Simon AJ Kneafsey

Work History

Director of Architecture

AtkinsRealis

Midlands South West and Wales

05.2018 - 01.2024

Regional work winning activities in the building and places market.
Development of national strategy for business development (Architectural and Multi-Disciplinary Services).
Member of the extended senior leadership team at AtkinsRealis (architectural, landscape and master planning).
Office lead for the award winning Cardiff multi-disciplinary design studio (2019-22) - making it the most profitable and successful office in the UK, including increase in turnover, profitability and significant client/sector growth.
Winner of Architectural Practice of the Year - Wales (2023), Consultancy of the Year - Wales (2022) and Educational Project of the Year - Wales (2023).
Daily management of the Cardiff offices resources, design quality, project productivity and staffing requirements.
Bid writing and proposal management.
Client support in the development of business cases for capital projects; development of design briefs and management of multi- stakeholder groups.
Client development in a number of key sectors including education, local and national government, research & development and urban regeneration.
Development of, in collaboration/partnership with AtkinsRealis R+D team, a number of interactive digital stakeholder engagement tools.
Development of specialist/integrated design teams who are aligned with the requirements of working in a collaborative contractor lead design and build environment.
Client Director, project management and design team lead for key multi-disciplinary projects from inception to financial close.
Technical Advisor for the DfE and a number of UK local authorities relating to key capital projects.
Conference speaker - Education Estates - England and Wales public speaking on specialist areas such as education, public sector and client experience and engagement.

Senior Programme Manager

Monmouthshire County Council

Usk, Monmouthshire

12.2013 - 05.2018

Senior Programme Manager responsible for delivering the authorities £115m New Schools Programme (Building Schools for the Future - Band A - Wales).
Development of business cases relating to the funding of the Schools Programme, including financial negotiations with Welsh Government.
Local Authority Lead, bringing together key project stakeholders within the authority/departments into one focussed project team.
Development of design guides/client brief and building management for new schools, including new educational settings and digital learning strategies, to meet the new Welsh curriculum requirements.
Procurement Management of contractor-lead design and construction teams for all projects.
Stakeholder Management throughout the design and construction process, to achieve the programme and design brief.
Lead in financial negotiations relating to project costs, draw down of capital funding monies and final construction accounts.
Monthly reporting to Councillors, Authorities SLT and Welsh Government regarding the overall programme, financial status, project risk/mitigation strategies and community investment plan.
Development and management of a robust post-occupancy review and estates management programme - Exemplar programme implemented by Welsh Government.
Member of the Monmouthshire County Councils SLT, actively involved in the restructuring of the authority to meet changing financial pressures on services/revenue.
Active development of inter-departmental relationships, workshops and focus groups to encourage and develop collaborative environments, ensuring capital investment was targeted/ maximised and revenue pressures eased through good decision making relating to capital projects.
Presentation of Council and Cabinet papers for approval, including in-person presentations in the Council Chambers to all members and the Welsh Government.
Provided technical and design support to a number of other Authorities for their Schools Programme.
Public speaking at Key Constructing Excellence Wales conferences, Welsh Government Education forums and presentations at local council events.
Monmouthshire County Councils Schools programme was celebrated with a number of National Awards including Best New Schools, Innovation in Design and Digital Environments, to meet the new Welsh schools curriculum, Client of the Year and Community and Stakeholder Engagement.

Partner

Architects Design Partnership LLP

Oxford , Oxfordshire

06.1992 - 11.2013

Started in 1992 as a Part 2 architectural student achieving status of Partner in the practice by 2001.
Oxford Office lead (30 technical/professional staff).
Work winning responsibilities both locally and nationally for the Practice. Areas of expertise in local/national government, urban regeneration and education sectors.
Development of the Practices work-winning strategies for key sectors.
Development lead on marketing and sector specific Practice brochures.
Design champion for the Oxford office as well as other offices in the Practice.
Multi-disciplinary design lead for key high profile projects.
Responsible for the financial management and daily running of the Oxford office.
Bid management, including fees, bid writing, resourcing and programming.
Local and sector specific client development and management.
Lead on a number of Practice award winning educational and urban regeneration projects in Oxford and the UK.
Public speaking at construction conferences, stakeholder workshops and public meetings.

Summary

Overview

Work History

Director of Architecture

Senior Programme Manager

Partner

Education

Post Graduate Diploma - Architecture

Post Graduate Diploma - Urban Design and Disaster Management

Bachelor of Arts - Architecture

Post Graduate Diploma - Business Administration

A-Levels - Art/Art History, Geography, Maths (Pure and Applied)

Skills

Timeline

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