IMPORTANT: This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders. Other applicants need not apply.
Department: Communications and Engagement
Reporting to: Head of Digital
Salary: Circa £35,000 per annum
Based: Grantham
Position: Fixed Term Contract (12 - 18 Months) with the potential to become permanent.
Closing Date: Sunday 11th December 2011
Background:
This post forms part of our revamped digital team which manages the Trust’s digital presence and engagement with members, supporters, our target audience groups and the wider public. Departments across the Trust are placing an increasing reliance on the Digital Team to support delivery of their objectives, so detailed and professional management of projects is paramount if we are to meet their needs
Summary:
Ensure that the Digital Infrastructure meets the needs of the organisation through effective management of resources and collaborative working with stakeholders and colleagues.
Duties:
Provide leadership for the maintenance and development of Digital Systems
- Lead the development of IS architecture that delivers Digital Services and policies.
- Agree SLAs with IS for system performance and availability and hold IS accountable for delivery
- Establish and ensure best practice development and maintenance procedures
- Ensure that Digital Systems and plans are understood to the degree necessary by stakeholders
- Represent the needs of the Digital team across the Trust (e.g. on IS steering group / key project steering groups)Support and advise the Digital team, Communications Managers and other Project Managers on all Digital / Technical issues relating to the full and timely delivery of projects.
- Form the link between technical and non-technical operating environments
- Manage Technical Project Manager and Project Coordinator
- Oversee management of relationships with external providers of systems (e.g. analytics, email, social media...) and IS.
Provide leadership for the architecture and design of Digital Systems
- Maintain a clear understanding and documentation of the current digital architecture and systems
- Develop and maintain digital architecture plan to meet the foreseen needs of the business
- Develop and maintain the system development roadmap
- Gain agreement to the plan and communicate to Management Team level (IS steering group)
- Support and advise Technical Manager and Project Analysts on Digital / Technical issues relating to the full and timely delivery of projects.
- Form the link between long and short term technical development plans through strong links with the IS Development Manager and Technical Manager
- Contribute to project meetings ensuring all issues identified are raised and addressed, and actions are undertaken as agreed.
- Ensure that digital processes and systems abide by UK law and appropriate regulations
- Communicate, train and coach employees across the trust at all levels on the technical, process and policy aspects of Digital Systems.
Act in role of technical analyst for major Digital Projects
- Work with all stakeholders to develop a clear documented understanding of technical needs, capabilities and opportunities
- Develop Statement of Requirements and ensure that specifications developed in response are aligned.
- Ensure that SORs and Specifications are aligned with Digital Architecture plan and established policies
- Oversee and manage (or in some cases directly implement) the testing process from design through to issue resolution
- Advising on the appropriate test strategy for all major projects
- Support Project Management practices (as agreed with Technical Project Manager)
- Work closely with project team and stakeholders, developing effective working relationships and on-going management processes for the project.
- Hold regular status meetings with project team and facilitate effectively. Hold project reviews, record actions and expedite.
- Effectively apply agreed methodologies and enforce project standards.
- Prepare for project reviews and quality assurance procedures.
- Ensure project documents are complete, current, and stored appropriately.
Manage the Portfolio of Digital Technical Projects
- Maintain live list of potential and in-process Digital Technical projects
- Ensure that projects gain appropriate stakeholder agreement and involvement throughout the process
- Ensure that innovation projects are included in the Technical resource plan.
- Measure, analyse, and communicate the results of projects to stakeholders
- Act as first and main Digital point of contact for Communications Managers in identifying the technical impacts of managing innovative ideas.
Skills/ Experience:
Qualities Required:
- The ability to foster motivation within a diverse and cross organisational project team to resolve differences, find effective solutions, and meet tight deadlines.
- Ability to thrive in both technical and non-technical environments, understanding the languages and priorities of each
- The ability to be objective, and solution focused
- The ability to communicate technical matters clearly to non-technical people
- The ability to quickly assimilate information, understand the implications and articulate this to key stakeholders.
- The ability to have a strong impact and influence key decisions.
- An excellent facilitator with tact, diplomacy and negotiation skills, able to overcome sensitivities and differences of perception to achieve solutions.
- Ability to deal with demanding customers firmly and politely
- An excellent communicator, able to speak and write with authority.
Knowledge Required:
- Familiarity with MS Project, Excel, on-line workflow systems
- Thorough Project management experience with the ability to implement the appropriate project methodology (e.g. Prince, Agile,) and a detailed understanding of the end to end project life cycle for digital projects
- Deep and extensive understanding of Digital systems and architectures.
- Possesses a high level of understanding in the areas of web development, database and system design, systems integration, and solutions architecture
- Good understanding of accessibility and usability and the role technical development plays in meeting recognised standards
Experience Required:
- A proven track record of successful project implementation in a web / software environment.
- Experience of playing a pivotal role in diverse teams comprising of technical and non-technical stakeholders (without direct authority)
- Experience of working in a fast moving operating environment that relies in part upon partners with other priorities.
- Experience of projects that are focused on involving end users in the development process
- Experience of project implementation through to testing and client acceptance.
- Experience in a Busines Analysis Role an advantage (Business case development, Benefits case, systems reportingetc)
The post holder is expected to demonstrate alignment to, and willingness to support, the organisations purpose and aims and commitment to its values and behaviours
We all have a duty to ensure that our acts or omissions at work do not impact on the health and safety of others and ourselves and that we abide by any safety measures as directed and in accordance with the Woodland Trust Health & Safety Policy.
The list of tasks shown above is not exclusive nor does their order indicate the priority attached to them.
The job holder may, therefore, be required to perform other duties which may reasonably be assigned to them by their manager or supervisor.
The Woodland Trust aims to ensure that no job applicant or worker receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, gender orientation, nationality, religion or belief (or lack of belief), ethnic or national origin, age, gender, gender reassignment or marital status, sexual orientation or disability.
Selection criteria and procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure that individuals are treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. A copy of our Equal Opportunities Policy is available on request.
