Head of Sponsorship

Do you possess significant sponsorship expertise within the transportation industry, particularly in heavy or light rail? 

Are you seeking a leadership opportunity to leverage your extensive experience in managing complex transport projects, contributing to the successful execution of an ambitious circa £1bn delivery program aimed at bolstering future development initiatives?

Transport for West Midlands has a new opportunity for a Head of Sponsorship to spearhead and oversee a client sponsorship function. This role entails establishing a uniform approach for sponsors, fostering continuous improvement, and implementing best practices within the transport sector. With a direct responsibility for all Metro projects this role will collaborating closely with the Midland Metro Alliance (MMA) and Midland Metro Limited (MML), assuming comprehensive accountability, spanning from conception to delivery, on behalf of the client organisation, Transport for West Midlands.

This is an integral role for the organisation where no two days will be the same and you will be presented with unique Challenges whilst working on projects such as the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill and Birmingham East side extensions. From defining requirements for the metro programme to securing funding, developing business cases, or adeptly managing and adjusting project scopes, you will be instrumental in shaping and fortifying a robust sponsor function to underpin the capital delivery program. Operating within a matrix environment, you'll spearhead the sponsor team, collaborating closely with members of the Senior Leadership Team to ensure seamless integration of transport solutions in line with the strategic objectives of Transport for West Midlands.

To excel in this role, you need to have experience of securing complex land deals and experience of delivering a business case to central government. Familiarity with legal frameworks pertaining to city regions/combined authorities, coupled with expertise in legal and property matters, is crucial. Strong leadership skills are essential, driven by a genuine passion for driving positive change within the region.

What will you be doing?

• Determine the organisational and capability requirements of the sponsorship team.
• Create a sustainable framework to enable consistent delivery of complex programmes efficiently and effectively.
• Liaise closely with the Metro Director and Director of Delivery (Transport) to ensure effective programme and budget management for the programme.
• Lead the Metro sponsorship team to develop and maintain an investment and funding strategy.
• Work closely with the integrated transport team to ensure infrastructure solutions which ensure seamless access for the community and all users of transport solutions.
• Work closely with TfWM asset owners and MML operational leads to ensure the integration of new assets are considered during early-stage development.
• Be the escalation point for projects/programmes facing issues which require intervention and resolution.
• Be accountable for the implementation of a project lifecycle and stage gate review process.
• Ensure the implementation and embedding of a governance framework to support Senior Leadership and Government decision making.
• Lead negotiations and resolution of external major scheme interfaces requirements.
• Deputise for the Metro Director as appropriate.

About you.

• Experience in a client role for the development and delivery of transport schemes in the Urban Environment, including Rail.
• Ability to work across the project lifecycle, transport mode and organisational functions to create and sustain strong programme sponsorship.
• Practical experience in the application of transport planning and programme delivery legislation, processes and procedures, including the implementation of Gateway reviews.
• Experience of dealing with large complex client portfolios with national and local political complexities
• Highly developed leadership and negotiating skills.
• Extensive sponsorship and investment experience, including developing business cases, securing multi agency funding and managing legal and property interests.
• Experienced leading programmes through multiple governance hierarchies to provide assurance around use of public spending.
• Ability to build and maintain effective partnerships and influence senior stakeholders.
• Commercially astute, persuasive, and customer focused.
• Thorough knowledge / understanding of light or heavy railway environment, especially in the context of government and funding partners.

How to apply. 

On clicking ‘apply for this job’, you will first be prompted to create an account. You will have the opportunity to upload a CV, which will be used to auto-populate your profile. Please note, we do not see your CV once you have applied. Our shortlisting decisions are based on what you tell us in your profile - and so it is important to format your profile so that it really stands out. Make sure to include your employment history and include any essential education and qualifications. You will be asked to provide a supporting statement. If you already have one that you have prepared earlier, you can simply copy and paste this into the application form. 

Applicants will need to evidence that they have the legal right to work in the UK.  If we make an offer of employment, we will need to check that you are eligible to work in the UK before you start work. 

Salary and benefits.

We advertise salary ranges for job roles, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, where higher skill levels or experience are applicable, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes a Local Government Pension Scheme, 28 days of paid annual leave, Cycle to Work Scheme, and discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers. For more details, please visit the benefits page on our careers site.

Location and working pattern – what you can expect. 

The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane. It is expected that you can split your time between the office and working remotely, with at least 2-3 days a week spent in the office. 

Creating an inclusive workplace.

Our vision is to create a better connected, more prosperous, fairer, greener, and healthier region. We aim to achieve this vision by living our values, which include being a partnership organisation, valuing and respecting our people, fostering a can-do attitude, and encouraging innovation. We are dedicated to creating a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace that reflects the communities of the West Midlands region. WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as "Leaders in Diversity," and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We are also a Disability Confident Employer, committed to interviewing all applicants with disabilities who meet the essential role criteria. WMCA believes that building a team with varied backgrounds and experiences will benefit us as an employer and enhance our work.

We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passionate about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional "perfect candidate" mould.

We gladly consider part-time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying. If your values align with ours and you are dedicated to working towards a future that we can all be proud of, we would love to hear from you.

Reasonable adjustments.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the recruitment process, please get in touch with our Recruitment Team (careers@wmca.org.uk). We are here to assist and accommodate your needs.

Thank you for considering joining our team at WMCA. We look forward to receiving your application and the opportunity to work together towards our shared goals.