Construction Assurance Manager

Job summary

Explore the world of HMRC Estates, where we lead the way in government property transformation. As a key player in one of the UK's largest property programmes, HMRC Estates offers safe, inclusive workplaces and exceptional career development opportunities. Our team is dedicated to delivering high-quality, user-friendly services that enable our colleagues to thrive in an environment where they truly belong. Watch the video below to meet some of our team and come and discover a career in your hands at HMRC.

Build a Career in Property with HMRC Estates

HMRC Estates has delivered one of the largest property transformation programmes in the UK as part of Phase One of the Government Hubs Programme. Much of the estate now comprises newly built Grade A office accommodation.

The purpose of Estates is to provide HMRC with a property portfolio that is the right size, in the right locations and capable of meeting the current and future needs of HMRC's business areas. HMRC's estates and locations strategy supports the department's objective of providing a great place to work for colleagues.

A key part of this is delivering safe, modern, accessible and digitally enabled workplaces, supported by HMRC's market-leading Inclusive Design Guide. These workplaces are designed to provide attractive, productive and flexible working environments that support business performance and help attract and retain talent.

We have further new workplaces to create and also need to operate, maintain and continually improve our existing buildings whilst moving towards a more digitally enabled, data-driven and insight-led estate that reflects the ambitions of the Government Property Strategy.

Alongside the operation of an extensive national estate, HMRC continues to undertake workplace creation, refurbishment, asset replacement and building improvement activities. Estates is also committed to improving the systems, standards, governance arrangements, digital tools and assurance processes that support effective project delivery, operational management and continuous improvement across the estate.

Professional Services & Estates Assurance provides specialist expertise, assurance, contract management and intelligent client capability across the estate. Within this wider function, the Construction Assurance team supports capital investment, refurbishment, lifecycle, minor works and business-as-usual activities from project inception through to operational occupation and ongoing performance.

Job description

As a Construction Assurance Manager, you will provide design, construction and operational assurance across a broad range of built environment projects and estate activities.

You will act as part of HMRC's intelligent client function, supporting projects and operational workstreams from strategic briefing and scope development through design, procurement, delivery, handover and post-occupancy activities.

You will be responsible for preparing and developing scope documentation, consultant briefs, technical requirements, specifications and supporting information for a variety of activities. This may include consultant commissions, feasibility studies, option appraisals, minor works projects, lifecycle replacement activities, estate improvement initiatives and client-side guidance for recurring project delivery and technical matters.

Working collaboratively with project teams, consultants, contractors and specialist colleagues across Estates, you will review and challenge project scope, design proposals, delivery strategies, costs, programmes and risks to ensure activities are safe, compliant, deliverable and aligned with HMRC's operational requirements and estate standards.

You will support project teams in identifying and managing risks throughout the project lifecycle, recognising that successful outcomes are often determined during briefing, design development, planning, technical coordination and procurement, as much as during construction delivery.

Beyond individual projects, you will contribute to the continual improvement of HMRC's client-side capability through the development of standards, guidance, governance arrangements, digital tools, reporting processes and assurance approaches that improve consistency, efficiency and project outcomes across the estate.

Person specification

Responsibilities include:

Project Assurance and Technical Leadership

- Provide technical assurance across allocated construction and built environment activities throughout briefing, design, procurement, delivery and post-completion phases.

- Review and challenge project briefs, scope documents, design proposals, technical solutions, costs, programmes and delivery strategies.

- Prepare and contribute to consultant briefs, technical specifications, scopes of work and project requirements.

- Provide technical expertise and assurance to project and programme teams, supporting informed decision-making and successful project outcomes.

Project Delivery, Risk and Compliance

- Monitor project performance against agreed scope, cost, quality, programme and risk objectives.

- Coordinate and manage the outputs of external consultants, contractors and specialist suppliers.

- Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, HMRC governance requirements, design standards, CDM and statutory requirements.

- Support the management of project risks, issues, dependencies, operational readiness, handover and defects management activities.

Stakeholder Management and Reporting

- Build effective relationships with stakeholders, consultants, contractors and suppliers across a complex delivery environment.

- Review and interrogate project information and provide concise reporting and assurance updates to project, programme and governance boards.

- Translate technical information into clear advice, recommendations and decision-making outputs for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Continuous Improvement and Intelligent Client Capability

- Support the development of HMRC's intelligent client capability through the preparation of standards, guidance, templates and assurance processes.

- Contribute to the improvement of governance frameworks, project delivery processes, information management and digital ways of working.

- Identify and promote opportunities for continuous improvement across projects, programmes and estate activities.

The successful candidate will be required to obtain and maintain Security Check (SC) Clearance. Further details provided in the Additional Security information section.

Essential criteria:

• Degree-level qualification in a relevant built environment discipline, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.

• Experience of delivering or assuring built environment projects across multiple stages of the project lifecycle, from briefing and design through procurement, construction and handover.

• Experience of managing and coordinating external consultants, contractors and suppliers within a project environment.

• Experience of preparing consultant briefs, scopes of work, technical requirements or project specifications.

• Knowledge of professional services appointments and construction contracts, including commercial, contractual and performance management principles.

• Knowledge of project governance, risk management, programme management, quality management and statutory compliance requirements, including CDM.

• Strong stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills