PMO Project Manager

Bedford ESOL; Bedford; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

Bank holidays

People’s pension

Discounts and development

Job summary

Bedford College Group is seeking a PMO Project Manager to join the IT & Digital Experience team at Bedford College, Cauldwell Street Campus. You will lead a diverse portfolio of projects from initiation to closure, focusing on digital transformation, IT, estates, and organisational change.

The role requires strong governance, risk & performance reporting, stakeholder engagement, and the ability to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Qualifications

• Holds a recognised project management qualification (or equivalent experience) with a proven track record of delivering projects from initiation through to completion, including technology, business change and operational improvement initiatives.
• Experienced in project planning, budgeting, risk management, governance processes, reporting and performance monitoring.
• Demonstrates excellent written, verbal, presentation and stakeholder management skills.
• Highly organised, self-motivated and detail-oriented with advanced Microsoft 365 skills.
• Adaptable, committed to safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, and able to travel across campuses.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver a diverse portfolio of projects from initiation to closure, including digital transformation, IT, estates, operational improvement and organisational change initiatives.
• Operate within PMO governance frameworks, develop project documentation and business cases, manage risks, issues and budgets, and provide reporting and assurance information.
• Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, coordinate project teams and suppliers, facilitate engagement activities.
• Promote project management best practice and share lessons learned to enhance future outcomes.
• Support cross-college initiatives while promoting safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, and compliance.

Job description

Role: PMO Project Manager

Location: Bedford College – Cauldwell Street Campus

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £41,086 and £47,971 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year

Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role:

We are currently seeking a PMO Project Manager to join our IT & Digital Experience department at The Bedford College Group.

As a PMO Project Manager, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Project Delivery & Portfolio Management - Lead and deliver a diverse portfolio of projects from initiation to closure, including digital transformation, IT, estates, operational improvement and organisational change initiatives, ensuring objectives are achieved on time, within budget and to agreed quality standards.
• Governance, Risk & Performance Reporting - Operate within PMO governance frameworks, develop project documentation and business cases, manage risks, issues and budgets, and provide accurate reporting, dashboards and assurance information to project boards and senior leaders.
• Stakeholder, Supplier & Change Management - Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, coordinate project teams and suppliers, facilitate engagement activities, and support organisational change, business readiness, communication and training throughout project delivery.
• Continuous Improvement & Best Practice - Promote project management best practice, identify opportunities to improve processes and organisational effectiveness, contribute to PMO standards and methodologies, and share lessons learned to enhance future project outcomes.
• College-Wide Responsibilities & Professional Standards - Support cross-college initiatives, events and activities across multiple campuses while promoting safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, compliance, and continuous professional development.

About you:

• Project Management Expertise & Delivery Experience - Holds a recognised project management qualification (or equivalent experience) with a proven track record of successfully delivering projects from initiation through to completion, including technology, business change and operational improvement initiatives.
• Planning, Governance & Analytical Skills - Experienced in project planning, budgeting, risk management, governance processes, reporting and performance monitoring, with the ability to interpret data and produce meaningful management information to support decision-making.
• Communication, Stakeholder & Influencing Skills - Demonstrates excellent written, verbal, presentation and stakeholder management skills, building effective relationships across functions and influencing outcomes without direct authority.
• Organisation, IT & Professionalism - Highly organised, self‑motivated and detail‑oriented, with advanced Microsoft 365 skills, strong problem‑solving abilities, and the capability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high professional standards.
• Adaptability, College Values & Safeguarding - Resilient and adaptable in a changing environment, committed to continuous improvement, safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, and able to travel across campuses and adjust working patterns to meet organisational needs.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: 06 October 2026

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire:Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College andTreshamCollege in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough;ShuttleworthCollege,a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for MotorsportalongsideSilverstonerace circuit.To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.