Steven Smith

Target-oriented professional offering extensive experience in project management combined with a strong understanding of product development.

Demonstrated success in spearheading high-worth projects from inception to successful completion within stringent timeframes and budgetary constraints. Skilled in leading and training team members to consistently meet and exceed set performance goals. Well-versed in liaising with vendors, suppliers, and customers for ensuring seamless workflow, as well as accomplishing deliverables in a fast-paced environment. Possess strong aptitude for improving service quality, utilising resources, and driving profitability by implementing project agile methodologies. The attitude of conceptualising new ideas and processes aimed at ensuring continuous improvements in organisational procedures. Adept at attaining maximum customer satisfaction by analysing and fulfilling client needs/requirements.

• Resource management
• Project Management Scheduling
• Business Development & Execution
• Risk Assessment & Mitigation
• Revenue Growth & Optimisation
• Business Development & Execution
• Strategic Planning& Analysis
• Operations Management
• Team Building& Leadership

My role is leading projects to install public EV changepoints and EV chargepoint Infrastructure across Buckinghamshire from initiation to completion.

These projects involve collaborating with internal colleagues for example legal, streetworks, procurement, data protection and collaborating with external suppliers and stakeholders on different projects including Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and charge point suppliers to deliver a successful  outcome. Also being involved in Buckinghamshire Councils bids for government funding through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund and the On-Street Residential Charge point Scheme (ORCS) gives me a good understanding of what funding is available and government policies.

Initiation including engagement with DNO’s, Suppliers and  all Stakeholders

• Assess site viability in terms of costings for the underground infrastructure and power supply.
• Appropriate locations and site surveys.
• Researching the utilization of chargepoints and revenue achievability.
• Suitability of chargepoints (fast, rapid, ultra rapid etc.)
• Legal requirements including wayleave agreements, leases and license to alter agreements.
• Contract requirements.
• Government legislation.

Delivery:

• Health and safety requirements (PAS 1889:2022).
• Mitigating issues and risks.
• Monitoring budgets and achieving value for money.
• Producing a delivery schedule and timelines via a Gantt Chart.
• Regular highlight reports to project sponsors and stakeholders.
• Overseeing the final stage of the chargepoints being made operational.
• Controlling project closure.

I am a motivated coccineous individual who takes pride in achieving timescales and value for money when delivering projects. As the EV market is growing at such a fast pace it needs a reliable Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure to support this uptake of EV’s and I am committed to making this happen.

• Continuously working with multiple stakeholders at any one time to achieve continuity and a desired outcome for all stakeholders.
• Achieving value for money by utilising feasible and cost-effective methods.
• Played pivotal role in achieving project deliverables in line with specifications and set deadlines.
• Engaging with customers/stakeholders and reporting to senior management on a daily basis.
• Manage projects from start to finish to ensure quality,cost and timescale tolerances are met.
• Excellent computer skills including the Microsoft Suite and PM tools.

My main responsibility as a Transport Strategy Officer at Buckingham Council is leading on complex projects, working with internal colleagues and external stakeholders to secure government funding and delivering project within timescales and quality standards that are fit or purpose within an agreed budget. To enable me to do this I consult with subject matter experts and research the product criteria and build a project team who understand their roles and responsibilities. 

The projects I am leading involve liaising with other service areas including highways, streetworks, planning, legal, finance, data protection and procurement. Also engaging with external stakeholders, local members and suppliers to identify and mitigate any risks so that projects can be delivered successfully which also includes preparing bids for government funding. Also researching government legislation and Buckingham Councils policies and procedures to mitigate any problems or issues that may impact projects.

As a PM I work with other subject matter experts to ensure that contracts including KPI’s and SLAs are fit for purpose and work with the suppliers to produce contracts that best meet the needs of all stakeholders. I monitor project budgets to keep them within scope and report to my managers if we are likely to exceed them. The contracts that are in my projects include incomes for Buckinghamshire Council via profit share and bay rental for EV chargepoints which I also monitor. 

At the moment I am project managing the installation of EV charge points in Parish Council car parks where I have engaged with Parish Councils to identify appropriate locations and contacting Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) to get quotes to supply the electricity to the locations which involves the excavation and civil work on our highways. This also involved liaising with legal to obtain lease and license agreements for Parish Councils to give permission for work to be carried out on their land and obtaining proof of ownership of the land. I have worked with procurement, legal and finance to choose an appropriate framework and also preparing business cases and tender documents

Another project I am leading is the Wendover Pilot Scheme which involves installing 10 lamp column chargepoints and 10  In-Pavement Cable Channels (IPCC) so residents can run their EV charging cable safely across a pathway to charge their EV on the road outside their property using their own cheaper overnight electricity.. This requires me to engage with stakeholders including local members, Climate Action Wendover (CLAW), Community Boards and suppliers. This project also involves working with planning and streetworks to ensure all the safety and highways regulations are adhered to and the necessary licenses are approved.

I also support colleagues with our Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) bid and have been on the training course.

Knowledge Academy (Remote)

Prince 2 Foundation and Practitioner.

Agile Foundation

City and Guilds

Communication Skills

Science

Computer Studies

Cisco Networking

Buckinghamshire New University, Wycombe