Programme Lead

Government Recruitment Service; Manchester; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service in Manchester is seeking a Programme Lead to manage a portfolio of Capex projects within DWP Estates. This permanent, full-time role focuses on delivering projects on time and within budget, with strong governance and stakeholder engagement.

You will lead contractor and professional services partners, oversee cost controls, and ensure compliance with design and sustainability standards as part of a large transformation programme.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver a comprehensive strategy for project stakeholder management and engagement with senior clients and supply chain partners.
• Support the definition of robust processes to ensure sites are fit for purpose and can accommodate the Authority's business needs.
• Evaluate and approve project feasibility reports and cost planning.
• Support development of Financial Business Case documentation and ensure projects have defined scope, cost, and programme parameters.
• Oversee end-to-end delivery of projects with responsibility for supplier partners delivering design and construction works.

Job description

Programme Lead

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £44,447 to £46,547 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Manchester

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 27 Oct 2026

Closing date: 10 Nov 2026

For jobs located in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the government’s largest public service departments with a sizeable annual budget, serving over 20 million citizens.

The estate spans 1.4 million square metres across 800+ sites and supports around 78,000 colleagues.

Our vision includes DWP colleagues, supply chain, partners and, most fundamentally, the customers the Department exists to serve. They are the reason for our existence.

We are responsible for the day-to-day operation of our vast Estate by managing a private sector supply chain that delivers essential services such as Security Guarding, Maintenance, Property and Leasehold Management, Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management.

DWP Estates is not just about maintaining buildings - it’s about transformation. Our strategic goals include:

• Transitioning to a smaller, more affordable, and adaptable estate to meet future needs
• Investing in infrastructure through planned replacement works
• Embedding sustainability in line with Government Greening Commitments (GGCs)
• Delivering cost-effective services while maintaining high standards
• Creating a professional, best-in-class working culture across the Government Property profession

Our Estates strategy ambitions have been refreshed to take us through to 2030:

• OPTIMISE: Continue to transition to a more affordable and adaptable DWP estate that creates productive environments
• INVEST: Investment in an improved environment that better meets the needs of customers and colleagues and minimises service disruption
• SUPPORT: The drive for sustainability throughout DWP
• DELIVER: Expertly deliver improving, cost-effective services for DWP
• THRIVE: Continue to develop a working culture for DWP Estates that is best in class across government

There is no better time to join the award winning DWP Estates team.

This Programme Management role is based within DWP’s Estates Function as part of Corporate Transformation and will be responsible for proactively managing the project related professional services consultancy and contractor supplier partners with a key responsibility in the oversight of how Project Management services are provided to successfully deliver a range of Capex Programmes across a large portfolio, along with budget challenge and approval for projects and give assurance to stakeholders in the delivery of projects. This role will work closely with colleagues across the Estates function and a full range of supply chain partners.

Government Property Profession Career Framework (Link)

This role sits within the following:

• Job Family – Property & Construction Projects
• Core Role - Property & Construction Project Management
• Level - Practitioner

Travel - Travel and overnight stays as required in line with project and programme expectations

Key accountabilities

• Develop and deliver a comprehensive strategy for Project Stakeholder management and engagement, including liaison with senior clients, internal and external stakeholders and supply chain partners to successfully deliver projects within their portfolio.
• Support the definition of a robust process to ensure long term strategic DWP sites are fit for purpose, allowing maximum occupation to support the Authorities business.
• Evaluate and approval of project feasibility reports.
• Support colleagues in the development of Financial Business Case documentation for projects, and take responsibility for FBC2, ensuring projects are initiated on the basis of a defined scope, with robust cost and programme parameters.
• Responsibility for the successful E2E delivery of projects within their portfolio with contractual responsibility for and management of the supplier partners implementing the design and delivery of all construction/fit out works.
• Lead the project teams through the governance/financial approval and reporting processes for projects throughout the various RIBA stages.
• Taking corrective action at project level to mitigate against cost and/or programme overrun and provide clear escalations where appropriate.
• Supports the Estates PMO through ensuring accurate contributions from the professional services and Contractor supply chain regarding projects scheduling, risk review, cost reporting, commercial compliance, change control and technical compliance with design and sustainability standards.
• Approval of detailed and technical design of projects.
• Prepare and approval of FF&E schedules and procurement as require.
• Provision and authorisation of Environment, Health and Safety standards, along with reporting of non-compliance and issue resolution.
• Where deemed appropriate in partnership with professional services providers and in house commercial teams, prepare project bid documents, contribute to concept design, and undertake due diligence of main contractor selection.
• Manage Project change and approval process.
• Support a full independent cost management and review process, from estimating, cost planning, tender, contract award through to approval and settlement of final account.
• Oversee and manage commissioning of snagging works, obtaining completion certificates and hand over to Service Delivery and the Integrator for BAU. Apply Government Soft Landings and BIM where appropriate.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme.

About Disability Confident: Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.