Salary: Starting salary £43,617 with progression to £64,050 + competitive benefits, including Civil Service Pension
Generic role: Programme Manager
Profession: Leadership and Management
Permanent, Full time at Met Office, Exeter
Closing date for applications: 1 December 2011
Background information
The Met Office is a world leading weather and climate forecasting centre. We translate complex science and forecasts into advice that can be acted on, and work with stakeholders world wide to help them manage the perils and the opportunities of climate and weather. Our work is high profile, our advice is listened to and we are held to account for the advice we issue. We continuously seek new ways of adding value through innovation and partnerships.
The Head of Climate Services reports to the Executive Director of Business Development. The job holder directs a team and cross office effort in ensuring that Met Office climate science is shaped for customers and that customers current and future requirements are understood and satisfied. The climate services market is very immature and a key part of the job is to scope the future and plot a strategy that will maximise the Met Office reputation, delivery and benefit as the market matures.
Specific job purpose
Understand the current and future needs for climate services, develop a strategy to ensure that Met Office science is shaped and delivered in terms of products and services that address these needs, thereby establishing a leading position in the global market.
Specific job responsibilities
* Establish a clear strategy for the delivery of an innovative and winning Met Office Climate Service so that the Met Office is pre-eminent in the market and profitably delivers this world leading proposition.
* Define and establish an organisational structure based on directly and indirectly managed resources drawn from across the Met Office, and work with the Executive Team and other colleagues to ensure that the strategy is professionally and effectively executed.
* Ensure that the applied science necessary to take climate predictions through to products and services is defined and properly resourced.
* Maintain and enhance the Met Office reputation as the world leader in the delivery of climate services.
* Work with the Head of the Met Office Hadley Centre to influence the direction of the core science programmes commissioned by government so that they are fit for purpose and that opportunities for the full exploitation of its potential are identified and effectively pursued.
* Work with Met Office business teams and directly with public and private sector market stakeholders to develop a deep understanding of market needs relevant to climate science in order to shape the development of leading climate services and products.
* Lead and direct major components of the strategy as defined and agreed.
Qualifications, skills and abilities required
Essential
* Understanding of climate and related sciences so as to be credible with customers and peers in and beyond the Office. A degree or doctorate in a directly relevant science.
* Strategic shaping skills sufficient to be able to take a young and ill defined market and articulate an appealing and motivating future state.
* Planning and execution capabilities to take a vision and make key elements happen.
* Sufficient stature and influencing skills to motivate and lead multi-disciplinary teams, both in your direct management control as well as cross organisational, in the delivery of ambitious objectives.
* Sufficient self confidence , likely to be founded on real and substantial experience, to maintain commitment and momentum through periods of uncertainty and innovation.
* A demonstrable understanding, or firm intuition, of how markets and customers work and how their needs can be established even in circumstances where they are not well enough informed to be able to articulate them fully themselves.
* Good listening and communication skills and the ability to take incompletely defined parameters and shape a compelling and deliverable proposition.
Desirable
* Previous experience in developing and delivering a Climate or Weather Service gained either in a credible climate consultancy practice or a national met service outside UK.
Additional supplementary information
Role Review Pending.
Application forms and further information
Please mark your request or returned application form: Head of Climate Services 002231 B
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