Job overview
Two fixed term contracts, of upto 8 months duration, to provide cover for career break / secondment.
The Programme Manager plays a key role within the Trust’s central Transformation & Change function, leading the delivery of complex, high-impact programmes that support the Trust’s strategic priorities. Working within a matrix structure, the postholder will collaborate closely with senior clinical, operational and system partners to design and implement sustainable change that improves outcomes and delivers better value for patients and services.
The role is responsible for end-to-end programme leadership, including planning, governance, stakeholder engagement and benefits realisation. The postholder will provide expert programme and change management leadership, ensuring robust delivery against agreed objectives while managing risks, resources and competing priorities. They will use data and insight to inform decision-making, challenge current ways of working, and drive continuous improvement across the organisation.
Main duties of the job
- Lead and deliver a complex transformation programme across the Trust from inception to completion
- Establish and manage programme plans, including milestones, risks, and benefits realisation
- Ensure robust programme governance, reporting, and assurance to senior leadership
- Drive effective change management to support adoption of new ways of working
- Build and maintain strong relationships with senior clinical, operational and external stakeholders
- Lead and support multidisciplinary teams to deliver programme objectives and performance
- Manage programme resources, including staff and budgets, to deliver within agreed parameters
- Use data, analysis and insight to inform decision-making and challenge existing practices
- Promote continuous improvement and ensure learning is captured and applied across programme
- Align programme delivery with Trust strategy and wider NHS policy and priorities
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Programme Leadership and Delivery
- Lead the end-to-end delivery of a transformation programme from inception through to completion
- Develop and manage comprehensive programme plans, including milestones, dependencies and deliverables
- Ensure delivery of agreed programme outcomes, timelines and benefits
- Identify and implement short, medium and long-term strategies to support transformation priorities
Governance, Risk and Assurance
- Establish and maintain robust programme governance arrangements in line with Trust standards
- Provide regular, accurate reporting on progress, risks, issues and benefits realisation
- Identify, assess and proactively manage programme risks and issues, ensuring mitigation plans are in place and monitored
Change Management and Continuous Improvement
- Lead the application of best practice change management approaches to support sustainable adoption
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring learning is captured and applied
- Challenge existing practices using data and evidence to support innovation and service redesign
Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration
- Build effective working relationships with senior leaders, clinical teams and external partners
- Facilitate collaboration across multidisciplinary teams to ensure alignment to programme objectives
- Design and lead stakeholder meetings, workshops and communications to support programme delivery
- Influence and support colleagues to adopt new ways of working and deliver improvement
Performance, Data and Insight
- Use data and analytical insight to inform decision-making and track programme performance
- Develop and agree key performance indicators with stakeholders to monitor delivery
- Produce high-quality reports and presentations to support governance and decision-making
Financial and Resource Management
- Manage programme resources, including people, budgets and external support
- Monitor and control programme expenditure to ensure delivery within agreed financial parameters
- Support development of business cases, cost-benefit analysis and return on investment assessments
People Management and Leadership
- Provide effective leadership, direction and support to programme and project teams
- Line manage staff where required, ensuring performance, development and wellbeing are supported
- Promote a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture aligned to Trust values
Policy and Service Development
- Support the development and implementation of programme and project management standards and frameworks
- Contribute to the development of service improvement and performance policies impacting across the Trust
- Interpret national policy and translate into practical delivery approaches for local implementation
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Relevant master's qualification or equivalent experience of working as a senior operational or strategic manager in a relevant field
- Evidence on ongoing CPD activity
Knowledge/Experience
Essential
- Project/ops management experience
- Proven experience in managing complex transformation programmes, ideally within the public sector.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple stakeholders, including senior management, external partners, and cross-functional teams
- Strong track record in delivering change initiatives on time and within budget
- Strong understanding of programme management methodologies, such as PRINCE2, Agile, or MSP
- Experience influencing staff at all levels to ensure project objectives are owned by all members of the team including users and stakeholders
- Evidence of the ability to involve teams in analysis of situation and solution development; persuade teams to take on new ways of working and to constructively challenge the status quo
- Experience of working in a demanding environment with many, sometimes conflicting priorities.
- Experience of successfully developing collaborative relationships with a variety of stakeholders
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Programme Manager with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Worthing, South East, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 pro rata. The contract type is Fixed term: 8 months (For internal substantive staff, a secondment will be acceptable. Until 31st March 2027). The application deadline is 04 Aug 2026.
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