The Project Delivery Manager will be responsible for overseeing the effective planning, delivery, and reporting of the Digital and Data portfolio of projects, that are aligned to the West Midlands Fire Service. The role will be responsible for driving and shaping digital transformation and delivery across the Brigade, with the focus that makes West Midlands safer, stronger, and healthier.

Client Details

West Midlands Fire Service is the second largest fire and rescue service in England, covering an area of 902 square kilometres which include areas with the highest risk in England outside of London.

We operate 38 fire stations across the West Midlands with 1,164 firefighters working to make the West Midlands safer, stronger and healthier.

But there's a lot more to West Midlands Fire Service than putting out fires. From the risk-based locations of our stations and how we're governed, to Our Plan and Community Risk Management Plans - everything is connected.

Digital & Data are the technology heartbeat of the brigade with a focus on providing intelligent services to our communities through our digitally empowered workforce.

Based in our office headquarters, the IT teams are formed into four teams.

• Infrastructure
• Mobilising
• Service Support
• Software Development

These teams provide support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to all WMFS Fire Stations and WMFS Sites.

Our office culture is professional but relaxed, when working in West Midlands Fire Service HQ you'll be in an 'Agile' open plan office where hot desks are always available to book.

You could find yourself working with a variety of individuals from across the organisation from other support staff to operational staff. With the addition of the brigades 'Hybrid Working Policy' this allows individuals to work from home a percentage of their working week, whilst still having the support of their colleagues via Microsoft Teams etc.

All this has helped to show WMFS as one of the leading employers for the West Midlands - Benefits can include:

• Flexible/agile working arrangements
• Generous flexi-time scheme
• Free, on-site gym facilities
• In-house occupational health services, including access to occupational health advisors, fitness advisors, a sports therapist, physiotherapist, CBT therapist and counsellors
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing programmes
• Free car parking
• Sports and Welfare scheme (for a small fee) - access to discounted products and service
• Local Government Pension Scheme

Description

The role will be responsible for driving and shaping digital transformation and delivery across the Brigade, with the focus that makes West Midlands safer, stronger, and healthier. There will also be a requirement for taking the approach of a user-centric implementation by collaborating with the brigade senior leaders, partnerships, and suppliers.

The role will require a high standard of leadership in leading the project management team consisting of Project Managers and Business Analysts. Supported by the project management team, you will drive digital innovation and improvements aligned to the brigade's strategy and plan.

The Project Delivery Manager will be responsible for building trust and a culture, whereby the project management team deliver every project on time within budget and scope. This role will also have overall responsibility for Digital & Data projects being successfully delivered through the design, build, testing, acceptance, deploy and handover life cycle.

To drive excellence, there will be a requirement to manage the digital & data project portfolio, to share interdependencies and to manage competing resourcing and budget demands.

The Project Delivery Manager will conduct project gate reviews with the Head of IT to ensure each project has a robust business case, controls and delivery plan. This role will also define and maintain standards for successful execution including documentation and metrics related to portfolio, programme, and project management.

As a senior leader, you will be responsible for building relationships and collaborating with senior leaders and the Strategic Leadership Team. By collaborating with the Strategic Leadership Team, you be responsible for reporting progress of all projects along with resource management

As a senior manager you will support the digital & data senior management team to ensure that Digital & Data is aligned to the organisational strategy and plan. There will also be a requirement to provide cover for either the Head of IT and/or the Strategic Leader for Digital & Data when required.

• Build a team which delivers on exciting innovation that offer excellent end user experiences.
• Building a culture that empowers colleagues to drive better use of digital, technological and data innovations.
• Ensure fluid communications in Development, Projects, and Portfolio, with a complete understanding of internal capabilities and workload
• Ensuring excellent customer satisfaction
• Provide project pipeline/utilisation data to support effective business decisions.
• Provide regular, accurate and timely Strategic reporting to meet and exceed customer's expectations.
• Oversee holistic portfolio tracking of project risks, issues, resourcing and success criteria.
• Form key relationships with central function Leads to support project resourcing and delivery.
• Work with all aspects of the organisation to identify opportunities to digitise existing/new channels and leverage digital technologies.
• Drive delivery of roadmap for digital workstreams
• Tie successful digital PoC/pilot opportunities into business objectives and anticipates future business requirements.
• Proxy to business sponsor on digital transformation changes, trusted and empowered to make decisions on their behalf.
• Lead on Project Authorities, engaging with Portfolio, Project Management, Business Analysis, Development etc. and to define the best approach to deliver digital transformation changes.
• Manage senior stakeholder engagement/conflict and helping to remove blockers
• Work with relevant teams to inform cultural adoption of digital transformation
• Support the Portfolio team and work collaboratively
• Provide direction, support, advice, and guidance for more junior members in the Projects team
• Build a strong business partnership with our Central functions, understanding the business goals and ensuring digital transformation aspects of their strategy are driven forward
• Facilitate continuous improvement and oversee the most appropriate agile and lean tools and techniques
• Engage with 3rd parties to provide advice and assess for their digital offerings on relevant solutions
• Follow ICT Change Management protocols in ensuring changes in project scope, schedule and costs are effectively achieved
• Motivate, coach, support and guide WMFS personnel as the specialist within assigned services and projects
• Manage the allocated budget including consultation with the Financial Liaison Officer, submission of all budget reports associated with the activities of ICT delivery.

Profile

• Proven working experience as a project manager in the IT sector.
• Solid technical background, with understanding of software development and web technologies
• Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multi-tasking skills.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Microsoft Project
• PMP/PRINCE II practitioner certification is a plus.
• AGILE Practitioner certificate with a strong understanding of Agile and Waterfall Project Management delivery methodologies - Also a plus
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to talk to and present to a range of audiences, sometimes acting as a translator between parties.
• The ability to motivate others and lead change.
• The ability to work under pressure on multiple projects within your project timeframes.
• A passion for creating solutions with a positive attitude to change.
• Excellent analytical skills and an informed, evidence-based approach.
• A successful demonstrable track record of delivering digital transformation with commercial benefits and improved customer offering, to time, quality and budget.
• A passion for digital technology & innovation, with high energy that pushes boundaries.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop teams.
• Confident in challenging constructively and negotiating successful outcomes.
• Experienced in creating business cases and managing/presenting commercial proposals to senior management.
• A strategic thinker, who can connect business challenges with digital capabilities.
• Experience and strong knowledge of how central functions work, and exposure to a range of digital solutions used in these areas.
• Highly numerate and analytical thinker, who can bring data-driven insight to decision-making, makes the complex simple and focuses on outcomes.
• Strong leadership and people skills
• Can demonstrate evidence of vision-setting and leadership with a team.
• Strong communication skills and an ability to challenge and gain buy-in, always build credibility with a wide range of audiences and work with integrity.
• Capable of working with ambiguity and sourcing innovative and creative solutions, with limited resources and budget

Job Offer

As well as making a real contribution to the safety of our communities and working for a forward thinking, innovative and inclusive organisation, a career at West Midlands Fire Service offers you so much more! Along with a competitive salary and a fantastic contributory Local Government Pension scheme, we offer a wide range of benefits from learning and development opportunities to lifestyle savings and discounts.
 

WMFS launched its first ever Wellbeing Strategy endorsed by our Chief Constable, as well as the Smarter Working policy which facilitates hybrid working patterns and the freedom to work from your home and our offices at the Birmingham Headquarters.

. Flexible working arrangements
. Blue-light discount scheme
. Free on-site Gym
. Employee eyecare scheme
. Cycle to Work scheme
. Range of sports clubs and social activities