People Programme Manager

QBE European Operations plc.; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days holiday

Pension contributions

Private medical insurance

Remote work abroad

Job summary

QBE European Operations plc. in Leeds is seeking a People Programme Manager on a fixed-term basis until the end of 2027. You will lead delivery across a large, multi-workstream transformation within the People, Culture and Change team.

You will partner with the People Leadership Team to deliver the People Strategy, manage governance, risks and dependencies, and coach junior members while driving successful outcomes across the full lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Experience leading large-scale People/HR programmes within a fast-paced commercial environment.
• Proven experience with project controls, including risks, issues, dependencies, plans, reporting and governance.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management across line and matrix environments.
• Solid understanding of project management methodologies and tooling.

Responsibilities

• Manage delivery of a large, complex, multi-location transformation programme within agreed timeframes and scope, ensuring effective stakeholder engagement throughout.
• Develop and gain agreement to programme plans, ensuring interdependencies across related projects and workstreams are monitored throughout the full lifecycle.
• Review and maintain accurate programme and project information, including plans, milestones, status reports, risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies and outcomes
• Work collaboratively across the People team and with internal and external stakeholders to drive successful programme delivery, ensuring key dependencies, risks and issues are identified, coordinated and managed effectively.
• Facilitate a robust governance process across the programme, providing clear status updates and effective risk, issue and exception reporting to support stakeholder alignment and decision-making.
• Contribute to the review and refinement of processes, procedures, tools and systems to continuously improve the efficiency of programme delivery and related activities.
• Actively coach and develop more junior/less experienced team members. Act as a point of reference to guide and advise others to ensure the sharing of knowledge and best practice

Skills

Stakeholder management

Programme delivery

Governance

Risk management

HR programmes

Project planning

Communication

Job description

Primary Details

Time Type: Full timeWorker Type: Employee

People Programme Manager

FTC until end of 2027

Role Highlights

• Leeds based role with hybrid working
• This role reports into Nikki Lees (People Director, Culture & Change)

The Opportunity:

We have an exciting opportunity to join our People, Culture and change team on a fixed-term basis as a People Programme Manager. This is a key role partnering with the People Leadership Team to support delivery of the People Strategy through a significant transformation programme already in progress.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced programme manager to take ownership of an established people transformation programme, ensuring successful delivery through its next phase and implementation. The role will maintain momentum across multiple workstreams and stakeholders, manage governance and reporting, monitor progress against plans, identify risks and dependencies, and drive actions through to completion. You will play a critical role in ensuring the transformation delivers its intended outcomes, providing programme management expertise, structure and oversight across the full lifecycle.

About QBE

At QBE, we get to the heart of what matters for our customers. And we do it all with a human touch.

We’re an international insurer with more than 13,000 people working across 26 countries – which means we’re big enough for your ambitions, yet small enough for you to make a real impact. It’s an exciting time. We’re building momentum towards our vision to become the most consistent and innovative risk partner.

What if you could have a positive impact – at work and in the world? As part of the QBE team, you’ll get to spend every day working with people who are passionate, talented and kind.

Your New Role

• Manage delivery of a large, complex, multi-location transformation programme within agreed timeframes and scope, ensuring effective stakeholder engagement throughout.
• Develop and gain agreement to programme plans, ensuring interdependencies across related projects and workstreams are monitored throughout the full lifecycle.
• Review and maintain accurate programme and project information, including plans, milestones, status reports, risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies and outcomes
• Work collaboratively across the People team and with internal and external stakeholders to drive successful programme delivery, ensuring key dependencies, risks and issues are identified, coordinated and managed effectively.
• Facilitate a robust governance process across the programme, providing clear status updates and effective risk, issue and exception reporting to support stakeholder alignment and decision-making.
• Contribute to the review and refinement of processes, procedures, tools and systems to continuously improve the efficiency of programme delivery and related activities.
• Actively coach and develop more junior/less experienced team members. Act as a point of reference to guide and advise others to ensure the sharing of knowledge and best practice

Having the right to work in the UK is a requirement for this role.QBE may consider sponsorship at its discretion.

About You

• Experience leading large-scale People/HR programmes with multiple workstreams within a fast-paced, complex commercial environment.
• Proven experience managing key project controls, including risks, issues, dependencies, plans, reporting and governance.
• Strong understanding of project management methodology, best-practice tools, templates and techniques, supported by relevant learning or study.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration and stakeholder management skills, with experience working effectively across line and matrix environments and diverse stakeholder groups.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to bring structure, clarity and focus to complex situations.
• Ability to keep programme and project teams motivated, focused and aligned through a multi-phase transformation programme, maintaining momentum and confidence through ambiguity and change.

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits to help provide holistic support for your work life, whatever your circumstances. As a QBE employee you will have access to and benefit from:

As well as the benefits below we also offer an extensive choice of other options to suit you!

• 30 days holiday a yearwith theoptionto buy up to 2additionaldays.
• Pension –you are automatically enrolled into the QBE pension plan, which entitles you to receive employer contributions of 10% of your basic salary.
• Private medical insurance– we fund fully comprehensive private medical cover for you and all the family.
• Short term remote work abroad-you can request up to 20 days per year to work remotely from certain locations abroad.

Awards & Recognition

• Insurance Post British Insurance Awards 2025: Winner: Commercial Lines Insurer of the Year, Winner: Reinsurer of the Year - QBE Re, Winner: ESG, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year, Winner: Insurance Personality of the Year - Chris Wallace, Executive Director UK insurance
• AXCO Global Insurance Awards 2024 Winner: Network Management of the Year
• Insurance Business UK 5-Star Cyber Awards 2024: QBE rated as a 5-Star Cyber Insurer
• Insurance Post British Insurance Awards 2023: QBE rated as a 5-Star Employee

Skills

Analytical Thinking, Communication, Cost Management, Critical Thinking, Detail-Oriented, Financial Products, Intentional collaboration, Managing performance, Presenting with Impact, Problem Solving, Project Delivery, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Management, Waterfall Model

Equal Employment Opportunity

QBE is an equal opportunity employer and is required to comply with equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction it operates.