Benefits, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead

This role can be based at the following site; Culham, Oxfordshire.

UKAEA’s pay arrangements and grading structure are currently under review as part of a transformation project and proposed multi-year pay deal. UKAEA aims to introduce a new grading structure in 2024. This will enable us to lead the delivery of sustainable fusion energy and maximise the scientific and economic benefit. Now is a great time to join the Organisation and be part of the journey.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions.

The Role

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As Benefits, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, you will play a pivotal role in transforming benefits management at UKAEA. This role sits centrally within the organisation and reports directly into the Head of Portfolio Management Office (PfMO). 

As Benefits, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, you will lead on: 

• Embedding the Benefits, Impact and Evaluation Framework across the whole of UKAEA (which launched recently, in July 2024).  
• Directing project and programme leads on how to articulate the benefit and impact element of a business case.  
• Running workshops with new projects/programmes on how to identify, plan, measure and track benefits; and facilitate benefit realisation workshops mid-programme delivery with the SROs and programme managers. 
• Establishing benefits reporting at the corporate level at UKAEA on a quarterly drumbeat. 
• Providing insights for benefits across projects and programme and identify areas for enhancement based on impacts; reporting into the Corporate Portfolio Board. 

The Benefits, Monitoring & Evaluation Lead works closely with UKAEA’s dedicated Economist to ensure that the benefits landscape integrates effectively between the P3M community, the Executive, UKAEA’s Board, and the UK Government. As part of this, you will support UKAEAs Economist in: 

• Commissioning an annual / 2-yearly corporate impact report for UKAEA. 
• Looking at different methods for capturing and evidencing impacts (economic, scientific, social and environmental), the development of evaluation methodologies, and the long-term realisation of impact from across UKAEA’s portfolio of activities. 

About the Portfolio Management Office and P3M profession 

UKAEA is undergoing an exciting transformation as it scales up to meet the challenge of positioning the UK as a leader in fusion energy. As part of this there is a requirement to establish the optimum Portfolio, Programme and Project (P3M) construct. 

The purpose of the Portfolio Management Office (PfMO) is to outline and run an effective and supportive service to projects, programmes, portfolios and the Executive at UKAEA. The central hub of the PfMO is made up of a core team of six who are not matrixed out, namely the: Head of PfMO, Deputy Head PfMO & Capability Lead, Benefits, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, Centre of Excellence Lead, Portfolio Data Analyst and PfMO Coordinator. These roles are integral in helping build a strong, professional and maturing P3M capability at UKAEA. 

Projects and programmes at UKAEA vary in risk and complexity and range in value from under £50k to over £0.5bn. Projects span a number of sectors including science, innovation, engineering, regulatory, technology, and facility development; these are delivered by the 200+ project professionals working across the organisation, many of which are matrixed out from the PfMO. 

Additional Responsibilities:

• Lead Implementation of Benefits and Impact Framework: Oversee the deployment of UKAEA's Benefits, Impact, and Evaluation Framework across the organization, ensuring alignment with ongoing and future projects. Provide guidance to project and program leads on articulating and evaluating benefits and impacts throughout project delivery.
• Benefit Analysis and Reporting: Conduct cost-benefit analysis and utilize tools like PowerBI to automate data reporting and analysis. Prepare corporate-level benefits reports and communicate results to UKAEA’s Corporate Portfolio Board, showcasing economic, scientific, social, and environmental impacts.
• Training and Support: Run workshops and training sessions to enhance benefits management skills across the organization, helping project professionals identify, plan, measure, and track benefits from the initiation stage to realization.
• Risk Management and Evaluation: Identify risks to benefit realization and embed lessons learned from evaluations into departments. Ensure corporate guidance and templates are up to date and collaborate with teams to implement new monitoring practices for added value.
• Collaborate on Impact Case Studies and Reports: Support the UKAEA Economist in producing impact reports, develop case studies by analyzing data, and work with internal and external stakeholders to communicate progress toward long-term impacts.

Essential Requirements:

• Expertise and proven track record in benefits management.
• A good awareness of proven impacts from science and innovation projects and programmes.
• Project Management or Programme Management qualification or similar, such as APM PMQ, PRINCE2, Agile, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) or APMG Managing Benefits.
• Proactive in seeking out opportunities to enhance an organisational approach to monitoring and evaluation of impacts, across disciplines.
• Strong organisational and team-working skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to work with colleagues and senior managers from a range of scientific, technical and corporate backgrounds.
• Proven ability to present and write detailed impact case studies, progress reports, and economic cases in project and programme business cases.
• An enthusiastic approach to working to realise real world benefits from research, technology and innovation.
• Experience of delivering in a scientific and/or engineering environment. •
• Proven ability to use initiative and problem-solving skills to progress a wide portfolio of projects.
• Ability to use a variety IT systems & software appropriate to the role, include Excel.

Desirable:

• APMG Managing Benefits Foundation & Practitioner - or to be completed within first 9 months in role (funded by UKAEA).
• A degree in Economics (or equivalent experience) with the ability to research facts and analyse data.
• Proven track record of mixed-method research approaches to evaluate impacts and outcomes of programmes, policies, and interventions

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organization. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.