Best Start in Life Programme Manager

greater jobs; Chadderton; On-site; GBP 57,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Oldham Council is seeking a Best Start in Life Programme Manager to lead transformational change across the early years system. You will work at the heart of Children’s Services to drive ambitious programmes that improve outcomes for babies, children and families while ensuring services are evidence based, sustainable and deliver value for money.

You will unite services, partners and communities around a shared vision for prevention and early intervention, translate complex policy into practical

Qualifications

• Significant experience of leading complex programmes, projects or service transformation within a public sector or partnership environment.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships, influence senior stakeholders and work collaboratively across organisational boundaries to achieve shared objectives.
• Experience of programme governance, performance management and strategic planning, including the ability to analyse information, manage risk and drive delivery against agreed outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, delivery and oversight of complex transformation programmes, ensuring agreed outcomes, benefits, timescales and resources are effectively managed.
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships across health, education, voluntary sector and council services to drive collaborative system-wide improvement.
• Establish and manage robust programme governance, performance and assurance arrangements, ensuring delivery partners are accountable for agreed actions, milestones and outcomes.
• Lead strategic planning, performance monitoring and benefits realisation activity, using evidence and data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Co-ordinate and respond to national policy, planning, monitoring and reporting requirements from government departments, translating national priorities into effective local delivery.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Programme governance

Performance management

Data analysis

Job description

Children and Young People

Children’s Social Care and Early Help

Best Start in Life Programme Manager

Ref: 001866

Contract: Fixed Term (31 March 2029)

Salary: £57427 - £60,840 per annum (SM3)

Hours: 36.66 per week

Location: Oldham Council, Spindles Shopping Centre, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1HD

Closing Date: Thursday 3 December 2026

Interview Date: Tuesday 15 December 2026

Role Overview:

This is an exciting opportunity to join Oldham Council as our Best Start in Life Programme Manager, leading the delivery of transformational change across the early years system. Working at the heart of Children’s Services, you will help drive forward ambitious programmes that improve outcomes for babies, children and families while ensuring services are evidence-based, sustainable and deliver value for money.

You will play a pivotal role in bringing together services, partners and communities around a shared vision for prevention and early intervention. Success in this role will mean translating complex policy and programme requirements into practical action, ensuring that local priorities remain aligned with national expectations while keeping children and families at the centre of everything we do.

We are looking for someone who enjoys working across organisational boundaries, can build strong relationships, and is motivated by delivering meaningful change. In return, you’ll join a supportive and ambitious team that values innovation, professional development and collaboration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, delivery and oversight of complex transformation programmes, ensuring agreed outcomes, benefits, timescales and resources are effectively managed.
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships across health, education, voluntary sector and council services to drive collaborative system-wide improvement.
• Establish and manage robust programme governance, performance and assurance arrangements, ensuring delivery partners are accountable for agreed actions, milestones and outcomes.
• Lead strategic planning, performance monitoring and benefits realisation activity, using evidence and data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Co-ordinate and respond to national policy, planning, monitoring and reporting requirements from government departments, translating national priorities into effective local delivery.

Key Requirements:

• Significant experience of leading complex programmes, projects or service transformation within a public sector or partnership environment.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships, influence senior stakeholders and work collaboratively across organisational boundaries to achieve shared objectives.
• Experience of programme governance, performance management and strategic planning, including the ability to analyse information, manage risk and drive delivery against agreed outcomes.

About Us:

We want Oldham to have vibrant, safe neighbourhoods where people are proud to live with opportunities for healthier, more fulfilled lives; and a sustainable, thriving economy. As we look to the future, the challenges may be significant, but so are the opportunities. We’ve identified three missions with our residents and partners, focusing on what will deliver the biggest impact:

A Great Place to Live, Healthier, Happier Lives, and Green and Growing.

We’re looking for candidates who will support us to achieve our ambitions and we encourage you to download our Corporate Plan: Ready for the Future and our Oldham Plan for further information.

Our Values and Behaviours:

By driving innovation, investing in our people, and championing our communities, we will ensure that Oldham continues to be a place where everyone can live their best life. To support this, we have three core values which define who we are and how we operate. These are ‘Proud, Ambitious, and Together’, and they shape our culture, inform our decisions, and inspire us to deliver on our commitments to the people of Oldham.

We have translated these values into five behaviours which guide our actions and are the standards we hold ourselves to, day in and day out:

• Work with a resident focus
• Support local leaders
• Committed to the borough
• Delivery high performance
• Take ownership and drive change

You can find out more about our values and behaviours on our greater.jobs Oldham page.

Our Benefits Package:

At Oldham Council we offer a great benefits package for our employees, which includes the following:

• 25 days annual leave which increases after 5 and 10-years’ service
• The option to purchase additional annual leave.
• An attractive LGPS benefit pension scheme with the option to make shared cost additional voluntary contributions.
• Discounted gym membership with Oldham Active.
• Staff discount scheme for shopping, entertainment, eating-out, eating-in, travel, motoring and more.
• Salary sacrifice scheme for home and electronics and Cycle to Work.
• Wellbeing support, including a Mental Health First Aider network and an Employment Assistance Programme that provides 24 hours access to advice and support.
• Staff recognition and celebration events.
• Peer support groups

Inclusive Recruitment:

We work closely with employees to help them work at their best, including making adjustments such as flexible working, describing available working patterns, providing equipment or making changes to the workplace.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and therefore expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to the link below for details for how to obtain your Certificates of Good Character. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

If you’re an applicant with disabilities and have previously been in or currently in care, a carer, someone who has served in the Armed Forces, or you’ve participated in the GM Elevate Programme, and you meet the essential criteria of the role, you are guaranteed to reach the first stage of assessment under our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme.

Data and Privacy:

For details of how we use your data please see our Privacy Notice.

Important Information:

Please note that should a vacancy that has been released for internal or external recruitment be deemed suitable for a current employee at risk of redundancy, it can be pulled back at any point, up to the post being formally offered to a candidate who is not at risk of redundancy.

Right to Work in the UK from 1st July 2021.doc

Supporting Documents

Right To Work

Job Description & Person Specification