Head of Capital Delivery - South West

The Opportunity

I’m supporting a water business with the appointment of a Head of Capital Delivery — a key senior leadership role with responsibility for shaping and improving the way capital programmes are planned, governed and delivered.

This is a role for someone who understands complex infrastructure delivery and can bring proper control, commercial discipline and leadership to a busy capital environment.

The business has a significant investment programme to deliver, covering areas such as asset replacement, infrastructure upgrades, smart metering, mains growth and wider operational improvement. They need someone who can make sure the right structures, controls and delivery behaviours are in place to get work delivered safely, efficiently and to the right standard.

This is not a role for someone who wants to simply inherit a function and keep things ticking over. The client is looking for someone who can assess what is working, identify what needs improving and give the organisation confidence that its capital programme is being delivered properly.

The role as Head of Capital Delivery, you will lead the function responsible for delivering core capital programmes across a regulated infrastructure environment.

You’ll be working across internal teams, external contractors, consultants and senior stakeholders to make sure programmes are well planned, commercially robust, technically sound and delivered against clear outcomes.

The role will involve:

• Leading the capital delivery function across a portfolio of infrastructure and asset programmes
• Bringing clear leadership, structure and accountability to programme delivery
• Making sure programmes are properly governed, controlled and reported
• Working with senior stakeholders to shape investment plans and delivery priorities
• Challenging delivery proposals to ensure they are realistic, cost-effective and aligned to business outcomes
• Managing contractors, consultants and delivery partners
• Strengthening programme controls, gateway reviews, technical assurance and performance reporting
• Supporting budget development, forecasting and cost control
• Driving improvements in delivery maturity, safety, quality and commercial performance
• Ensuring programmes meet regulatory, legislative and operational requirements

Key Responsibilities The client is looking for someone who can:

• Take ownership of capital delivery performance across a complex programme portfolio
• Lead, develop and support a multidisciplinary team
• Improve the way programmes are planned, prioritised and delivered
• Provide confident leadership across cost, quality, risk, safety and schedule
• Build strong working relationships with internal teams and external delivery partners
• Ensure the organisation has clear visibility of programme progress, risks and issues
• Put the right governance and assurance around key investment decisions
• Bring technical and commercial challenge early enough to influence outcomes
• Ensure third-party works are managed effectively and deliver value for money
• Support the business with financial planning, budget setting and long-term investment thinking
• Create a culture of accountability, improvement and practical delivery

Experience Required We’re particularly interested in speaking with people who have experience in:

• Senior capital delivery roles within water, utilities, infrastructure, power, transport or regulated environments
• Leading substantial capital programmes or complex infrastructure portfolios
• Managing programme governance, gateway controls and assurance processes
• Working with contractors, consultants and delivery partners
• Commercial management, investment planning and budget ownership
• Financial forecasting, cost control and reporting
• Risk management across projects, programmes and portfolios
• Presenting complex programme, technical or commercial information to senior stakeholders
• Building confidence with boards, executive teams and operational leaders
• Health, safety and compliance in infrastructure delivery environments
• CDM regulations
• NEC contracts or similar delivery frameworks
• Asset management and technical assurance within engineering-led environments
• APM, PRINCE2 or equivalent project/programme environments

The Person

This role will suit a senior delivery leader who is comfortable operating at both strategic and practical levels.
You’ll need to be someone who can:

• Lead from the front without overcomplicating things
• Bring clarity to complex delivery environments
• Challenge constructively and make sensible decisions
• Work well with senior stakeholders, technical teams and delivery partners
• Understand the commercial realities of capital programme delivery
• Get into the detail where needed but keep sight of the bigger picture
• Build confidence that programmes are under control
• Improve performance without creating unnecessary process for the sake of it

The client wants someone credible, delivery-focused and commercially aware. Someone who can help shape the function, raise standards and make sure investment turns into tangible operational outcomes.

Package

The package includes:

• £95,000 basic salary + £5K car allowance
• Senior leadership bonus opportunity
• Hybrid working
• Pension contribution
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Enhanced family-friendly leave
• Employee assistance programme
• Wider employee benefits package

Apply If you have strong capital delivery leadership experience, ideally within water, utilities or another regulated infrastructure environment, I’d be keen to hear from you.
Please apply with your latest CV or contact: richard.archer@deltragroup.com