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Job requirements
Essential
14 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Aptitudes and skills required
Ability to build and sustain effective programme teams
- Aptitudes and skills required
Ability to engage and co-ordinate others (e.g. stakeholders, technical experts, researchers) in programme development and programme delivery
- Aptitudes and skills required
Ability to engage stakeholders and help them to specify their requirements, manage expectations and nurture relationships
- Aptitudes and skills required
Well-developed influencing skills across hierarchies and disciplines demonstrated through representation of influencing, negotiating and presentation activities
- Aptitudes and skills required
Proven staff management and supervisory skills
- Aptitudes and skills required
Strong oral and written presentation skills
- Qualifications / training required
Professionally qualified or a relevant degree, plus significant project or programme management experience or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline
- Qualifications / training required
A Master’s degree level or equivalent postgraduate qualification in relevant discipline or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline
- Qualifications / training required
Knowledge of the specialist work practices and/ or professional guidelines relevant to the Health Innovation Wessex area
- Previous or relevant experience necessary
Knowledge and experience of the NHS and local health or social service functions
- Previous or relevant experience necessary
Extensive programme and project management experience in an NHS or care service setting and involving the co-ordination of multiple team members
- Previous or relevant experience necessary
Experience of integrated working across professional boundaries, involving several organisations, and working across commissioning and provider organisations
- Previous or relevant experience necessary
Effective leadership and team building skills
- Previous or relevant experience necessary
Experience of working closely with others to specify project analysis and outputs
Desirable
4 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Qualifications / training required
Project Management training (e.g. PRINCE II)
- Qualifications / training required
Management/leadership qualifications or training
- Qualifications / training required
Understanding of current policy and national drivers e.g. ICBs/ICS’s
- Previous or relevant experience necessary
Experience of organising/ managing events
Job overview
Health Innovation Wessex (HIW) is pleased to offer an exciting opportunity to join one of England's leading health innovation organisations as Senior Programme Manager at a pivotal moment for the NHS, life sciences sector and the wider health and care system.
Job Title: Senior Programme Manager
Contract: 12 Month Secondment/Fixed Term - Short Term Funding
Main duties of the job
We are seeking an experienced senior programme manager with a track record of delivering success in complex and dynamic environments.
You will be a credible senior programme manager-level team member who combines strong programme delivery expertise with a passion for innovation, transformation and partnership working.
You will bring:
- Significant programme delivery experience within health, life sciences, research, innovation, public sector or similarly complex environments.
- A strong understanding of the strategic challenges and opportunities facing the NHS, including productivity, prevention, digital transformation, AI adoption and population health.
- Experience of leading programmes, organisational transformation and performance improvement.
- A high level of partnership-building and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively across organisational and sector boundaries.
- Experience of supporting high-performing, inclusive and values-driven teams.
- Commercial awareness and experience supporting business growth, strategic partnerships and organisational sustainability.
- High level communication, analytical and decision-making capabilities.
- A genuine commitment to improving outcomes for patients, populations and communities.
- Experience within innovation, life sciences, research translation, healthcare transformation or economic development would be particularly advantageous.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Opportunity
This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in shaping and delivering innovative programmes that make a real difference across the health and care system. As a Senior Programme Manager, you will lead a diverse portfolio of high-profile national and regional projects, bringing together partners from across the system to design, deliver and scale solutions that improve outcomes for patients, communities and services.
Working at a strategic level, you will identify emerging opportunities, develop collaborative partnerships, secure and manage funding, and oversee programmes from concept through to implementation and dissemination. You will have the opportunity to influence system-wide change, working with senior leaders and stakeholders across health, care, academia and industry.
What You'll Be Responsible For
As a Senior Programme Manager you will be responsible for managing and implementing a portfolio of projects, putting in place appropriate project collaborative arrangements, actively seeking appropriate funding, managing the projects and promoting dissemination.
You will;
- Determine and co-ordinate the strategic and operational delivery of a high-profile portfolio of work. You will scope needs across the system, put in place collaborative arrangements to deliver each programme or project and manage the process through to dissemination of findings.
- Provide assurance reports to the HIW Senior Leadership Team, our member organisations and HIW commissioners.
You will have excellent knowledge of health and care systems to understand the context and complexity of the areas of work. The portfolio will comprise of several national and local programmes.
Join Us
This is an exceptional opportunity for a senior programme manager who wants to make a lasting difference to health outcomes, healthcare transformation and economic growth.
If you are passionate about innovation, inspired by the future of the NHS and excited by the opportunity to shape the next chapter of Health Innovation Wessex, we would love to hear from you.
Together, we can accelerate innovation, improve lives and create a healthier future for Wessex and beyond.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Senior Programme Manager with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust in Southampton, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Programme manager role. The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 Per Annum, Pro Rata. The contract type is 12 months (Fixed term 12 months - Short term funding). The application deadline is 26 Oct 2026.
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