Programme Director

Organisation: The Coal Authority

Role: Programme Director

Salary: £80,000 - £83,500 per annum  (plus a generous benefits package)

Location: On Coalfield with regular travel to Mansfield and site across GB (Rotationally / activity based onsite with potential for additional flexibility if needed and mutually agreed)

About Us

The Coal Authority exists to manage the legacy of Great Britain's coal mining past. We are a 24/7/365 emergency response organisation. Our work and expertise protects life, protects drinking water and protects the environment. Extensive coalfields exist across Great Britain, and while the vast majority of people will never experience issues from our mining legacy, for those that do, we are here and ready to provide support and deliver solutions. Last year we carried out 10,148 mine entry inspections. We investigated and supported people through 823 subsidence and other incidents. We treated 128 billion litres of mine water to prevent pollution. We delivered 196,332 mining reports to allow people to buy and sell coalfield homes with confidence, and we provided 10,292 planning responses and worked with a range of infrastructure providers and developers to inform their decisions.

You'll be joining us at an exciting and crucial time. Over its 29-year history, the organisation has proven its ability to respond to emergency situations, solve complex problems, provide expertise to support partners and use our information to help people make informed decisions. Our work protects lives, drinking water and the environment, and we also seek to grow, learn and be innovative so that we don't just respond to the challenges of mining legacy but also seek creative benefits such as using warm mine water to provide low carbon heating for homes and businesses. We aspire to be net-zero carbon by 2030, and alongside technology and innovation, we will do this by maximising habitats and nature resilience at our sites and providing access to nature and green space.

About The Role

We are currently seeking to fill a permanent position of Programme Director, which will report directly to the Chief Executive at the Coal Authority. This new role will take responsibility for developing a major programme from a strategic outline case through feasibility, design and implementation over a 10-year + horizon. The programme relates to complex aspects of our future mine water treatment approach (specifically inland saline mine water) and will involve significant national infrastructure, significant partnerships and innovative solutions.

The primary purpose of the role is:

• Together with the Executive team, develop the organisation, bring our mission, purpose and values to life and deliver outcomes in line with our business plan and which protects life, drinking water and the environment from mining legacy for the benefit of the communities we serve
• Provide strategic, people-centred leadership to your teams to inspire innovatively and empower delivery within the framework of our governance and financial responsibilities
• Work with the Board to provide advice and input to help the organisation's leadership, strategy and scrutiny be the best it can be.
• Work with BEIS and other government partners (across the three nations we serve) and other partners as needed to achieve the Coal Authority's objectives and responsibilities.
• Assure the delivery of the Coal Authority's Inland Salinity programme, ensuring that it is economically, efficiently and effectively managed and that any statutory obligations are discharged.
• Responsibility and delivery of other major projects or programmes as allocated and agreed.

Responsibilities Include:

• Through the continual review, governance, risk assessment, and reporting ensure the delivery of the Inland Salinity programme, ensuring that it is economically, efficiently and effectively managed and that any statutory obligations are discharged.
• Develop and manage partner relationships that enable us to operate in this area most effectively. Work effectively with government to influence and negotiate necessary funding and allow the programme delivery. This includes partnership and assurance boards/governance as needed.
• Ensure that effective learning reviews occur to improve our major programme and project management continually.
• Conduct effective risk analysis and mapping to ensure that current and emerging threats are understood and responded to.
• Be accountable for the delivery of agreed programmes and projects to the stated objectives on time and within budget.

The Person

Our new Programme Director will be a first-class strategic and critical thinker with a strong delivery mindset. The successful candidate must evidence significant project/programme leadership experience (ideally within infrastructure, environment or water sector). Additionally, this person must be able to lead high-value projects and be familiar with governance, compliance and the UK government business case frameworks. A proven ability to collaborate, influence and negotiate with a broad range of high-level audiences is also essential. 

This is an outstanding opportunity to play a meaningful role in leading this pioneering work. If you have the requisite skills and expertise that meet the brief, our Executive Search Partners at Green Park would welcome a conversation with you. For more information contact; Lucy.Kythreotis@green-park.co.uk or visit https://micro.green-park.co.uk/coalauthority/ to apply now.

Closing date: 11:59pm Sunday 16th April 2023