans for the Directorate, working at programme and project level
• Identifying the milestones, activities, interdependencies and outputs needed to deliver successfully
• Monitoring and analysing those delivery plans, putting relevant controls in place to assure delivery
• Driving good practice and consistency when it comes to planning, providing advice to various stakeholders on their approaches as required
• Using planning platforms and software
• Providing ongoing strategic planning advice across the programme
• Collaborating closely with multiple stakeholders

• You will hold a certified Project/Programme Management Qualification at Practitioner level (Foundation Level for SEO) such as APMG International Project Planning and Control, PRINCE2, Managing Successful Programmes, Association for Project Management, Managing Projects and Leading Workstreams, Project Leadership Programme) or a willingness to work towards it.
• You will hold Foundation Level Government Project Delivery accreditation or willingness to work towards it.  
• Experience within a project planning environment or equivalent.
• Good understanding of project management and planning methodologies.  Experience of using planning software (such as Visio, MS Project, GRIP+, Planner) to visually display those plans, or a willingness to learn the use of these tools at pace.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills, including being able to translate complex information into high quality written products and verbal advice to a broad range of audiences.
• The ability to work flexibly on changing priorities and actively prioritise multiple tasks.
• Understanding potential sensitivities and political dimensions connected to policy implementation and external sector stakeholders.
• Experience of implementing business change requirements in a public sector context.
• Experience of resilience planning, for example planning for certain high-risk scenarios.