Deputy Director Design and Engineering

Birmingham with frequent travel. Any other GPA location outside of London would also be considered. 

We are changing the way the Civil Service works and are at the forefront of Government's transformation agenda; reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their place of work.  With a responsibility for delivering the Government’s Estates Strategy we manage the Government’s property assets including delivering major programmes to construct and refurbish buildings and drive more flexible smarter working practices to improve productivity and well-being.  Our mission is simple - to work with Departments to create great places to work for civil servants, in turn enabling them to deliver excellent public services.

This is an exciting and high-profile role with significant leadership responsibilities.  The Senior Leadership Team for Capital Projects, of which this role is a part, is responsible for the design and construction of capital projects to create great places to work for civil servants.  

As leader of the Design and Engineering team, you will be responsible for setting design standards, managing the design process and assuring delivery/handover for all GPA projects. In parallel, you will also lead the scoping of a programme of work to improve the sustainability of our portfolio and plan a substantial contribution to the Government’s net zero target.

We are looking for a leader with deep technical design insight. Government properties have demanding requirements so you will need to be confident talking to the most senior stakeholders about building look and feel; security standards; inclusivity of design; and sustainability. It goes without saying that you will make sure we set building design standards that are fit for our purposes and are met consistently throughout the programme of work.

Leading and inspiring a multi-disciplinary team will be a key factor in your success and the ability to engage and build effective relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders at all levels will be an area of strength.  You will be able to demonstrate strong project and programme management skills and have a clear appreciation of managing risk effectively.  A strong communicator at all levels, your leadership skills will enable you to add value to this area of work at across the organisation as a whole. 

If you have strong commercial acumen, great knowledge of property, and a desire to make a difference, we want to hear from you. We not only need great individuals but to build a great team of different backgrounds, perspectives and ways of thinking. Diverse teams are good for business, and we intend GPA to be a business of which we can be proud, and which delivers for both Government and our people. These are exciting times for the organisation, and this opportunity provides a great chance to make a positive impact and contribution.  Please contact Paddy O’Hara on 0113 205 6098, Julie Myers on 07595 779915 or Michael Dobson on 07891 142325 at our recruitment partners GatenbySanderson for an informal discussion.

To apply and for further information, visit www.gparecruitment.com. 

Closing date:  Sunday 1 March 2020.