Project Monitoring Assisistant

Overview
Our Client is a national organisation, delivering a comprehensive and flexible range of property services, tailored to meet the needs of both public and private sector clients across the UK. The companies within Group are wholly owned by the public sector, with partner authorities enjoying a share in the companies’ success.

Reporting Arrangements and Main Contacts
The Project Monitoring Assistant will report into the Associate – Resource Management, but provide direct support to Team Leaders and other managers/staff. The key purpose of the role is to drive the management and efficiency of programmes of work through the provision of accurate and comprehensive business management information and advisory input in respect of resources, fees and performance management, working with and through the professional teams to ensure and maximise the integrity of the data. The post also involves working with the key client organisation at both a senior managerial and technical level.

Main Tasks and Accountabilities
1. Programme / Project Management of programmes of work for the duration of the programme including monitoring and reviewing project budget, and programme
• To assist the client and ensure that a project/programme brief is developed, that is thorough and is clearly understood by all parties
• To ensure that the Client’s requirements (developed through the brief) are met with regard to the project budget, the overall programme and the construction of the project.
• To ensure that detailed project programmes and budgets are prepared and approved by the client
• Ensure effective co-ordination of communication among the design team
• Prepare and issue regular reports, to managers, staff and clients
• Input to regular programme management and resourcing meetings with the design team
• Ensure the delivery of Capital and Maintenance programmes is in accordance with the Service Level Agreement
• To help ensure the competitive, efficient and effective delivery of property services to all clients
• To prepare all major fee proposals, ensuring a commission and resource plan are in place, in association with other staff in the office. To contribute to service and fee reviews.
• Progress the resourcing of projects and monitoring delivery including issuing progress reports to support timely and efficient delivery on projects.

2. Income Generation
• Using depth of knowledge of the business and client to spot areas of potential under-claim and ensuring these are corrected directly with managers concerned and/or brought to senior management attention • Generation and sending out the pre-billing reports. Co-ordination and quality control of returns and entry onto database
• Identification, query and correction of anomalies in project data provided by teams
• Output and formatting of project information to Finance as basis for invoices/claims

3. Advisory Provision
• Advice to project staff on parameters and levels of charge and invoicing according to type of project
• Advice to Client regarding basis and structure of charging
• Proactive advice to Team Leaders and Project Leaders with regard to costs and productivity of projects/teams
• Support to Team Leaders/Project Leaders in client and team meetings regarding matters relating to Project costs and income
• Knowledge transfer of lessons from previous project performance in the bidding, setting up and running of new projects
• General advice on usage of Timemaster system

4. Report Provision
• Generation of base information for financial WIP and P&L information at project level
• Lead contact regarding Project and WIP data supporting information with external financial auditors
• Prepare management information for the monthly management meetings and other meetings are required
• Provision of and advice on standard reports to Project and Team Managers
• Production of fee forecast information for existing projects
• Staff time/absence and related information reports to Managers
• Response to ad-hoc requests for information

5. Project Entry
• Quality control of integrity of project information
• Project Creation – including project creation and set-up, programming, resourcing, fee allocation
• Maintaining project information in light of revisions

6. To ensure/contribute/lead on the delivery of quality assured, client focused products and services to meet the agreed requirements of the customer.
7. To contribute to the operation and development of the Business Management System to ensure the continuous improvement of quality assured services/products for clients.
8. To carry out other duties appropriate to the level and character of the post.
9. Comply with policies, procedures and guidelines including the Health and Safety Policy.

Key Result Areas
The provision of effective project and programme management support to Managers and staff in the operational management of the business. Support bringing the whole business into a single cohesive and effective multi- disciplinary consultancy. The postholder will be expected to ensure that:
1. Monthly fees are maximised against all claimable activities
2. Staff resourcing data is accurate and updated regularly
3. WIP information is accurate and supported by appropriate resource plans with no significant adjustments required post audit
4. The Fee Forecasting process is supported and completed in agreed timescales
5. Project data is accurate and updated in timely fashion
6. Project Leaders and Management are enabled to make appropriate and beneficial use of timemaster system
General Job descriptions are a reflection of the character and work priorities at a given point in time and it will be essential to review duties and responsibilities, in consultation with the postholder, from time to time. The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) places responsibilities for Health and Safety on all employees. Therefore it is the postholder’s responsibility to take reasonable care for the Health, Safety and Welfare of themselves and others in accordance with Legislation and the Company policy on Health & Safety. The postholder is required at all times to comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and with any policy introduced to comply with the Act.

Experience
• Previous experience working within a Project Monitoring role with a strong working knowledge of a project costing system.
• Experience in working to agreed targets within a commercial environment.

Qualifications
• AAT qualified or working towards one.

Skills, knowledge and aptitudes
• Must be able to work unsupervised to a high quality
• Able to meet tight deadlines
• A responsive, constructive and flexible attitude towards working arrangements within a team environment
• Strong organisational skills.
• Proficient in using Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to understand IT systems and their integrations and provide training and support with confidence to system users.
• Able to demonstrate business acumen.

Personal qualities and social skills
• Demonstrate ability and commitment to customer care.
• Adaptable to the various duties of the post.
• Must have a commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity.
• Ability to work on own initiative as an individual or as a team member.
• Self motivated.
• Excellent social and communication skills across all levels of an organisation including local Project Leads, Group Central Revenue team and clients as necessary.