Programme Manager

Programme Manager

Edinburgh (Hybrid working)

12 months

£500/600 p/d (Inside IR35)

We are seeking an experienced Programme Manager to lead a complex strategic transformation programme within the Higher Education sector. This role requires exceptional senior stakeholder management, organisational design, and business transformation expertise, working with executive leadership teams, sponsors, governance boards, and operational stakeholders to deliver lasting

organisational change.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of strategic programmes, ensuring outcomes are achieved to agreed time, cost, quality, and benefits targets.
• Drive organisational design and operating model change, ensuring structures, processes, governance, and capabilities support strategic objectives.
• Build and manage relationships with senior stakeholders, executive sponsors, board members, and delivery teams.
• Provide leadership to multidisciplinary programme teams, specialist resources, and third-party suppliers.
• Develop and maintain programme plans, governance frameworks, reporting, and delivery roadmaps.
• Manage programme budgets, resource utilisation, risks, issues, dependencies, and change controls.
• Produce high-quality reporting and management information to support informed decision-making.

Essential Experience

• Proven track record delivering large-scale transformation programmes within the Higher Education sector.
• Strong experience of organisational design, target operating model development, and business change.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and engage at Executive, Director, and Board level.
• Experience leading complex, multi-disciplinary programme teams and managing third-party suppliers.
• Strong programme governance, risk management, financial management, and benefits realisation expertise.
• Knowledge of MSP, PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent programme delivery methodologies.

About You

You will be a strategic and collaborative Programme Manager with extensive experience delivering organisational change within Higher Education. You will have the credibility and communication skills to operate effectively at senior levels, driving transformation while ensuring strong governance, stakeholder engagement, and successful business outcomes.