April 2013

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in this position with The Royal Parks. Please find attached an Application Pack. The pack contains an Overview of The Royal Parks, full job description and person specification, an Application Form and an ‘Employment Monitoring Questionnaire’. If you have any difficulty in opening or printing the forms please contact Human Resources at the below email address with re-confirmation of your postal address.

All being well, please complete and print the application and employment monitoring forms and return in hard copy to:

Human ResourcesThe Royal ParksOld Police HouseHyde ParkLondonW2 2UH

Or email your completed application to personnel1@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk , with postal copy to follow (if close to closing date) to reach us by the closing date given in the application pack.

The closing date for this application is 17:00 on Friday 26 th July 2013.

We will shortlist as soon as possible following the closing date and, regardless of the outcome, write to let you know the status of your application.

We wish you every success.

APPLICATION PACKFor the post of:

Grade IV

Construction Project Manager

Hyde Park

OVERVIEW OF THE ROYAL PARKS

The Royal Parks are:

St. James’s Park

The Green Park

Hyde Park

Kensington Gardens

Richmond Park

Greenwich Park

The Regent’s Park

Bushy Park

http://www.royalparks.org.uk

We also tend a number of other spaces in London, including Brompton Cemetery, the gardens of 10, 11 and 12 Downing Street, and Grosvenor Square Gardens.

Keeping 5,000 acres of urban parkland stocked with trees and other plants is no small task. We have our own nursery to meet the demand, and a dedicated team of plantsmen and Parks staff keep the Parks looking great all year round.

Part of our remit is to conserve the Parks for future generations. We have a "Green Housekeeping Committee", which looks at how we can reduce the impact we have on the local and wider environment. We also have an Ecology Officer, who advises on habitat management, sustainability, and biodiversity.

The Royal Parks is an executive agency of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Our Purpose & Objectives

"To manage the Royal Parks effectively and efficiently; balancing the responsibility to conserve and enhance these unique environments with creative policies to encourage access and to increase opportunities for enjoyment, education, entertainment and healthy recreation."

Our Corporate Objectives

Conserve and enhance the natural and build environment, historic landscape and bio-diversity of the parks for the benefit of current visitors and future generations;

Deliver a broad array of activities and amenities for our diverse audiences;

Improve organisational effectiveness and deliver better value for money.

Ministerial Relationship

The Royal Parks is an Executive Agency of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The Parks are owned by the Monarch in right of the Crown. The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the management of the parks. The Chief Executive of the Agency (Mark Camley) is responsible for operational decisions.

Structure

The Royal Parks currently employs approximately 120 staff, approximately half in HQ and the rest in the individual parks. Our headquarters is in the Old Police House, Hyde Park. There is a park office and police station in each park.

Much of the work carried out within the Royal Parks such as grounds, works and tree maintenance is contracted out. Many of the services provided for the public in the Parks - catering, boating, deck chairs and some sports (golf, tennis, bowling, swimming in the Serpentine) - are carried out by licence concessionaires.

Responsibility for policing the parks rests with the Metropolitan Police Service.

The Royal Parks Foundation

Registered as a charity in May 2003, the Foundation has the charitable objectives of raising funds to: broaden public access to the Parks; educate, informing and engaging people from all

walks of life; conserve and improving the natural and built

environment; protect wildlife, increasing biodiversity and promoting

sustainability.

APPLICATION FORMCONFIDENTIAL APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

The Royal Parks is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff or users of its services. Recruitment and selection decisions are made purely on merit as the result of fair and open competition. We are committed to equality of opportunity for the advancement of employees including promotion and training and do not discriminate against any person because of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or responsibility for dependants, age, physical/mental disability or offending background.

Candidates have the right to complain if they feel they have been unfairly treated in the recruitment process. In this instance candidates should address their complaint in writing, including any evidence supporting their case, to: Head of HR, The Old Police House, Hyde Park, London. W2 2UH. We will aim to respond to any complaints in writing within 10 working days.

If candidates are not satisfied with the response from The Royal Park they should refer their complaint to The Civil Service Commission. More information on this is available at:http://www.civilservicecommission.org.uk/Recruitment/Complaints_Recruitment_Principles/

Position applied for: Reference Number Available to take up employment (date):

1. PERSONAL DETAILSTitle:

Surname:

Forenames

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone (Daytime Contact Number/s):

Email Address:

Have you a full current driving licence? YES NO

Are you currently a Civil Servant? YES NO

Have you ever been a Civil Servant YES NO (if Yes, please give details below)

2. EDUCATION A) Secondary Education

School name/addressDates

Examinations (subject/result, etc.)From To

B) Further Education and Training

University/college nameDates Type

of Cours

e

SubjectsQualifications or class of degreeFrom To

C) Occupational Qualifications/Institute Membership/Membership of Professional Organisations

College/Institute or other name

DatesQualification/levelFrom To

3. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Please provide details over the last 10 years, including any unpaid or voluntary work, listing present or most recent employer first. Any gaps in employment dates should be explained. If you have any particularly relevant experience dating beyond the last 10 years please include this.

Current salary and benefits Notice or salary when last employed required

From/ToDates

Name and address of employer and type of

businessJob title and main duties

Reason for leaving

Continue on a separate sheet if necessary

GENERAL

4. REASON FOR APPLICATION – Skills, Qualities and Experience

In this part we want you to highlight your skills, qualities and experience. The competencies relevant to the post you are applying for are listed in the Person Specification on the job description enclosed. For each competency below please give specific examples in no more than 200 words about a time either at work, volunteering or in your personal life that demonstrate how you meet the essential

criteria required to do the job. The relevant competencies you need to address in the section are highlighted RED in the person specification:

INFLUENCING:

TEAM WORKING:

COMMERCIAL AWARENESS:

STRATEGIC THINKING:

RESULTS FOCUS:

5. PERSONAL STATEMENT

This is your opportunity to tell us why you think we should select you and why you want the job. You must also demonstrate in no more than 500 words how your experience meets the SPECIFIC ROLE COMPETENCIES (HIGHLIGHTED RED ONLY)

in the person specification attached. You may also wish to include experiences and/or personal interests which are relevant and meet the requirements of the post.

6. ATTENDANCE RECORDIf you wish to comment on any extended absences from the office, please do so here.

7. PART TIMEIf you are part time, please state the number of hours that you are able to work and also please confirm if you would consider job share.

8. REFEREES

Please give us the contact details of your all your employers over the past 3 years.

Name: Name:

Address: Address:

Postcode: Postcode:

Occupation: Occupation:

Email: Email:

Telephone No: Telephone No:

Your present employer and these referees will not be contacted without your prior consent.

9. DECLARATION I confirm that the information given on this form is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true and accurate. Should any information provided be found to be false then it may constitute an offence under the Fraud Act 2006 and the appropriate legal action may be taken. Please note that that information you provide may be shared with other public bodies should you apply for another post with them.

Signature __________________________________ Date:

10. LINE MANAGER’S ASSESSMENT OF SUITABILITY (or Countersigning Officer if Line Manager not available)If you are currently employed as a Civil Servant you will be required to complete this section in full. Please also attach your last 2 years appraisal reports.

External candidates should proceed directly to section 12. 1) I consider this applicant to be:

Highly suitable Suitable Unsuitable I am unable to judge

Please comment on your assessment drawing attention to the applicant’s experience/special qualities for the post. If you are unable to judge the applicant’s suitability, please give reasons:Please comment on your promotion assessment:

To be completed only if applicant is applying for trawled post on promotion.

2)Do you consider the applicant to have the skills and experience to perform at the higher grade they have applied for?

Yes No

Signed: Grade: Date:

Name (in block capitals)

Line Manager/Countersigning Officer for years months

11. DIVERSITY FORM A Section A: Your Details

Surname: Forenames: Title:

Date Of Birth: Gender: Male FemaleGender Identity: (optional) If you identify as transsexual or transgender (in that you have effected a permanent change of gender identity) or as inter-sex, which group do you identify with? Where did you see/hear about this vacancy?

Section B: Disability

The Royal Parks wish to encourage suitably qualified people with disabilities to apply for jobs. All information will be treated in strictest confidence.

Do you consider that you have a disability? Yes No Prefer not to say

What is the nature of your disability?

Please give details of any special needs or requirements that you may need us to make if you are invited to interview/offered employment:

Section C: Religion or Belief and Sexual Orientation

Which religion or belief do you most associate with? Please tick one box only.

No religion Bahai Buddhist Christian Jain Jewish

Muslim Sikh Other Prefer not to say

Which sexual orientation do you most associate with? Please tick one box only.

Bisexual Gay Man Gay Woman/Lesbian Heterosexual/straight

Prefer not to say

Section D: National Identity and Ethnic Identity

Which National Identity do you most identify with? Please tick one box only.

British or Mixed British English Irish Scottish Welsh

Or any other(specify if you wish)

Which Ethnic Background do you most identify with? Please tick one box only.ASIANBangladeshi Indian Pakistani Other Asian Background (specify if you wish)

BLACKAfrican Caribbean Any other Black background (specify if you wish)

CHINESEAny Chinese background specify if you wish)

MIXED ETHNIC BACKGROUNDAsian & White Black African & White Black Caribbean & White Any other mixed ethnic background (specify if you wish)

WHITE: Any White background (specify if you wish)

ANY OTHER ETHNIC BACKGROUND (specify if you wish)

Job Title: Construction Project Manager

Grade & Salary: IV £39,940 - £50,040

Location: The Old Police House, Hyde Park, London

Main Purpose of the Job:

The Royal Parks (TRP) is an executive agency of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The agency manages eight of London’s best loved and most famous parks, including The Regent’s Park and Hyde Park. Over the past 7 years The Royal Parks have successfully raised their self-generated income from £5m to £18m pa, and have attracted millions of pounds of external investment into our parks. The work of the Programmes and Projects team has helped to deliver much of this improvement. As the economic times get more challenging, this role gets even more important.

The Construction Project Manager (CPM) will take the lead on the project management of a range of projects and programmes whose key objectives are to:

Raise levels of self generated sustainable income Raise asset values Attract partnership funding Positively address our accumulated works backlog Improve public service

The CPM will engage with and manage stakeholder relationships, working closely with key internal stakeholders like the Board and Executive Committee together with other key roles such as the Park Managers, Works Manager, and many others specialists. Important external relationships include our parent department DCMS, GLA, MPs and councillors, Friends groups, the general public, Local Authority planners, English Heritage and many others.

The post- holder will report to the Director of Programmes, Projects and IS and will be responsible for the line-management of a full time Project Support Officer.

Main Duties/Responsibilities:

1. Project Management / Sponsorship of construction projects enabling income generating including partnership and lottery supported projects. You can expect to be working on a range of largely public facing projects ranging from cafes / restaurants to galleries or sports facilities. Current examples include:

Richmond Park Golf Courses – new pavilion and course improvements as part of a PPP type arrangement

Better Buildings Programme – Hyde Park Nursery – investigation into future uses

Better Buildings Programme – Magazine Building – conversion into a art gallery – PPP type

Better Buildings Programme – Lodges projects – refurbishing and placing on the commercial market

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park – Heritage Lottery Fund supported project

2. Programme Management of Better Buildings Programme. The Better Buildings Programme is designed to better use our building stock – improving condition and generating sustainable income. The projects will frequently result in improved public services. You will operate as programme manager.

3. Project and Programme management development. You will use your expertise in project and programme management to advise and support colleagues across the organisation. Over the past 5 years the standard of project management has greatly improved having adopted a tailored Prince2 approach. Together with the Director of Programmes, Projects and IS you will maintain and improve the project management method, taking into account lessons learned on previous projects. You will maintain a best practice section of the proposed Royal Parks intranet and will work to improve and support the development of the TRP project management community.

4. Ownership of Project Support framework agreement. The Royal Parks have benefited from having such a framework in place since 1997. The post holder will own the relationship with the support contractor.

5. Maintenance of TRP project register. The register has been in place for about a year now and provides a status update on organisational projects to The Royal Parks Executive Committee, Board and Audit Committee. The project support officer is responsible for the quarterly production of the register and you will provide senior oversight of that process and provide intelligent analysis of any issues arising. This may involve you in undertaking project health checks.

6. Gateway Reviews and Healthchecks. You will be occasionally required to undertake reviews of other internal projects at key stages.

7. Health and safety. You will be aware of your responsibilities as described in the H&S Manual and summarised in the H&S handbook. This will include your role in respect of CDM Regulations.

Person Specification:

Competencies/Selection Criteria Essential/

Desirable

InfluencingA sound knowledge of business case development techniques, ideally in the public sector, and experience of preparing them.

D

A confident and competent project or programme leader you will be able to influence at all levels internally and externally

E

Team WorkingAn experienced client side project manager, you will know the value of fully engaging team colleagues and key stakeholders

D

You will be recognised widely as an individual who is a valuable source of advice and support and will promote a culture of openness.

E

CommunicationPresents with impact in a variety of settings inside and outside the organisation.

D

You will be aware of the value of openness and good communications in securing better project outcomes.

D

Commercial AwarenessSuccessful experience of working to deliver successful, construction enabled, commercial relationships

E

Prepares clear, compelling business cases, using sound cost/benefit analysis and affordability to reach conclusions

D

Customer FocusManages internal and external suppliers to ensure Royal Parks needs are met

D

Strategic ThinkingAbility to identify and develop the potential income generation and efficiency benefits that projects can deliver.

E

People LeadershipCoaches and develops others, encouraging them to try new things

D

Results FocusOrganises and prioritises resources and assigns responsibility to ensure short and long term targets are met

E

Specific Role CompetenciesPrince2 Practitioner /or Project Management Graduate with 5 years minimum post-qualification PPM experience

E

Experience of working within historic environments DExperience of the Gateway Review process or similar processes

D