Lead Project Manager

ANS Group; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ANS Group is seeking an experienced Lead Project Manager in Manchester to oversee a portfolio of projects within a designated Solution Area and to lead a high-performing team of Project Managers and Senior Project Managers.

You will deliver projects to the highest standards, coach and mentor your team, and drive continuous improvement across delivery practices while collaborating with Solution Area Leads, customers and senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in project management and portfolio delivery.
• Experience across Agile, Waterfall and hybrid delivery approaches.
• Proven ability to manage escalations and complex customer situations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong leadership, coaching and mentoring capabilities.
• Commercial awareness balancing delivery with business objectives.
• Experience supporting pre-sales engagements and bid activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and develop a team of Project Managers and Senior Project Managers.
• Own and manage a portfolio of projects within your Solution Area, ensuring delivery within scope, budget and timelines.
• Oversee governance, changes to forecasts, and compliance with delivery processes.
• Attend executive-level customer meetings and project boards as required.
• Support cross-functional, cross-vertical programmes and resource planning.
• Identify and drive continuous improvement in delivery practices and tools.

Skills

Project leadership

Stakeholder management

Agile methodologies

Risk management

Coaching & mentoring

Budgeting & forecasting

Cross-functional collaboration

People management

Job description

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced and people-focused

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced and people-focused Lead Project Manager to oversee a portfolio of projects within a designated Solution Area while leading and developing a high-performing team of Project Managers and Senior Project Managers.

This is a leadership role that combines project delivery excellence with people management. You'll act as the escalation point for complex project challenges, provide coaching and mentorship to your team, and drive continuous improvement across project delivery practices.

Working closely with Solution Area Leads, customers, and senior stakeholders, you will ensure projects are delivered to the highest standards while supporting the growth and development of your team.

Roles & Responsibilities...

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, mentor and support a team of Project Managers and Senior Project Managers.
• Act as the primary escalation point for project-related issues, providing guidance and support through challenging situations.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings and performance discussions.
• Support career development, coaching and progression planning across the team.
• Facilitate weekly project management reviews to ensure effective project oversight and issue resolution.Support recruitment activities, including interviewing and onboarding new team members.

Project Portfolio Management

• Own and manage a portfolio of projects within your Solution Area.
• Ensure projects are delivered within agreed scope, budget, timelines and quality standards.
• Maintain effective project governance and ensure compliance with delivery frameworks and processes.
• Review and approve changes to project forecasts, timelines and customer change requests.
• Attend executive-level customer meetings and project board discussions as required.
• Support Senior Project Managers in the delivery of cross-functional and cross-vertical programmes.

Operational & Commercial Management

• Manage and report on utilisation performance across your Solution Area.
• Oversee Book-to-Bill performance and Microsoft contract-related activities.
• Monitor and manage over-recovery and under-recovery performance in line with departmental budgets.
• Support resource planning and capacity management across the project portfolio.
• Contribute to headcount planning and budget forecasting activities.
• Partner with Pre-Sales teams to support customer engagements throughout the sales cycle.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve delivery practices, governance processes and operational efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across Project Management and Professional Services.
• Ensure planning tools, timesheets and project reporting are maintained accurately and consistently.
• Collaborate with Solution Area Leads to prioritise project portfolios and optimise delivery outcomes.

Skills & Experience

We're looking for someone who can combine strong project delivery expertise with excellent people leadership skills.

• Significant experience in Project Management and project portfolio delivery.
• Experience working across a variety of delivery methodologies, including Agile, Waterfall and hybrid approaches.
• Proven ability to manage project escalations and complex customer situations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong leadership, coaching and mentoring capabilities.
• Commercial awareness with experience balancing delivery, utilisation and business objectives.
• Excellent customer service and relationship management skills.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Previous people management experience.
• Experience managing commercial performance, forecasting and budgeting.
• Technology or IT services industry experience.
• Experience supporting pre-sales engagements and bid activities.