This is a senior leadership role within the FCDOs Estates Directorate, with responsibility for leading the delivery of a significant capital projects portfolio across the UK and global estate. The Deputy Director for Construction and Project Delivery reports to the Director of Estates and is a member of the Estates Senior Leadership Team.
You will play a central role in delivering the infrastructure that enables the FCDO to operate safely and effectively around the world. The portfolio includes new build facilities, major refurbishments, replacement of end-of-life assets, and significant mid-life and end-of-life upgrades to building services and systems. Delivery takes place across a complex international operating environment, often involving challenging logistical, security, environmental and stakeholder considerations.
You will lead a dynamic, fast-paced, multi-million-pound capital programme, with an annual budget of approximately £120 million. This will require strong strategic oversight, commercial judgement and delivery discipline, ensuring projects are delivered to time, cost and quality standards while demonstrating value for money and compliance with public sector financial and accounting requirements.
As Deputy Director, you will lead ten Project Directors and a wider multi disciplinary team, including five further direct reports located across London, Hanslope Park and East Kilbride. You will provide visible, inclusive and confident leadership, setting clear direction, building capability and creating the conditions for high performance across the team and wider delivery network.
The role requires close working with the other Deputy Directors within the Estates Directorate, whose responsibilities cover planning, delivery, running the global estate and complex projects. You will need to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries, ensuring alignment between estate strategy, capital delivery, asset management and operational priorities.
You will be responsible for financial planning, forecasting and accounting for the operational and programme budgets within your remit. You will approve projects within your delegated authority, chair the Asset Management Portfolio Board for projects up to £5 million, and lead the development and presentation of business cases for larger projects requiring approval by the Estates Committee and the FCDO Corporate Investment Committee.
A key part of the role will be building trusted relationships with a wide range of senior stakeholders, including colleagues across the FCDO, Ministers, Heads of Mission, other government departments, consultants, contractors and senior leaders across the supply chain. You will provide leadership across the full project lifecycle, from requirements, design and construction through to commissioning, handover and benefits realisation.
You will also ensure that projects are delivered with a strong focus on whole-life asset management. This includes robust handover arrangements, effective documentation, clear interfaces with maintenance teams and a continued focus on benefits, value for money and operational resilience.
You will report clearly on progress, issues, risks and mitigations to the Programme Executive and Board, maintaining an evidence-based view of delivery confidence. You will be expected to identify and manage risks, dependencies and emerging issues proactively, bringing pace, grip and sound judgement to a complex and high-profile portfolio.
