Major Projects Leadership Academy

Designed to equip major project leaders with the skills and confidence to tackle today’s challenges and to embrace leading practices for the future of the UK government.

The Major Project Leadership Academy (MPLA), commissioned in 2012 by the UK Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), was the first government major project leadership programme in the world.

With over £650 billion of taxpayers’ money committed to more than 200 projects in the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), these projects range from 20-year investments in military capabilities to cutting-edge public service reforms.

Oxford Saïd was awarded a further contract in 2022 to refresh the curriculum and develop the next generation of senior leaders accountable for the delivery of the most complex major projects. Described by the National Audit Office as ‘well-established and respected’ in its 2020 report on Specialist Skills in the Civil Service, MPLA remains the flagship project leadership programme for the UK government.

Our curriculum is underpinned by a bespoke competency framework covering:

• Leadership of self: drawing on the concept of ‘incomplete leadership’ and building complete teams
• Major project leadership: developing the vital attributes required to successfully lead major projects as ‘temporary organisations’
• Commercial leadership: recognising the need to exert control and optimise outcomes over an extended delivery team across organisational boundaries
• Technical leadership: deploying the key principles, disciplines and tools of successful project delivery

A central feature of the MPLA is the three five-day modules delivered as an immersive and residential experience in Oxford. We also offer an equivalent non-residential delivery model, designed to give flexibility to those with caring responsibilities.

The programme is led by Nancy Straates, Director of Major Projects, Executive Education. She is joined by academic faculty, IPA and external practitioners, who bring a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in delivering successful major projects to impact societies positively.

Academic faculty:

• Paul Chapman - Academy Director and Senior Fellow in Operations Management
• Atif Ansar - Senior Teaching Fellow, Saïd Business School and Smith School
• Daniel Armanios - BT Professor of Major Programme Management
• Alexander Budzier - Fellow in Management Practice in the Field of Information Systems
• Bent Flyvbjerg - Emeritus Professor
• Harvey Maylor - Associate Professor, Senior Fellow in Management Practice
• /about-us/people/eamonn-molloy - Associate Fellow and Tutorial Fellow in Management Studies, Pembroke College, Oxford University
• Eleanor Murray - Senior Fellow in Management Practice
• Paolo Quattrone - Associate Fellow and Professor of Accounting, University of Manchester
• Nick Borwell OBE - Associate Fellow and Principal, Civil Service Leadership Academy

Industry contributors:

• Graeme Findlay - Associate Fellow
• Guy Ainsley - Associate Fellow
• Leasil Burrow - Associate Fellow
• Hazel Hobbs - Associate Fellow
• Allison Stewart - Associate Fellow
• Irwin Turbitt - Associate Fellow
• Lieutenant General Sir Tyrone Urch - Associate Fellow
• Ruth Murray-Webster - Associate Fellow

The MPLA is a closed programme for 30-40 Senior Civil Servants, Directors or Deputy Directors (or equivalent in the Devolved Administrations and wider public bodies) in key project or portfolio leadership roles.

Your application will only be accepted if approved and prioritised by your Head of the Project Delivery Profession.

1. Contact your Head of Profession or learning team lead directly to discuss your nomination.
2. Once an initial nomination has been agreed, your Head of Profession or department lead will share your contact details with the programme team at Oxford Saïd.
3. The programme team will issue you a link to the online application form directly.
4. Applications are reviewed by the admissions panel (IPA Director of Function, Profession and Standards, and the MPLA Academy Director) against functional priorities and guidance from Heads of Profession.
5. The programme team will contact you once the outcome has been determined by the admissions panel.

Careful consideration is given to ensure the diversity and balance of each cohort in terms of demographic characteristics, delivery experience and across departments and project types.

You will be assessed on the four competency areas through:

• A portfolio of evidence
  • your MPLA development plan
  • two 360 reports
  • five written assignments
• A final assessment where you will present your development at an interview panel

After successfully completing the MPLA, you will be awarded a certificate recognising your knowledge, skills, and experience in project delivery across the government. Graduating from the MPLA provides continued access to leading research, events, and leadership networks through membership of the Saïd Business School alumni community. It also meets one of the industry standards requirements to achieve Senior or Master Practitioner level accreditations.

MPLA@sbs.ox.ac.uk