Interim Programme Manager

Connect2Surrey; Woking; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Connect2Surrey is seeking a Specialist Programme Manager to oversee highly complex transformation programmes, notably the Children’s Social Care Transformation Programme. You will align with the Senior Responsible Owner’s vision, drive delivery on time and within budget, and measure benefits for residents.

You will manage diverse stakeholders, lead cross-functional teams, and ensure continual improvement across the CSC Transformation Team and CFLL Savings initiatives.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent professional qualification with management experience in a specialist area.
• Extensive knowledge of change management, project management and continuous improvement.
• Strong understanding of work practices, processes and sector awareness.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, execution and delivery of highly complex transformation programmes.
• Develop and secure approvals for business cases and change requests.
• Engage with Programme Boards and provide strategic updates.
• Oversee substantial programme budgets and resource allocation.
• Ensure cross-programme alignment and dependency management.
• Lead on risk and issue management across the programme.
• Deliver progress reports to senior management and stakeholders.
• Coordinate resources across projects and mentor team members.

Skills

Change Mgmt

Program Mgmt

Stakeholder Mgmt

Budget Mgmt

Strategy

Leadership

Communication

Risk Mgmt

Analytics

Mentoring

Education

Degree or equivalent qualification

Tools

PM Software

Job description

To apply specialist knowledge, expertise and experience to deliver and oversee highly complex, high-impact transformation programmes (in this case, the Children's Social Care Transformation Programme), ensuring alignment with the Senior Responsible Owner's vision and strategic objectives.

Manage multifaceted, high-stakes programmes that drive transformational change, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and with measurable benefits, significantly contributing to the Council's long-term priorities.

Effectively manage diverse stakeholder relationships and lead cross functional teams, the Specialist Programme Manager drives initiatives that significantly enhance service delivery, optimise operational efficiency, and deliver lasting value to residents and key stakeholders.

Key Accountabilities

1. Lead the design, execution, and delivery of highly complex transformation programme/s, ensuring alignment with the Council's long-term strategic priorities and objectives. Applying deep subject matter expertise to inform specialist programme design and execution, ensuring relevance and impact.
2. Drive the development and secure approval of comprehensive business cases and change requests, ensuring they are strategically aligned with the Council's vision of sustainability and community empowerment.
3. Engage with Programme Boards, providing critical updates and strategic insights, ensuring programmes are on track to support and advance the Council's overarching goals.
4. Oversee and manage substantial programme budgets, ensuring the strategic allocation of resources to drive economic resilience and sustainable growth.
5. Ensure that all projects within the specialist programme are strategically aligned and integrated, maximising their collective impact and advancing the strategic vision of the client group.
6. Identify and manage cross-programme dependencies, ensuring strategic coherence and seamless delivery to address complex challenges facing the client and the Council.
7. Lead on management of risks and issues across the specialist programme, ensuring prompt escalation and resolution to safeguard the Council's service delivery standards.
8. Deliver high-level, progress reports to senior management and key stakeholders, ensuring alignment with the Council's strategic objectives and maintaining accountability throughout the programme lifecycle.
9. Work closely with the Assistant Director for CSC Transformation and other senior stakeholders to ensure that cross programme dependencies are mapped and managed.
10. Lead the delivery of programme assurance, ensuring that the programme remains on track and consistently delivers value, contributing to the Council's continuous improvement and long-term strategic success.
11. Line manage, oversee and mentor team members, managing and supporting their performance to build their professional capabilities. Use metrics and feedback to drive continuous improvement. Review evaluations of project outcomes to identify areas for enhancement and implement best practices.
12. To coordinate and ensure optimum deployment of resources across the projects within the programme the role is responsible for.

The CSC Transformation Team and newly formed Children, Families & Lifelong Learning (CFLL) Savings team will operate in a dynamic, agile environment, delivering strategic transformation initiatives across the council, working very closely with the CFLL Directorate.

Emphasising continuous improvement, the service requires team members to proactively identify opportunities for collaboration, optimisation, and efficiency gains. Effective communication and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders are essential for the successful delivery of transformation initiatives. The team is committed to excellence, innovation, and strategic alignment, focusing on delivering value and driving positive change across the organisation.

Specialist Programme Managers work within a matrix programme team, collaborating with colleagues across the council. They lead significant and complex programmes in a specialist area of the council, demonstrating agility and flexibility to work within and beyond this client group as required. They quickly and credibly embed themselves into new areas of work, applying their specialist expertise, knowledge and experience across all the programme management disciplines.

They combine the breadth and depth of their programme management expertise with a deep knowledge in a specialist part of the council, allowing them to lead highly specialist programmes of work.

The Specialist Programme Manager role demands significant effort and responsibility, leading highly complex, high-impact transformation programmes that require strategic foresight and exemplary planning. They navigate intricate stakeholder landscapes, manage substantial resources, and ensure all projects align with the council's long-term vision. By driving transformational change and overseeing multifaceted projects, they foster continuous improvement and innovation, significantly contributing to the Council's sustained success and operational excellence.

• Degree or equivalent professional qualification plus experience at management level in a specialist area in a demanding business environment.
• Extensive knowledge of the principles of change management, project management and continuous improvement, and their practical application.
• Authoritative knowledge of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role including broader sector/commercial awareness.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and available resources to deliver effective support to their area of responsibility.
• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with high level negotiation and influencing skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners/professionals.
• Comprehensive knowledge of computerised business systems.
• Proven ability to inspire and motivate others.
• Advanced problem solving and analytical skills with the capacity to devise and implement practical and creative solutions.
• Proven ability to assess risks and benefits in a complex environment and respond appropriately.
• Substantial experience in successful leading, motivating, coaching, mentoring and developing staff.

Connect2Surrey is a trading style of Surrey & Kent Commercial Services LLP - A joint venture between Surrey County Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Surrey is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates