Project Manager - ICT (Gr J)*

Project Manager
Permanent or FTC role (role profile will be the same, individual posts will be confirmed as one or the other), based in Kingston and Sutton
Grade J
The role reports directly to the Portfolio Manager
? working - In On-site, Hybrid and Virtual working environments.
Position Summary
Digital and IT is a shared service between Kingston and Sutton councils providing digital and technology services to both councils as well as a number of arm's length companies.
We are committed to delivering excellent public services to our residents and local businesses, which is why we place the user, and their needs, at the heart of our agile delivery strategy. We are proud of our developing digital culture, and have a team of excellent professionals working across multi-disciplinary teams to deliver our new digital services.
Both councils are undertaking significant transformation of their services. We are therefore looking to recruit vibrant, talented people who would be excited to help us build user centred, modern digital services across two councils.
The range of projects we are working on are varied in nature, which is why we love working here. Your work and the services we build make a real difference to people’s lives. Over the coming years you could help us to shape the delivery of adult health and social care, improve services that maintain our roads and highways, or help us to deliver smarter cities.
Purpose of the Role
Our mantra here in Digital & IT is people first, technology second. When building good services we start with user needs. To do this we need managers who thrive in a networked organisation and who can provide strong operational leadership.
In this role, you will be expected to:
? Provide Project Management for a range of services and organisations.
? To focus on the appropriate governance of a project and ensure the following:
? high quality progress reporting,
? up to date budget management,
? risk Management,
? baselining and business benefits realisation.
? To have experience and understanding of different Project delivery methodologies including Waterfall type projects (PrinceII), as well as agile working within multidisciplinary teams.
? Have a track record of delivering high quality projects, communicating well to all levels of relevant stakeholders.
? Understanding and supporting the Digital & IT Strategies.
? Working with their line manager and other leads/managers within the team to manage the team workload
? Directly or matrix managing a small number of reports and/or managing a virtual team working on a specific task or project
? Managing other resources such as physical or logical technology/software and vendor services
? Coaching less senior members of the team both professionally and technically
? Seeking opportunities for innovation and collaboration
? Demonstrating the culture and values on a day-to-day basis.
Working as part of a team, the Project Manager is accountable for the delivery of projects and services, and for managing risk and dependencies between projects and teams. Their focus is the team, and helping the team to work together and produce continuous value to our users.
Key Activities
Project Manager
? Planning delivery of the product / service
? Product/service delivery using appropriate methodologies (Agile/Lean/Waterfall/PrinceII)
? Maintain a clear sense of direction and purpose for the team based upon the project vision, Outcomes, Objectives and requirements.
? Using appropriate tools (such as as Project Plans, Budget Forecasting, burndown charts, RAID Logs, lead times, delivery rate) to track progress against delivery, current items in the backlog, risks, issues and blockers
? Effective and clear communication of delivery progress to the team and stakeholders, ensuring wherever possible, sufficient time is available to report and consider options for stakeholders to make appropriate decisions. Where time is a constraint, to ensure clear communication of the position and impact to decision making.
? Ensuring the team is delivering value as early as possible, and as often as is appropriate for the Service and Supplier.
? Continuously improving workflow where necessary (such as reducing bottlenecks, understanding velocity, work in progress limits, etc)
? Bringing people and views together to inform decision making
? Team motivation, focus, and empowerment
? Ensure the team is working towards the appropriate service standards
? Communicate, promote, and coach the use of suitable methodologies to the team and relevant /interested stakeholders
? Remove blockers or impediments that affect delivery plans
? Point of contact for contracted suppliers
? Manage stakeholder expectations
? Monitor cost and budget of the project, ensuring that forecasting is carried out at the beginning of the project, and maintained as regularly as necessary to appropriately be able to report in advance the health or risks to the budget - with sufficient time to take appropriate actions.
Leadership
? Provides constructive leadership to the Project team, inspiring high performance within a networked operating model
? Facilitates change and innovation, building a team culture that encourages innovative, smart and collaborative working - In On-site, Hybrid and Virtual working environments.
? Listens to, and works with colleagues to develop team goals in line with corporate strategy, and influences and motivates others to achieve this.
Commissioning and Performance Management
? Commissions services and activities to secure the best outcomes for service users and deliver optimum value for money, in line with the Council’s commissioning and contract management frameworks
? Translates internal and external intelligence in order to continually adapt and improve the services in line with demand
? Manages the performance of the team, working with colleagues to define outcomes, set targets and monitor performance, within a culture of continual improvement
? Develops operational plans to ensure that the resources within the teams are used to best effect and impact
? Ensures that the best use is made of financial resources and achieves balanced budgets and income and savings targets, as required.
Performance
? Works with manager and colleagues to define outcomes, set targets and monitor performance, within a culture of continual improvement - for themselves and for others.
? Supports operational plans to ensure that the resources within the teams are used to best effect and impact
? Manages the budget assigned to projects to forecast, manage and report on spending in a way that manages project resources and delivery, informs decision making, and remains within the organisation's financial constraints.
Customers and Partners
? Builds strong internal and external working partnerships to enable the service to be delivered in an outcome-focused and efficient way
? Supports our organisational commitments to community cohesion and valuing diversity and social inclusion.
Digital/New Ways of Working
? Uses new technologies, particularly Google, to adopt modern, agile working practices and processes, improve customer service, and eliminate inefficiencies (including paper-based processes) wherever possible.
Equality and Diversity
? Embeds equity, equality, fairness and diversity into all aspects of team management and service delivery
Corporate responsibilities
The Councils requires managers to undertake and support a range of important corporate responsibilities including:
? GDPR
? Engagement & Collaboration
? Health and Safety
? Volunteering/social impact
NB. The requirements of this post could include attending meetings and other events outside normal hours as expected with a post of this nature and the postholder will need to manage their work life balance flexibly to meet the needs of the role.
The Person
In order to successfully deliver the responsibilities of the role, you will need to:
? Question and challenge ways of working, with an understanding of the bigger picture in terms of the corporate context and external environment
? Demonstrate agility and adaptability in mindset and ways of working
? Work successfully with key stakeholders within and outside of the Council
? Demonstrate commitment to own personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the role
? Demonstrate innovation and creativity
? Actively engage in positive cross organisational communications and team working
? Communicate clearly, confidently and appropriately with colleagues using the best methods of communication for the task.
Essential and Preferred Experience
Essential Experience
? Empathic to the needs of users and the ability to champion their perspective
? Experience of working as part of an agile multi-disciplinary team
? Experience of delivering agile, user-centred, transformation projects
? Experience reporting financial delivery of project within budget and
? Experience facilitating delivery flow of a team, managing pace and temp
? Experience engaging senior stakeholders, managing expectations and providing delivery confidence
? Experience motivating the team and maintaining team morale
? Experienced positive team player, who works collaboratively with colleagues
? Excellent communication skills, both written and face-to-face in meetings
Preferable Experience
? Active member of the wider Digital and IT community
? Experience advocating for appropriate project Governance using the suitable tools, including agile delivery and engaging sceptical colleagues
? Experience coaching in agile and lean practices
Context
Our Values
Becoming an enabling council is a key principle that runs through our organisational development and is embedded in everything we do. Underpinning these priorities are the following values:
? Supportive of trying new ideas, with the courage to change direction.
? Transparent and connected in all that we think, say and do.
? Appreciative of each other, recognising and celebrating success.
? Respectful of difference and valuing diversity.
Digital and IT Behaviours
We want to encourage behaviours that support the values of both of our Councils:
? Within teams and across the broader Digital and IT department, we’ll be expecting more senior team members to play an active part in developing, mentoring and buddying the less senior members of the team, even if they do not have direct line management responsibility for them. This way, we aim to build a high-performing and flexible team that supports one another and is able to deliver both ongoing service and transformational change for Digital and IT customers and communities.
? All team members have the opportunity to develop and display leadership qualities by taking ownership of the work they do and being committed and present in their interactions with other team members and with our customers.
? We expect every member of staff to invest in their own personal development and breadth of experience and capability. This is not achieved purely through formal training courses but also by getting involved, being inquisitive, challenging yourself and seeking out other opportunities to learn and to stay up-to-date with technology and business direction.
? We have the responsibility of digitally enabling our Councils and communities - so every team member should be an ambassador for our solutions and technologies, whether or not they are in a technical role. We need to set an example by using our digital capabilities and facilities in full and with our customers so that they are inspired by what technology could do for them.

This project management role will be for 3 months. Specifically to complete the delivery of an AI Transcription tool into Adult and Childrens Social Care services in Sutton. We will be looking specifically for those with Local Authority experience; Roll out of AI tools (Preferably Beam/Magic Notes & Google tools); Experience of supporting & embedding tools with services, tracking progress and regularly reporting to all stakeholders.