Early Careers Programme Manager

Arcadis; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful work with impact

Commitment to equality and diversity

Support for continuous learning and development

Job summary

A global consultancy firm based in Cardiff is seeking an Early Careers Programme Manager to lead the design and implementation of graduate and apprentice programmes across the UK and Ireland. This role involves driving continuous improvement, collaborating with various stakeholders, and managing the overall programme budget. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in early careers programmes, strong analytical skills, and a proven ability to lead teams through change. Join us in shaping the future talent journey and delivering sustainable solutions.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in managing early careers programmes.
• Ability to lead through change and drive improvements.
• Proficiency with data analysis to inform decisions.
• Creative, analytical thinker with a solutions-focused approach.
• Experience coaching and developing high-performing teams.
• Confident using large data files and analysing data to inform decisions.
• Thriving in dynamic environments and embracing new challenges with a can-do attitude.
• Good knowledge and experience working with the UK apprenticeship levy.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage early careers programmes across UK&I.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure programmes meet business needs.
• Drive continuous improvement and budget management.
• Manage 6-monthly performance reviews and salary frameworks for grads and apprentices.
• Organise and deliver Graduate Inductions (travel subject to arrangements).
• Drive continuous improvement through benchmarking and programme reviews.
• Manage the UK&I Early Careers programme budget and relationships with suppliers.
• Engage hiring managers, HRBPs and stakeholders to drive participation and impact.
• Lead ad-hoc projects as needed.

Skills

Experience in early careers programmes

Change management

Relationship building and influencing

Data analysis

Coaching high-performing teams

Creative and analytical thinking

Job description

Arcadis

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description

This role is offered as an initial 12‑month fixed‑term contract. We are seeking a forward‑thinking Early Careers Programme Manager to manage the design, development, and continuous improvement of our graduate and apprentice programmes across the UK&I and, as our Early Careers (EC) proposition grows, to support new programme launches across Europe and potentially globally. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future talent journey at Arcadis, ensuring our programmes are innovative, agile, and aligned with the evolving needs of our business.

Reporting structure

Reporting to the Global Early Careers Director, you will collaborate with business leaders, HR partners, and a global network of colleagues to create impactful, inclusive, and future‑ready early careers experiences. You will champion change, drive best practice, and play a pivotal role in the success of our next generation of Arcadians.

Role accountabilities

As a Programme Manager you will be at the forefront of designing and driving the learning journey of the early career’s talent at Arcadis. The Programme manager has responsibility for all Early Careers graduate, apprentice and intern programme activity. Supported by a UK&I Programme Advisor and a shared service team, you’ll be driving the overall programme and managing the cohorts throughout their time on the programme. A key focus will be to monitor the graduate programmes and continuously develop the operating model to ensure the skills we need from our new joiners evolves in line with business demands. Act as the main point of contact for UK&I Early Careers programmes and manage frameworks including reward, performance management and L&D.

Responsibilities

• Manage and continuously improve the UK&I Graduate “GROW” and Apprenticeship Development Programme & ad‑hoc support the creation of new development programmes globally.
• Design the early career learning & development curriculums and identify suppliers & internal resources to deliver the training.
• Liaise with the business and external trainers/vendors to ensure all curriculums are in line with the business needs.
• Manage the 6‑monthly performance reviews and grad and apprentice salary performance frameworks.
• Organise and deliver Graduate Inductions (subject to travel).
• Drive best practice and improvements through continuous review of all programmes, including through external benchmarking.
• Manage the Early Careers programme budget for UK&I and manage the relationship with external suppliers.
• Driving engagement on all Early Career programmes with hiring managers, HRBPs and internal stakeholders.
• Driving ad‑hoc projects as required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Significant experience designing, implementing and managing early careers programmes (graduate, apprentice, or similar), ideally in a complex, fast‑paced environment.
• Proven ability to lead through change, handle ambiguity, and drive continuous improvement.
• Strong relationship‑building and influencing skills at all levels, particularly with senior stakeholders.
• Creative, analytical thinker with a solutions‑focused approach.
• Experience coaching and developing high‑performing teams.
• Confident using large data files and analysing data to gain insights to inform decisions and demonstrate impact.
• Thrive in dynamic environments and embrace new challenges with a positive, can‑do attitude.
• Good knowledge and experience working with the UK apprenticeship levy.

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills‑based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We believe that by working together diverse people with different experiences develop the most innovative ideas. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life and we work closely with our people across six ED&I workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.