Child Maintenance Service - Programme Management Office Lead

Government Recruitment Service; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 59,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability Confident employer scheme

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service in Plymouth is recruiting for a Programme Management Office Lead within the Child Maintenance Service. The role leads project and programme planning, governance, and reporting to support CMS Modernisation and priorities, with line management responsibility for a small team of SEOs and HEOs.

The position offers a permanent, full-time role based in Plymouth, with a strong focus on delivering benefits realisation and rigorous governance across CMS and the DWP Service

Responsibilities

• Lead on the design, build and implementation activity required to embed new & refreshed change reporting & governance routes across CMS
• Lead planning activity across Child Maintenance Service ensuring governance is adhered to
• Lead the reporting of Project / Programme delivery across both Child Maintenance Service and DWP Service Modernisation Programme
• Lead on the development of Business Cases and ongoing management of the benefits articulated in the case
• Provide clear direction to Project Managers and Change Leads to ensure adherence to formal governance arrangements
• Ensure all change across CMS is clearly defined, governed and approved in accordance with the CMS Governance Model
• Lead on the benefits realisation of initiatives across Child Maintenance Service and DWP Service Modernisation Programme
• Engage effectively with project and digital leads to provide advice and support with changes that are going through the project lifecycle
• Line manages a small team of colleagues providing steers, coaching, advice, and support

Job description

Child Maintenance Service - Programme Management Office Lead

As the UK government’s largest public service provider, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policies.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) supports parents who are unable to reach a private financial agreement by ensuring – and when necessary, enforcing – their legal responsibility to contribute to their child’s living costs. Our mission is simple: to get money to children, because it makes a real difference in their lives.

While we’ve made significant progress in transforming our service, we remain ambitious about what more we can achieve for the families who rely on us. CMS is a dynamic and rewarding place to work. Step into any of our service centres and you’ll find passionate, dedicated professionals committed to supporting our customers.

We are proud to foster an inclusive and diverse workforce where everyone can thrive. If you're looking to make a difference, this could be the career for you.

This is a fantastic opportunity to start or grow a fulfilling career in the Civil Service. We offer a flexible work-life balance, along with opportunities for growth, challenge, and personal development.

Child Maintenance Service is not only undergoing a significant period of change as we drive forward our transformation agenda, but in tandem, we continue to deliver a politically significant and fundamentally crucial service to millions of separated families around the country who depend upon the work we do. Our story over the last five years is one of impressive progress and improvement.

Despite the progress we’ve made, we are unashamedly ambitious about what more we can achieve and the difference we can make for the families who need us. Child Maintenance Service is an amazing place to work. Walk into any one of our service centres and you will be overwhelmed by the passion and commitment that our people have for supporting our customers.

The Project Management Office Leads’ main responsibilities are to lead and manage all project and programme planning and reporting activity that supports the delivery of the CMS Modernisation and CMS priorities agenda. The role includes line management responsibility for a small team of SEOs and HEOs who have their own responsibilities, however, will require clear direction and support.

The Project Management Office Lead will have accountability and responsibility to:

• Lead on the design, build and implementation activity required to embed new & refreshed change reporting & governance routes across CMS
• Lead planning activity across Child Maintenance Service ensuring governance is adhered to
• Lead the reporting of Project / Programme delivery across both Child Maintenance Service and DWP Service Modernisation Programme
• Lead on the development of Business Cases and ongoing management of the benefits articulated in the case
• Provide clear direction to Project Managers and Change Leads to ensure adherence to formal governance arrangements
• Ensure all change across CMS is clearly defined, governed and approved in accordance with the CMS Governance Model
• Lead on the benefits realisation of initiatives across Child Maintenance Service and DWP Service Modernisation Programme
• Engage effectively with project and digital leads to provide advice and support with changes that are going through the project lifecycle
• Line manages a small team of colleagues providing steers, coaching, advice, and support

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £58,961 to £69,399 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Plymouth

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 2 Nov 2026

Closing date: 16 Nov 2026