Programme Manager

gsma; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 83,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexi-time

Remote working

Learning & development opportunities

Generous holiday allowances

Job summary

GSMA in London seeks a Programme Manager (contractor) to lead major programmes and provide governance across multiple portfolios. You will design plans, manage budgets, and mentor teams in a fast-paced, globally oriented environment.

The role offers hybrid working, stakeholder engagement at senior levels, and responsibility for delivery excellence within IR35 umbrella terms.

Qualifications

• Solid experience of managing programmes or multiple adjacent projects.
• Experience in managing significant project and programme budgets and applying change control tactics.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design and manage complex projects and programmes across GSMA business areas and portfolios with excellent planning and communication techniques.
• Define governance arrangements and develop stakeholder management plans to foster engagement and confidence in delivery.
• Lead project and programme teams, allocate resources, monitor benefits, budgets, and risks, and chair effective meetings.

Skills

Programme management

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Change management

Communication

Leadership

Team leadership

Job description

Department: Project Services & Change

Team: Project Services & Change

Location: London with hybrid working (2-3 days in the office)

Position type: Contractor (umbrella – inside IR35) until 5th November 2027

What the hiring manager says

“This is an exciting opportunity to join our agile, fast-paced, and versatile team of project professionals; to lead on various programmes at the heart of technology and programme management and to support the wider organisation with high class programme delivery and participate in the continuous growth and improvement of the GSMA”.

Anna Campbell, Head of Project Services & Change

About the team

The Project Services & Change Team in the GSMA provides project/programme management, change management and business analysis capabilities to deliver change initiatives across the mobile industry. Working in close partnership with subject matter experts within the GSMA and from across the mobile industry, the Project Services team manages a wide range of projects and programmes in all areas of the organisation, including Technology, Product Development, Marketing and Events, as well as internal facing projects in IT, Finance and HR.

Project Services is the delivery engine for projects across the GSMA. As well as delivering projects and programmes to agreed cost, quality and timelines, the Project Services team maintains a strong focus on delivering benefits to our colleagues, our members and to the mobile industry.

About the role

As a Programme Manager in the Project Services & Change team, you will be responsible for the delivery of GSMA major programmes and to provide programme leadership to the team delivering these programmes.

You will:

• • Plan, design and manage complex projects and programmes across the different GSMA business areas and portfolios with excellent planning and communication techniques
• • Support the definition of the structure and plan the project and programme approach, with consideration for dependencies and constraints
• • Create project and programme plans including timelines, project structures and resource allocations
• • Ensure the delivery of products or services from projects is to the appropriate level of quality, on time and within budget, in accordance with the programme plan and programme governance arrangements
• • Design communication plans that keep stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the programme, whilst ensuring that messages are consistent, transparent, and tailored to a variety of multi-level stakeholders
• • Define the project and programme’s governance arrangements, develop and execute stakeholder management plans, fostering engagement and confidence in programme delivery
• • Proactively identify and mitigate risks, ensuring that potential issues are addressed promptly
• • Where needed, develop change management plans that include clear objectives, timelines, and key performance indicators (KPIs)
• • Ensure allocation of resources and skills within the programme's individual projects to meet programme priorities
• • Ensure project and programme benefits are tracked and managed as per the programme sponsor requirement
• • Manage project and programme budgets, financials and procurement, in adherence to GSMA processes and within agreed tolerances, always seeking to maximise value and reduce external expenditure
• • Prepare, plan and chair efficient and effective internal and external meetings
• • Support the PMO in developing effective business programme management processes in collaboration with team members
• • Lead project and programme teams and build positive and effective relationships with team members, mentoring and collaborating to achieve success

About you

• • Solid experience of managing programmes or multiple adjacent projects
• • Experience in managing significant project and programme budgets and applying the relevant change control tactics as required
• • Sound business case development skills
• • Strong relationship & stakeholder management skills - experience in working as trusted advisor at senior business leader level on critical, complex challenges
• • Experience in balancing different priorities and finding common ground and consensus
• • Ability to create a sense of community amongst the projects and project teams
• • Able to absorb complex information and communicate effectively at all levels to both expert and non-expert audiences
• • Excellent communication and storytelling skills, and ability to make complex technical concepts easily understood
• • Confidently present to a variety of audiences and conducts excellent presentation and information sharing practices
• • Experience of working in an international and cross-cultural environment
• • Commercial understanding of programme outcomes and how these relate to an organisation’s P&L

This is a hands-on role with successful candidates required to be self-motivated and able to work effectively, with limited supervision. You will display the following qualities:

• • Demonstrate the GSMA’s values and contribute to a positive work environment
• • Consistently follow through on commitments and can be relied upon at all times
• • Remain flexible in changing circumstances
• • Prioritise tasks and manage time effectively• Independently find solutions to problem
• • Take ownership of own responsibilities

About your skills

As a Programme Manager you will display the following skills:

1. 1. Communication
2. 2. Delivery
3. 3. Project Management
4. 4. Leadership
5. 5. Teamwork
6. 6. Stakeholder Management

Contract type

Short term Contractor

Worker type

Contingent Worker

What We Offer

Working at the GSMA offers you unparalleled access to the mobile industry. We offer a chance to truly shape the direction of mobile, whatever your role. By joining the GSMA, you will be exposed to a fast-paced rapidly evolving environment, working on global solutions, genuinely fascinating and industry-changing projects and a stimulating and dynamic environment designed to enable you to flourish.

In addition to architect-designed offices and competitive compensation, our benefits include fantastic learning & development opportunities, generous holiday allowances, four additional days off for professional development and many others.

Being You at the GSMA

We care deeply about diversity, equity and inclusivity and aspire to be the best at it. Your well-being and work/life balance is important, so flexi-time and remote working is available to all staff. We're keen to ensure everyone is equal, represented and connected so we particularly encourage applications from all demographics. The sucess of the GSMA year on year will continue to be contributed by people from all walks of life.

GSMA Values

Our values not only drive our culture – they shape how we work and interact inside and outside our global organisation.

Passionately driven

We approach everything we do with unparalleled capability, tenacity and commitment, knowing that the challenging scale, pace and complexity of our work is what leads to its world-changing impact.

Insightful leaders

We continually develop and engage our expertise, insight and creativity so that we’re always ready to respond to the changing landscape with authority, agility and nuance.

Stronger together

We lean on each other so the industry can lean on us, embracing our diversity by actively seeking out perspectives and skill sets beyond our own, fuelling each other’s successes and constantly asking how we can help.

Underpinning our values is our collective mindset to show up purposefully as good human beings every day, in every situation. When we’re at our best – we are collaborative, considerate and compassionate to others, and we create a safe space for one another to thrive, assuming positive intent in our colleagues. And if we aren’t at our best and the pressure is on – we feel free to be ourselves but still remain curious, lean into the tough stuff and we are always respectful to others and accountable for the part we play.