Head of Investment, Analysis & Sponsorship

Lead the Analysis Portfolio and Investment (API) Practice within the Asset and Network Planning directorate for the M25 Strategic Road Network translating asset condition performance risk cost intelligence and whole-life carbon impacts into contract-compliant investment strategies effective maintenance approaches and efficient renewal programmes. The role spans Asset Data Intelligence Lifecycle Planning & Prioritisation Decision Support and Asset Strategy. Accountable for the quality and defensibility of the data models and recommendations that shape investment decisions to handback. A senior hands-on role in a small high-performing team contributing directly to analysis and assurance leading complex stakeholder engagement and briefing senior leaders and the client with clear evidence-based advice. Success looks like auditable decisions with a clear line of sight from need to outcome trusted tools aligned to real performance plans delivered on time with minimal rework and strong stakeholder confidence.

DIMENSIONS

Analytical ownership and assurance for a long-term investment portfolio of circa 500m including Pre-Defined Assets margin review inputs.

Circa 3 direct reports circa 10 staff in the practice including investment & data analysts lifecycle planners and DST specialists.

Primary outputs lifecycle investment profiles to handback portfolio priorities and sponsorship decisions investment plan assurance and sign-off and evidence packs for governance and contractual reporting.

INTERFACES INTERNAL:

Director of A&NP and A&NP leadership team.

Asset Management Teams (all asset classes including Technology and Tunnels M&E).

Asset Delivery (Engineering design programme planning and project managers).

Finance Commercial Operations and Performance (affordability change defects and regimes).

EXTERNAL:

Connect Plus (DBFO Co) investment commercial and governance leads.

National Highways client stakeholders and assurance teams.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

1) Leadership and business unit management Lead and govern the API practice setting priorities and standards and owning products service outputs assurance peer review and sign-off routes. Act as technical authority and stay hands-on contributing to delivery (analysis authoring signoff and senior presentations) to produce robust and defensible investment recommendations to stakeholders.

2) Lifecycle planning and decision support Own and operate lifecycle decision support tools forecasting deterioration optimising interventions and profiling investment to handback. Define and assure model logic assumptions and constraints keeping tools current and aligned to observed asset performance. Sign off outputs for contractual compliance and defensibility (Schedule 14 ACCP handback) including scenario sensitivity and risk analysis where needed. Embed whole-life carbon accounting within lifecycle planning and option appraisal and where relevant assess wider environmental impacts (for example air quality and noise) ensuring impacts are quantified comparable across options and used alongside cost risk and performance in recommendations.

3) Asset investment strategy Own and deliver the annual AMFP coordinating inputs across CPS CP supply chain and client stakeholders to produce a coherent assured and defensible plan on time. Act as a trusted focal point for internal and external stakeholders leading responses to complex investment and strategy questions with clear evidence-based advice. Develop and embed TOTEX-based investment strategies translating objectives into practical decision rules investment pathways and funding profiles. Work in close partnership with the Head of Asset Management Asset Sponsors and Asset Managers to shape investment justification prioritisation criteria condition methodologies maintenance and renewal approaches and performance outcomes maintaining a clear line of sight from need to outcome. Establish and govern prioritisation and recommendations setting criteria tools and assurance resolving conflicts and alignment issues and providing recommendation authority on strategic investment and risk positions (escalating to A&NP leadership where required).

4) Financial commercial and stakeholder assurance Provide analytical assurance and commercial support on assumptions affordability and risk with quantified evidence packs for standards change deferral and risk transfer.

Influence senior stakeholders with concise advice and work with Delivery and Engineering to keep programmes practical and deliverable. 5) Asset data intelligence and governance Drive the development and adoption of data governance and quality controls across inspections surveys inventories performance and delivered works working with the Head of Asset Management Head of Assurance Asset Sponsors and Asset Managers to embed consistent metrics controls and reporting that drive traceability and auditability across contributing teams. Integrate cross-asset datasets document definitions and limitations and produce repeatable insight that improves decisions and supports continuous improvement. Develop and maintain the carbon data baseline for maintenance and renewal activities (materials construction transport and operational impacts where relevant) ensuring assumptions factors and outputs are transparent auditable and suitable for governance and client reporting.

Qualifications :

Essential experience

Senior experience in infrastructure asset management investment planning or portfolio strategy in a regulated environment (transport utilities or similar).

Strong stakeholder influence able to brief and challenge senior leaders and client representatives translating analysis for non-technical decision makers.

Leadership of analytical teams building capability setting standards and assuring outputs used for senior investment decisions.

Experience developing or assuring lifecycle models and decision support tools (deterioration treatments optimisation and scenario analysis).

Commercial acumen and contractual awareness able to quantify and challenge cost risk and affordability and work across Engineering Delivery Finance and Commercial to produce deliverable plans.

Experience applying carbon accounting or whole-life carbon assessment to infrastructure maintenance renewals or investment decisions including using carbon data to inform option appraisal and prioritisation.

Proven ability to build and develop a small high-performing team coaching and upskilling individuals while maintaining direct personal contribution to delivery and assurance.

Desirable experience

Experience in long-term concession environments (DBFO PPP PFI or similar).

Familiarity with UK highways standards condition-based performance regimes and handback requirements.

Experience supporting standards change deferral strategies value engineering or risk transfer.

Exposure to probabilistic methods optimisation and scenario testing.

Additional Information :

Equality Diversity & Inclusion

We are an Equal Opportunities employer and we strive to build a workforce that truly reflects the communities we represent. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds regardless of age disability gender gender identity gender expression race religion or belief sexual orientation socioeconomic background and any other protected characteristic. If you decide to apply for an opportunity with us your application will be assessed based purely on your experience the essential and desirable criteria and your suitability for the role. We value each and every ones contribution as this builds our culture and means that if you work with us you will be included listened to and respected.

*Please note to be considered for this role you must be based in the UK and must already be able to legally work in the UK. We are unable to offer or provide sponsorship for this position*

You can be based in one of the following locations: Dartford South Mimms or Leatherhead.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time