Job Description

The Head of Strategy, Business Planning, Technical and Technology supports the Portfolio Director in providing the underpinning, direction and leadership for all short, medium and long term strategic, planning, technical and technological activities within the Portfolio.

The role holder is accountable for development of the Portfolio delivery strategy and maintaining a coherent portfolio delivery plan that aligns to the Enterprise strategic objectives whilst prioritising available resource and funding to maximise delivery of agreed business benefits. They are also responsible for the technical underpinning of this plan, and the plan for technology improvements that enhance the operational performance of the portfolios; setting both the current technology baseline, future technology direction and undertaking the technical assurance for the Portfolio to maintain our credibility and maximise both customer value and return on investment for the business.

They are the Strategic, Scientific and Technological ambassador for the Portfolio. Promoting, representing and defending the direction undertaken by the organisation into NDA, National and International stakeholders. They influence key, strategic discussions, foster external partnerships and enhance trust in our organisation.

The role also co-ordinates with other Heads with responsibility for Strategy, Business Planning, Technology and Technical activities across organisation.

Principal Accountabilities

• Ensures the portfolio delivery plans remain strategically aligned to the strategic objectives recommending [Strategic or Tactical] interventions to recover the plan when off track.
• Establish and operate a fit-for-purpose portfolio governance framework, including but not limited to: leading portfolio reviews and prioritisation; assurance to the Change Control Board on Baseline Plan Change Control Requests; assessing new initiatives for strategic fit, affordability, and benefit contribution; manage interdependencies, portfolio budget management, and portfolio resource allocation in line with Portfolio priorities and strategic outcomes; and oversee benefits identification, tracking, and realisation.
• Provide support to the Strategy & Business Planning directorate (S&BP) to resolve any disconnects / conflicts with site strategic coherence position
• In conjunction with S&BP develop a decision landscape that identifies the need for developing new or revised strategies and for implementing strategy into plans, including capability gaps, to achieve the desired enterprise outcomes.
• Provide portfolio directorate input to support the development of the enterprise delivery plan and ensure the outyears model is reflective of the required future scope to deliver the site plan.
• Acts as Technical Authority for the Portfolio and responsible for Portfolio Technical Assurance & Governance.
• Define and implement effective technical arrangements in the Portfolio.
• Develop and maintain the technical baseline and roadmap that underpins the site strategy, and the technical underpinning for the flowsheet in conjunction with the other Heads of Technical and Technology where required.
• Develop the technology needs for the Portfolio, by capturing operational views for both today and the future, and work with the CTO and the other Heads responsible for Technical and Technology to deliver solutions that meet these needs collaboratively across the business.
• Maturing and developing technology and technical solutions through the Technology Readiness Levels to ensure it integrates with other systems.
• Ensure facility processes are within the Operating Envelope.
• Lead and provide a service of plant facing technical support.
• Underpin Technical decisions with data and subject matter expertise to support the Portfolio decision calendar.
• Facility level scenario planning and technical modelling to understand if the strategic objective of the facilities can be delivered.
• Act as and manage the Intelligent Customer(s) for the Portfolio’s technical activities.
• Own Portfolio Technical Risks on the Site Risk Register.
• Maintaining technical standards, delivery quality, maintenance of technical capability and contribution to the wider goals of the Group Job Family.
• Making recommendations on technology matters, including recommendations to stop or formally review the status of technology development that give concern.
• Providing leadership, health, safety and career development of the Individuals in the Science and Technology Job Family within the portfolio.
• Support the Science and Technology Centre of Expertise network to ensure it is developed, maintained and provides the relevant SMEs for the Enterprise.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Essential Skills:

• STEM Degree, and chartership in a relevant STEM professional body
• Proven experience in managing large, complex portfolios within highly regulated industries
• Management of Portfolios (MoP) Practitioner
• Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Foundation
• APM Project Management Qualification PMQ
• Wide multi-Directorate experience and technical knowledge of SL plants and processes with good understanding of Sellafield Ltd and Sellafield site interconnectivity and interdependencies
• Extensive experience of leadership in a technical discipline with sufficient depth and breadth of knowledge to lead with credibility at this level
• Thorough understanding of value stream capabilities and vulnerabilities in terms of knowledge, skills, experience and technologies (incl. assets)
• Ability to influence senior company leaders and external stakeholders (including customers, regulators and government departments
• Ability to maintain a strong connection between the technical area and the business environment, with track record of successfully dealing with conflicting company priorities, and resource limited specialist teams
• Experience in leading studies or technical work programmes within a multi-discipline team
• Clear understanding of the role and its relationship with other departments and external bodies
• Strong analytical skills, with experience of solving novel and contentious company business and technical challenges

Desirable Skills:

• Masters degree (or equivalent) and Postgraduate qualifications in a core SL subject
• Appropriate chartership/institute recognition
• Fellow of a relevant professional body
• In-depth knowledge and practical experience of a wide range of science and technology principles and processes used at Sellafield or key knowledge of SL systems, equipment and procedures
• A recognised authority within a related skill area with extensive national and international networks

Additional Information

• Open VN
• Number of Vacancies: 2
• Contact/s: Paul Nichol

As part of your application, please include a cover letter detailing how you meet the knowledge and experience required for the role.

The date of the interviews for this position will be confirmed in due course.

If you choose to apply for this role and your application is shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview. In the interview, you will be assessed against the NDA Leadership Standard.

Sellafield Ltd are recognised as a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3). Disability Confident employers offer an interview to disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy. Sellafield Ltd define the minimum criteria as the ‘essential skills’ which are listed on the vacancy notice. Whilst completing your application form, you will be able to indicate if you wish to be considered under the disability confident scheme. If you would prefer to discuss this directly with us, please contact the GBS Recruitment team on recruitment@sellafieldcloud.co.uk

Please ensure that you save a copy of this advert for future reference if you make an application for this role.

The closing date for this vacancy is 21st September 2026.