Graduate Project Manager

CPS; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A recognized Microsoft Gold Partner is looking for a Graduate Project Manager in Reading. The role involves supporting project management tasks across various engagements and applying necessary controls to ensure project success. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to deliver successful projects and possess strong communication skills. This position offers a chance to grow within a reputable organization.

Benefits

9 Day Fortnight

25 days holiday plus public holidays

Discounted Gym Membership

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Demonstratable delivery of a successful project, either work based, educational or personal.
• Understanding of end-to-end project lifecycle delivery.
• Understanding of managing project financials and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Support the complete project lifecycle from pre-sale to handover.
• Manage a number of small projects while supporting larger engagements.
• Apply Project Management control for various tasks.

Skills

Strong written and oral communication skills

Ability to multi-task

Organised and motivated

Keen to develop skills

Job description

Overview

We are a long established and highly respected Microsoft Gold Partner with an extensive portfolio of high-profile clients that is continuing to grow. Due to our continued growth, we are looking for a Graduate Project Manager to join the professional services team.

At CPS, a Project Manager's primary focus is the complete project lifecycle of the client engagement i.e.: pre-sale, through to contract finalisation, start up, design, implementation, commercial management, and handover. The Graduate Project Manager role is a development role which will be supporting all areas of the engagement, working towards being a competent and versatile Project Manager.

It is our mission to continue growing our Microsoft services portfolio, providing support and guidance to ensure clients are delighted with our service - not only with specific enterprise solutions, but also with a keen eye to their future strategic needs. Further to this, CPS and Microsoft are driving sustainment within businesses we work with, therefore business change management is another key aspect of our delivery.

Our client base includes many blue-chip organisations from a diverse variety of sectors including utilities, government agencies, engineering and high-tech industries, charity, financial services and education, all of which have high expectations for accuracy, customer service and delivery focus.

Requirements

CPS Project Management team are looking for a self-starter, keen to further develop both their personal and the company's knowledge and skillset, with a ‘make it happen' attitude.

The Graduate Project Manager will be working within the growing Project Management team, reporting into the Graduate Team Lead. The role will involve managing a number of small projects, as well as supporting Project Management tasks on the larger engagements where required.

The Project Manager is responsible for applying the required Project Management control:

• Communication (Stakeholder & Team)
• Scope & Expectation Management
• Change Control
• Planning & Resource Management
• RAID (Risk, Assumption, Issue and Dependency) management
• Deliverable acceptance and Financial control (Billing)
• Internal and Client facing performance reporting (highlight reporting, cost status reporting)

Time management, expectation management and clear communication is important within the commercial aspects of engagements. The Project Manager must ensure that all activities are delivered to high quality, on time and within budget and ensure that clients are delighted by their experience when engaging with CPS.

CPS have clients across the UK and travel is required at times, with occasional overseas assignments. This is balanced by an ability to work from home for some of the time.

Personal Attributes

• Calm, personable, approachable, and quick builder of relationships
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Patient, persistent & dependable
• Organised, motivated, and appropriately persistent to achieve goals
• Enjoys working in a multi-functional team
• Displays willingness to make decisions and thrives under pressure
• Ability to multi-task on multiple tasks/projects, prioritising where necessary
• Fast assimilator of information
• Quality / customer relationship focus
• Keen to develop, building knowledge and skills
• Happy to travel to client sites throughout the UK if required

Experience

• Demonstratable delivery of a successful project, either work based, educational or personal
• Understanding of managing project financials and budgets
• Understanding of end-to-end project lifecycle delivery, and the different type of project execution (Agile/Waterfall)
• Experience in a Project Co-ordination role is desirable but not essential

Benefits

Current at the time of writing. Subject to change.

• 9 Day Fortnight (compression of 10 working days into 9 to be able to not work every other Friday)
• PMI with Vitality Health
• Medical Cash Plan with Medicash
• Life Assurance (Death in Service) with YuLife
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 25 days holiday (plus all Public Holidays) - increasing to 26 days after 1 year, to 27 days after 2 years and to 28 days after 5 years
• Your birthday day off
• Access to Costco Membership
• Salary Sacrifice Scheme, applicable to:
• Workplace Pension
• Employer contribution is currently 5.5% of qualifying salary (above legislated minimum and will increase if we achieve certain business targets)
• Employee contribution is 4% of qualifying salary (legislated minimum but you can elect to increase)
• EV Car Schemes
• Discounted Gym Membership
• Cycle Schemes
• Home & Tech discounts for IKEA and Curry PC World
• Holiday Exchange Scheme: buy up to 10 additional day per year and sell up to 5

In addition, these are just some of our cultural benefits

• Quarterly and annual star performer awards - voted for by your peers and colleagues
• Spot Awards of £25 and up, to instantly recognise excellence in you and your colleagues
• Annual professional and personal training budget to support your PDP
• Career Development Frameworks
• Reward schemes that are designed to thank you for your hard work and make life a little more affordable.
• Monthly employee experience/engagement survey
• Quarterly company meetings
• At least one, usually the kick-off in March/April, will typically be in-person.
• The others are conducted as Town Halls
• Duration of in-person company meetings is generally 2 or 3 days and location changes every year.
• Social/team building events, organised by our incredible Employee Forum
• Regular, meaningful 1 to 1s
• Long service recognition at 5, 10, 15, 20 years and onwards
• Award winning culture Great Place to Work™ Nov 24 to Nov 25; Best Workplaces for Development™ 2025, Best Workplaces for Wellbeing™ 2025, Best Workplaces for Women™ 2025, Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Service™ 2024