Major Programmes Director

Advert Close date 30th April 2026

Purpose of Role: This role will combine a strong delivery focus for Marine major programmes with leadership and accountability for provision of expert project management to all programme and project delivery within Marine. The role will ensure efficient project management, effective resource management, robust risk management, and compliance with health, safety, and sustainability standards for marine projects and programmes. By driving excellence in project finances, contracting, and reporting, this role will lead our teams towards impactful project outcomes.

This role is responsible for leading the delivery of one or more priority strategic programmes within The Crown Estate’s Marine business, supporting organisational strategy and relevant UK Government objectives.

In addition, the role acts as the senior professional leader for programme and project delivery within Marine, with explicit accountability for building and sustaining a high‑performing, professional community of programme and project managers. It owns delivery quality, standards and capability, ensuring programmes are set up for success, governed proportionately, and delivered with confidence, pace and rigour.

Main accountabilities:

• Provide senior leadership for the delivery, quality and professional standards of strategic marine programmes, leading and developing a high‑performing community of programme and project managers; setting clear expectations for delivery discipline and behaviours; owning delivery quality and assurance; ensuring consistent application of programme and project management standards; and intervening where delivery confidence, capability or rigour is at risk.

• Demand Management and Resourcing:  Oversee demand requirements and resource allocation to ensure the right resources are available for successful project execution, optimising efficiency and effectiveness.

• Enhancing Project Management Capability: Play a pivotal role in enhancing project management capabilities within the Marine team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and skill development.

• Driving Enterprise Priorities: Enable the implementation of strategic priorities set by SBU and enterprise levels, such as Sustainability, Health & Safety, and more, to contribute to the organisation's growth and impact.

• Leadership and Governance: Provide strong visible leadership with internal and external stakeholders and customers. Ensure robust programme governance to manage reporting, plans, risk, issues, dependencies, change control, quality, and finances.

• Stakeholder Management: Build effective delivery partnerships with Group Partners; Corporate Affairs, Legal, Finance, People, and Digital.

• Risk Management: Manage risks and opportunities associated with the evolution of the programme in line with TCE Marine Strategy.

• Resource Strategy: Develop strategies to ensure the programme is appropriately resourced across various projects and that prioritisation of activity is undertaken to ensure successful delivery of programme objectives.

• Team Leadership: Provide effective leadership, direction, and support to the programme team by providing effective coaching, mentoring, training, and development which develops diverse talent, delivers exceptional performance, and provides succession for the Group.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Extensive experience in project management, including a track record of overseeing complex programmes and projects.

• Strong understanding of project management methodologies, risk assessment, and reporting

• Proficiency in contract management, compliance, health and safety regulations, and sustainability practices

• Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to guide and inspire cross-functional teams

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, for effective collaboration and reporting

• Strategic leadership and management experience

Experience

• Working on/ alongside major capital programmes (typically multi-million £, multi-year programmes with a focus on infrastructure or technology, within complex stakeholder environments).

• Collaboration with external parties and/or delivery of engagement activity to enable understanding of customer or stakeholder needs

• Working as part of a diverse and high-performing team, working across multiple disciplines

• Development of papers and briefs that have supported executive decision making.

Our Offering / benefits:

As well as a competitive salary, pension and performance related bonus offering, we have a wealth of benefits available ranging from flexible working; market leading family policies and shopping discounts in the West End, to private healthcare; life and critical illness cover and 28 days holiday with the option to buy more. We value work life balance and your wellbeing highly, enabling you to be your best self to work.

Disability Disclaimer:

We are a proud disability confident employer and operate the offer of interview scheme Disability Confident employer scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

We are happy to offer alternative application methods or formats and can be flexible on our process to enable you to have the best opportunity.

If you have any questions about our recruitment process or would like to talk about adjustments, please contact us directly.