Project Director Capital Planner

Hours of Work: Full-Time

Location: Greater Belfast

Closing Date/Time: 26/08/2025 3:00pm

Reference Number: HRPDCP2825

Job Background:

The role holder will provide strategic leadership in the planning and delivery of complex, high-value capital projects that are central to the future infrastructure of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). This role is critical in aligning capital investment with the organisation’s long-term strategic, operational, and estate goals.

The role holder will lead significant capital projects including:

1. A new Police College providing modern, fit-for-purpose training and operational facilities.

2. Crime Campus, supporting the rationalisation of the Belfast estate and new operating model(s).

3. A new Police Museum, designed to preserve and present the history of policing in Northern Ireland as an inclusive educational and cultural resource.

These projects support key recommendations from the Patten Report (1999), including the need for purpose-built training facilities and a neutral, accessible space to explore the full history of policing in a divided society.

The Project Director will be responsible for scoping, designing, and implementing the capital programmes, including developing business cases, securing funding approvals, managing multidisciplinary teams, and overseeing project delivery. This will involve establishing effective project governance, managing risk, monitoring budgets, and ensuring compliance with legal, environmental, and safety standards.

In addition, the role holder will lead the development of a long-term capital planning programme to support financial planning beyond the annual budget cycle, helping to shape multi-year investment strategies for the PSNI estate.

Given the scale, profile, and anticipated public interest in these flagship projects, the role requires a proven track record in delivering large-scale capital programmes, along with strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and communication capabilities.

Hours of Work: Monday – Friday 37 hours (with a requirement to work outside office hours when necessary to meet the demands of the role).

Flexible hours and part time working may be considered with minimum requirements anticipated as not less than 30 hours per week.

Salary: £73,577 - £77,904 plus £1365 environmental allowance.

Other: PSNI may be willing to consider appointment on a secondment basis from other bodies.

Main Activities:

The main duties and responsibilities associated with the role include the following:

Project Management

Oversee the full lifecycle of major capital projects, from business case development through to delivery, handover, and closure.
Ensure business cases meet DOJ, PSNI, and NIPB standards, securing all necessary internal and external approvals.
Establish and maintain strong project governance arrangements to ensure delivery against timelines, targets, and stakeholder expectations.
Lead risk management, feasibility assessments, and the implementation of performance frameworks to support informed decision-making.
Coordinate with operational departments to facilitate site changes and relocations as needed.
Provide business partnering and challenge to project teams, promoting innovative, outcome-focused solutions.
Apply strategic analysis to planning and transactions, particularly relating to the new college site and other priority developments.
Contribute to project and organisational risk management processes, including development of risk registers.

Planning and Performance

Drive the creation and implementation of strategic policies that underpin the successful delivery of capital projects.
Provide leadership in capital planning, stakeholder engagement, and resolution of complex project issues.
Act as lead liaison to the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) Resources Committee on designated capital projects.
Identify capacity and capability gaps that could impact the delivery of programme objectives.
Lead performance assurance processes through the Capital Working Group, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
Contribute to PSNI’s Service Management Statement by supporting effective demand and capacity modelling.
Work with senior leaders to align capital planning with the Policing Plan and operational priorities.
Deliver progress reports and presentations to key stakeholders including internal boards and the NIPB.
Lead engagement with DOJ and DOF on business case development and approvals.
Support the development of team capabilities in strategic planning, business case development, and project management.

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaborative Working

Build and maintain effective relationships across internal and external stakeholders to support capital project delivery.
Provide strategic advice and insight to executive leadership on capital planning and infrastructure delivery.
Lead consultations and negotiations to ensure stakeholder needs are met within budget and timeline constraints.
Represent PSNI in reporting to oversight bodies such as DOJ, DOF, and the NIPB on project progress and accountability.
Engage with government departments and key partners to manage project risks and resources effectively.
Benchmark with external policing and public sector organisations to incorporate best practices into project delivery.
Collaborate with PSNI departments to provide high-quality data and insights that inform executive briefings.
Represent PSNI nationally and regionally on matters relating to planning and delivery of capital projects.
Work collaboratively across Strategic Planning and Transformation functions to ensure capital programmes support broader transformation goals.
Influence a culture of innovation, helping to shape PSNI’s future strategic direction and capability.

Budget and Resources

Manage and oversee large-scale capital budgets (c. £200m and c. £10m), ensuring financial control and accountability throughout project lifecycles.
Prepare and present financial models and option appraisals to support effective investment decisions including Invest to Save (ITS) opportunities.
Influence resource allocation across departments to align with project and organisational priorities.
Lead procurement, appointment, and management of contractors, design teams, and external advisors.
Monitor and report on project expenditure, ensuring compliance with public funding standards and regulations.
Develop funding proposals and pursue external funding opportunities to support capital project affordability.
Ensure value for money through efficient resource use and competitive procurement processes.
Identify and mitigate financial and delivery risks, ensuring accurate forecasting and transparent reporting.
Ensure all project documentation meets regulatory, auditing, and governance requirements.

This Job Description reflects the main duties and responsibilities associated with this position. It is not intended to be exclusive or exhaustive.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications

Degree or equivalent qualification.
A recognised Project Management qualification e.g. Prince2.

Essential Skills and Experience

A minimum of 3 years proven experience leading the successful delivery of large-scale capital projects (valued at £10 million or more) within a complex organisation (300+ employees).
Demonstrable experience in developing business cases using the Department of Finance’s Five Case Model or equivalent public-sector investment frameworks.
Strong leadership skills, with experience managing multidisciplinary teams and driving performance aligned with strategic goals.
Track record in effective financial oversight, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control for major capital investments.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly to senior non-technical stakeholders.
Experience influencing and negotiating with senior internal and external stakeholders, including government departments or oversight bodies.
Ability to assess and manage risk, ensuring project governance and delivery within time and budget constraints.

Essential Other

IT literate specifically in the use of the Microsoft Office suite (including MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel and MS Outlook).
The successful candidate must have access to a form of transport which will enable them to fulfil the responsibilities of the job in full.

Desirable Skills & Experience

Experience in securing external funding or developing strategic partnerships to support capital project affordability.

Shortlisting will be carried out based on essential criteria. Please note in some instances, for example, where there is a high volume of applicants, desirable criteria may be assessed.

Successful applicants will be retained on a merit list for future opportunities arising.

We would encourage you to check the spam within your email system for any relevant correspondence.

Selection Methodology

PSNI uses the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) which sets out nationally recognised behaviours and values to support all policing professionals. You will be assessed against the values and at the competencies level as indicated below. This will include both past and future focused questions. Further guidance and information about the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) is available here on our website. Please use 2024 CVF for this role.

Applicants meeting the eligibility criteria and essential qualifications, skills and experience will be required to demonstrate their experience for the following criteria:

Competency and Values Based Interview

Values

Courage and Integrity
Public Service

Competencies – Level 3

We Collaborate
We Support and Inspire
We Take Ownership
We Analyse Critically

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: £73,577.00-£77,904.00 per year

Work Location: In person

Police Service of Northern Ireland

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