Institution news
IMechE is a charity with 115,000 members and has its headquarters at 1 Birdcage Walk, Storey’s Gate and Old Queen Street, Westminster, London. It owns the building, c. 7,665m2 net containing three hundred rooms over 8 levels, located in a prime central London location within 400m of Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament, directly facing Hyde Park and close to Buckingham Palace.
The Estate no longer functions adequately for 21st century work, training, and professional gatherings. They are also expensive to maintain due to the Mechanical and Electrical plant being beyond its economic life, and extensive signs of water ingress and subsidence.
The Trustee Board has established the HQSB to become the client body responsible for delivering the Birdcage Walk Estate Strategic Estate Review programme on time, to budget and to the agreed specification and to lead the review of all options and deliver the solution, achieving members support, for the preferred option to ensure the Birdcage Walk Estate is fit for the future. The HQSB acts as the driving force for headquarters building options programme. It creates the link between the Trustees and the Programme Director.
HQ SPONSOR BOARD – DEPUTY CHAIR - SPECIFICATION
We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Real Estate executive with senior level experience of:
- Large scale UK property development: leading large scale UK property developments including pre app preapplication discussions on projects, construction and ensuring health and safety compliance and managing the market engagement process.
- Overseeing major UK projects involving buildings: Assembling and leading development teams, including architects, engineers, commercial agents, planning consultants, building surveyors, builders and lawyers.
- UK property management experience: UK property management experience including lease structuring.
- Project management: Programme management of multiple work streams to tight deadlines and approvals.
- Profit and loss experience: Experience of drafting contracts and managing commercial negotiations; carrying out financial evaluation; investment analysis, budgetary control and legal compliance and preparing business plans in accordance with the UK governments Green Book guidance with independent Gateway reviews.
- Prior experience of financial scrutiny within a complex organisation: Strong financial analysis skills, with the ability to conduct due diligence and evaluate investment opportunities.
- Change management: Experienced in chairing boards, with strong communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to build relationships with clients, industry professionals, and internal stakeholders and comfortable with writing board reports.
- The HQSB is responsible for all aspects of programme delivery to achieve the agreed objectives including project planning, governance, risk management, project reporting & controls (including finance), H&S, stakeholder engagement.
- This role reports to the Chairperson and works closely with the CEO to deliver the optimal outcome for the Institution.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Accountable to the Trustees through the chair of the HQSB for a successful programme delivery and assist the CEO for proper use of charity funds/resources and all aspects of project governance and will assist the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) to develop and own the business case.
Responsible for following the UK Government Green book guidance for major projects and securing approval by the Trustee Board of the business case and negotiating commercial leasing, conditions and terms, insurance indemnities and structuring construction contracts, decanting and refurbishment as appropriate.
Securing legal confirmation of full compliance with Charity and Institutes By-Laws and Health and safety requirements.
Ensuring appropriate insurances are in place for the redevelopment project to ensure all Trustees, HQSB, Executives, Professionals and the Institute are appropriately protected by Insurance.
REQUIREMENTS:
A relevant degree and professional qualification in property investment or development, real estate, finance, or a related field with 15+ years of experience.
In-depth Understanding of programme management methods and development appraisal techniques.
Proficiency in project management software such as MS office, MS project
Excellent Chairing skills and verbal and written skills and creating and implementing budgets
These skills may have been demonstrated through your involvement with a range of organisations (e.g., work, academic, charitable, professional bodies etc.).
It is anticipated that the role of the HQ Sponsor Board Deputy Chair (and co-opted Trustee) will require a time commitment of six days per month. Please still apply if you are interested in the role but the time commitment is too restrictive as we would still like to discuss the position with you.
TERM OF OFFICE AND OBLIGATIONS
The Deputy Chair will be appointed by the Trustee Board and will have a three-year term (renewable subject to an annual appraisal). It is assumed the successful candidate will assume the role in October 2024. The Deputy Chair will assume the same duties and responsibilities of the Chair when the Chair is not available. The Deputy Chair will not be a Trustee of the Charity.
Applications for HQ Sponsor Board Deputy Chair are now open.
How to apply:
*If you have not previously used Webrecruit to apply for an IMechE role, you will need to register a new account. Please note that the Webrecruit system is separate to your online IMechE member account.
Your application will be acknowledged and reviewed by the Nominations Committee. If you have any questions about the application process or would like to discuss the online application form, please contact nominations@imeche.org