Programme Governance and Reporting Manager - UKIFS

As an employee of UKIFS you will benefit from:

• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporate bonus scheme up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working options including family friendly policies.
• Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders 
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days in addition to UK bank holidays.
• Wide range of career development opportunities.
• A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive.

Please note this role will close on the 25th of September.

The salary for this role is 70505 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance) and onsite working is expected for 3 days each week. 

The Role:

As Programme Governance and Reporting Lead you will operate at a senior level to shape lead and embed a best-in-class programme governance and reporting infrastructure across the STEP programme - a multi-billion-pound high-complexity multi-partner initiative at the forefront of infrastructure and energy innovation. 

Working at the intersection of strategy delivery assurance and governance you will be responsible for developing and implementing robust programme governance structures board management processes and a strategic reporting framework that enables confident evidence-based decision-making at the highest levels. Your work will go far beyond data production - transforming information into insight and fostering a high-performance outcomes-focused culture. 

You will lead a small team and collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders - including UKIFS Executives Government partners (e.g. DESNZ NISTA) UKAEA and Industry Partners - to ensure governance and performance reporting aligns with organisational objectives and meets the needs of diverse audiences. 

To succeed in this role you will bring a confident blend of technical capability strategic thinking and interpersonal influence. Youll be comfortable engaging at executive and board levels challenging constructively and driving continuous improvement in how performance is measured reported and acted upon - helping to guide one of the most ambitious infrastructure and energy projects of our time. 

You will thrive in complexity drawing on a deep understanding of organisational systems and interdependencies to navigate ambiguity resolve challenges and shape solutions that are both analytically rigorous and creatively conceived. Your ability to integrate perspectives across business functions and time horizons will be key to ensuring STEPs governance and reporting infrastructure supports not just delivery but long-term strategic success.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Programme Governance Framework & Leadership: 

• Architect and continuously evolve a robust future-facing governance framework that underpins STEPs strategic objectives delivery model and risk appetite. 
• Lead the orchestration of STEP Board and Subcommittee governance ensuring alignment with national priorities programme milestones and cross-organisational interdependencies. 
• Lead the governance and reporting for the Full Business Case ensuring robust oversight strategic alignment and high-quality assurance across all decision-making forums. 
• Provide authoritative assurance to the Executive and Board that programme governance arrangements are not only compliant but actively enabling strategic decision-making risk mitigation and delivery confidence across a multi-billion-pound programme. 
• Apply structured principle-based reasoning to resolve complex governance challenges ensuring solutions are grounded in a deep conceptual understanding of programme dynamics and stakeholder needs. 

Reporting Strategy Insight & Decision:

• Own and drive the development of a strategic enterprise-level reporting and insight framework that integrates business planning delivery performance risk and benefits realisation. 
• Define and embed a suite of KPIs metrics and performance indicators that enable predictive insight strategic foresight and real-time assurance. 
• Lead the production of high-impact dashboards analytical briefings and performance narratives for Executive Board and Ministerial audiences - ensuring outputs are timely trusted and decision-ready. 
• Lead the collation and synthesis of information across all programme areas to develop the Full Business Case ensuring reporting outputs are comprehensive coherent and strategically aligned 
• Leverage data trends scenario modelling and conceptual analysis to inform long-term planning investment decisions and strategic interventions. 
• Ensure reporting frameworks support not just operational oversight but also strategic problem-solving and innovation across business functions. 

Leadership Culture & Capability Development: 

• Build lead and inspire a high-performing governance and reporting function setting the strategic direction and cultural tone for excellence innovation and accountability. 
• Actively mentor and develop talent across the organisation embedding a culture of insight-led decision-making continuous learning and cross-functional collaboration. 
• Champion a shift from reactive reporting to proactive performance management embedding governance and insight as core enablers of STEPs mission. 
• Foster an environment where analytical and creative thinking are valued equally encouraging teams to approach challenges from first principles and develop solutions that are both rigorous and imaginative. 

Stakeholder Engagement & Strategic Alignment:

• Act as a senior interface with UKAEA DESNZ NISTA and industry partners to ensure governance and reporting frameworks are aligned integrated and responsive to evolving stakeholder expectations. 
• Influence and shape external governance and assurance requirements ensuring STEP is positioned as a credible transparent and high-performing programme. 
• Translate complex governance and performance data into compelling accessible narratives for diverse audiences - from technical experts to Ministers and public stakeholders. 
• Navigate multi-stakeholder environments with a systems-level understanding integrating perspectives across disciplines to support coherent long-term strategic alignment. 

Data Strategy Systems & Integration: 

• Lead the development and implementation of a strategic data and reporting architecture that ensures data integrity traceability and interoperability across the programme. 
• Collaborate with IT data owners and delivery partners to embed enterprise-grade data governance automation and integration with wider programme management systems. 
• Oversee the design and evolution of dynamic user-centric dashboards and reporting tools (e.g. Power BI Tableau) ensuring they are scalable secure and strategically aligned. 
• Ensure data systems support cross-functional insight generation and enable decision-making rooted in conceptual clarity and long-term business value. 

Assurance Innovation & Continuous Improvement: 

• Lead cross-cutting initiatives to review assure and continuously improve governance and reporting standards tools and processes - ensuring they remain fit-for-purpose in a dynamic delivery environment. 
• Work in close partnership with risk assurance and programme teams to embed governance and reporting as core components of STEPs integrated delivery and assurance model. 
• Proactively identify emerging risks performance issues and strategic opportunities - providing timely evidence-based advice to the Executive and Board. 
• Encourage innovative approaches to assurance and reporting combining analytical rigour with creative thinking to solve complex problems and unlock strategic value. 

Embody a Leadership Mindset: 

• You embody a leadership mindset and a set of leadership behaviours.  You embrace and embody our organisations culture values and mission in all aspects of your work. 
• Foster a positive and inclusive team environment that aligns with our cultural values. 
• Create and support a culture of responsible innovation. 
• Contribute to maintaining a respectful and collaborative workplace valuing diversity and promoting teamwork. 
• Act as a cultural ambassador representing our organisations values and professionalism in interactions with colleagues clients and stakeholders. 
• Lead by example demonstrating The Seven Principles of Public Life - () 
• Make informed decisions and solve problems effectively considering diverse perspectives and organisational goals. 

The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of activities and you may be required to undertake other reasonable tasks or duties requested.