This is a Fixed Term Contract to March 2022

Please note: The successful candidate will need to be available for a start date of no later than 31^st March 2021

Who we need

We are looking for a self-starter who can work independently and maximise project value, whilst delivering on time, on budget; managing and mitigating risks against a project portfolio. You will be responsible for building relationships, creating opportunities, project managing, monitoring and guiding partners to delivery across a portfolio of projects. You will be responsible for reporting status to the Programme Director and providing evidence to the public funding bodies of DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) on a regular basis. Dissemination of results will be a key aspect of the role, ensuring robust communication and events plans are developed and delivered. We need someone who can really maximise the value created from these public funded programmes and act flexibly across a portfolio of WM5G projects.

The project manager will be responsible for the management and execution of a number of tasks across multiple projects including:

• Creation, setup of projects, managing the due diligence process, involving expertise from WM5G procurement and financial team.
• Provide strong grant monitoring of the projects delivery, monitoring milestones, deliverables, & benefits against plan.
• Detailed evidence review of milestone achievement on a frequent basis is essential.
• Agree financial forecasts for each project and review spend actuals vs plan for each project. Detailed financial reviews for each project, assessing evidence against a clear set of criteria to ensure expenditure meets grant rules.
• Assess risks for each project and oversee the management and mitigation to assure successful delivery.
• Monitor benefits tracking for all projects and report to DCMS in line with requirements.
• Lead on behalf of WM5G update meetings for every project, managing interface and encouraging cooperation, motivating the projects to deliver on time, on budget.
• Generate & review detailed monthly and quarterly reports with input from the partners for review by WM5G Board Directors and funding partners to evidence progress and meet grant terms.
• Manage security and GDPR reviews using expert resources either in WMCA, WM5G or contract expertise as required to ensure state of the art process and procedures are being utilised by projects in line with WMCA.
• Translate project milestones and benefits into meaningful results that can be explained to stakeholders and target market.
• Coordinate and create a communications plan to disseminate results and broadly share benefits engaging SME community
• Asses opportunities to create incremental value and/or maximise value across a broad ecosystem.

• Technology & Innovation development in Manufacturing or mobile comms
• Project management of multiple projects using Prince2 or PMP toolsets
• Budget management, forecasting and reporting
• Create, track & record projects delivery from concept to project launch/completion
• Managing government grant funded projects an advantage but not essential
• Telecoms sector and 5G an advantage but not essential
• Working to timescales, with the ability to deliver quality output 

• Self-starter and independent worker – able to deliver tangible results
• Good building strong relationships – able to influence stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communications
• Strong completer-finisher – gets job done to quality and on time
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and effectively prioritise
• Ability to innovate/create opportunity

About the team

The Business development function supports a range of projects, ranging from the generation of new funding, to new proposition development through to project delivery.

The project manager will work for the Business Development Director. The Project Manager will manage multiple grant funded projects, ensuring due diligence is followed. Concentration of this role will be on delivery of Manufacturing projects, with external partners. There may be a need to create/identify new projects that can be undertaken within the team or to apply the resources to other projects outside of Manufacturing.

Who we are 

5G is the next generation of mobile technology that will transform citizens lives, public services and businesses in the next decade. The West Midlands has secured funding to build the UK’s first region-wide 5G testbed to lead the acceleration of 5G network deployment and to test, prove and scale major new 5G services. Following a successful launch, WM5G focussed on projects delivery across 3 main workstreams of Mobility, Infra-structure Acceleration with the third being an Application Accelerator. WM5G is now in a position to move into vertical sector applications commencing with Health and Manufacturing. These projects will prove the value of 5G applications in the sector for the purpose of engaging businesses, and encouraging investment in 5G.

This is a remote working opportunity until a date is agreed for the WMCA workforce to return to our usual place of work at 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham.

Our priority is to keep all our employees safe and well during this time. We will be working remotely for the foreseeable future, and we are doing everything we can to ensure all our employees can enjoy a comfortable remote working space.

How to apply

Please provide a personal statement outlining your suitability for the post and ensure it is submitted by the closing date. The personal statement should be no longer than a single side of A4 and should provide evidence and examples of experience in each of the following key criteria:

• Building and managing relationships – experience of building strong relationships with multiple partners, overcoming preconceptions and working with diverse organizations and individuals to create and build a high performance delivery team environment.

• Project leadership – experience of leading and delivering multiple, large scale projects from setup to final delivery. What monitoring and metrics were employed and how did you manage budgets and risks

• Innovation – How have you built relationships to create innovation or incremental value from project delivery 

Closing Date: Friday 15 January 2021

Interview Dates: Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 February 2021

We are committed to developing an organisation that is representative of the diverse communities that we serve and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

The following groups are currently underrepresented: young people, Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups and women at senior levels.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and offer a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who meet the essential job role criteria. We will make reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act, for disabled applicants if these are needed. Wherever possible we will offer flexible working options which assist work-life balance and support service delivery for the customer.