Investment Programme Manager

inploi; Manchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A city council in the UK is looking for an Investment Programme Manager to lead major capital projects transforming local parks. This role involves planning investments, managing budgets, and ensuring alignment with community wellbeing and environmental goals. Candidates should demonstrate strong communication and project management skills for successful execution of the Parks Development Programme.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Pension scheme

Enhanced parental leave

Learning opportunities

Flexible work

Volunteer leave

Qualifications

• Experience in capital investment delivery within a public sector or urban regeneration context.
• Strong stakeholder engagement with external partners.
• Understanding of capital spend protocols.

Responsibilities

• Lead on planning and managing investment projects for local parks.
• Identify funding opportunities and oversee capital spend.
• Contribute to the Parks Strategy and support wider Council priorities.

Skills

Communication Skills

Analytical Skills

Planning and Organising

Project Management

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Strategic Thinking

Financial Management

Commercial Skills

People Management

Education

Project and programme management qualifications (e.g. PRINCE2, MSP, APM)

Job description

Overview

Manchester is a city that’s proud of its parks — and we’re investing in their future. As our Investment Programme Manager, you’ll be at the centre of that transformation. This is a chance to lead major capital projects that will shape how our parks look, feel, and function for years to come. You’ll help create cleaner, greener, safer spaces that bring people together, support wellbeing, and reflect the energy and diversity of our communities. Your work will be visible, valued, and make a difference not only to the city’s landscape but to the lives of the people who use it every day.

Manchester City Council is the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities, and we are committed to creating an inclusive team that reflects our communities.

Responsibilities

Explain how this role is key to making impact in your service:

This role is central to delivering our ambitious Parks Development Programme. You’ll:

• Lead on planning and managing investment projects, ensuring delivery on time, on budget, and in line with our goals.
• Identify new funding opportunities and oversee capital spend.
• Work closely with teams across the Council and with external partners.
• Turn ideas into action to improve local parks, unlock commercial potential, or support community-led initiatives.
• Contribute to the targets set out in the ten-year Parks Strategy and support wider Council priorities such as climate action, neighbourhood regeneration, and creating a child-friendly city.

Lead a programme of complex capital investments with a focus on future-readiness and continuous improvement, aligning with strategic and political priorities.

Essential requirements

• Communication Skills: Ability to build and maintain networks of support and partnerships with external agencies, voluntary and statutory bodies, and key stakeholders for continuous service improvement. Ability to mobilise key stakeholders to deliver the vision of excellence for the city.
• Analytical Skills: Provides creative solutions while considering policy and procedure; confident in adopting novel or non-standard approaches when required.
• Planning and Organising: Ability to manage a multi-priority workload and progress multiple ideas and plans concurrently.
• Project Management: Ability to influence, monitor and control risk across high-value, complex, and multiple projects.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making: Uses creative approaches to find solutions and justify non-standard options.
• Strategic Thinking: Demonstrates political awareness and links continuous improvement with national, corporate, and departmental standards and goals.
• Financial Management: Excellent financial planning skills to develop short-, medium-, and long-term financial plans and budget management for high-risk or volatile elements.
• Commercial Skills: Strong ability to manage tenders, evaluations, and external partner relationships.
• People Management: Leads and develops staff, sets targets, and monitors progress for continuous service delivery improvement.

Desirable requirements

• Experience in capital investment delivery within a public sector or urban regeneration context, especially parks, green spaces, or community infrastructure.
• Strong stakeholder engagement with external partners such as funding bodies, voluntary organisations, and community groups.
• Knowledge of funding streams and grant applications, including external funding management (e.g. Heritage Lottery Fund, government regeneration funds).
• Project and programme management qualifications (e.g. PRINCE2, MSP, APM) or equivalent experience.
• Understanding of local government governance, financial compliance, and capital spend protocols.
• Commercial awareness to identify and develop income-generating opportunities within public assets.

Benefits

• Generous holiday allowance: Up to 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 31 days after five years; option to purchase up to two additional weeks.
• Pension: Enrolment in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme with life cover of three times salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave for family life events.
• Perks: Discounts on shopping, holidays, phone contracts, cycle to work, flu jabs, eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow: Access to learning opportunities, onboarding, workshops, training, apprenticeships and qualifications.
• Good Employment Charter: Secure, flexible work with annual pay reviews and strong health and wellbeing support.
• Volunteer leave: Up to 3 days pro-rated volunteering leave.

Other information

• We actively welcome applications from all backgrounds; we particularly encourage Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people to apply.
• Interview adjustments and accessible formats are available; ReciteMe is accessible via the Accessibility tools on our careers page.
• Right to work in the UK is required; the role is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.

Pre-employment and other checks

Checks may include proof of right to work, references, qualifications, DBS check where applicable, residency verification, police vetting where required, BPSS clearance, and driving licence verification if required.

For more information about the role or adjustments, email [e-mail].

Closing Date: 06 October 2025. Closing time: 11.59pm. Interview Method: Face to Face. This role is full-time and permanent. Working hours: 35 hours per week (Mon–Fri with occasional evenings/weekends as needed).

Privacy and take-home pay tools are provided for reference.

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