Programme Manager

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester is seeking a Main area Programme Manager (Workforce and Education) to lead a portfolio of strategic programmes across Greater Manchester. You will translate national priorities into local delivery, manage risks, and report to senior leaders while developing workforce capability and system-wide changes.

The role requires NHS programme leadership experience, strong stakeholder engagement and line management of staff, with a commitment to equality and

Qualifications

• Postgraduate degree or equivalent.
• Experience leading complex NHS programmes.
• Experience leading workforce and education transformation across multiple organisations.
• Experience with programme risks, governance and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership for a portfolio of programmes across Greater Manchester.
• Lead planning, implementation and evaluation of initiatives aligned to priorities.
• Advise on workforce transformation, education and service improvement.
• Translate national policy into local delivery and outcomes.
• Prepare reports/presentations for senior stakeholders and governance groups.
• Line manage Workforce and Education Team members and support collaboration.
• Develop GM Academy+ activities and cross-organisational partnerships.

Skills

NHS Programme management

Workforce transformation

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Governance

Education

Postgraduate degree

Job description

Main area Programme Manager (Workforce and Education) Grade Band 8a Contract 17 months (Fixed term 17 months) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 413-110326-GMC-LM

Site Greater Manchester Cancer Services - E00466 Town Manchester Salary £57,528 - £64,750 Pro rata Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 31/08/2026 23:59

Job overview

Ready to shape the future of healthcare across Greater Manchester? Join the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance as a Programme Manager and play a pivotal role in delivering ambitious programmes that strengthen the workforce, transform services and support exceptional care for people affected by cancer.

Hosted by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance is one of 20 Cancer Alliances in England, bringing together NHS organisations and partners to drive improvement, innovation and collaboration across the health and care system.

In this strategic role, you'll lead a portfolio of complex programmes and projects, translating national priorities into practical solutions that improve services, develop workforce capability and support system-wide transformation.

Working closely with senior leaders, clinicians, education providers and partners, you'll build collaborative relationships, influence change and deliver measurable improvements aligned to NHS planning guidance and local priorities.

You'll also play a key role in the continued development of GM Academy+.

If you're an experienced programme manager who enjoys leading complex programmes, working collaboratively and making a lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you. This is a 1.0 WTE fixed-term opportunity until 31 March 2028. Secondment opportunities will be considered.

Main duties of the job

• Lead the planning, delivery and evaluation of a portfolio of strategic programmes and projects that support organisational priorities across Greater Manchester.
• Develop and manage collaborative relationships with NHS organisations, education providers and system partners to deliver transformational change.
• Lead complex projects from initiation through to implementation, ensuring delivery against agreed objectives, timescales and performance measures.
• Translate national policy and strategic priorities into practical programmes that improve services, workforce capability and patient outcomes.
• Monitor programme performance, manage risks and resources, and provide high-quality reports, presentations and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Provide leadership, guidance and line management to members of the Workforce and Education Team, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the development of GM Academy+, supporting innovative approaches to education, workforce development and system-wide collaboration.
• Please see job description for full list of responsibilities.

Working for our organisation

The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, looking after more than 64,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 25% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.

We are the largest radiotherapy provider in the NHS with one in 20 treatments delivered at The Christie. We have up to 15 linear accelerators operating across our network of sites. We operate the largest chemotherapy unit in the UK on our main site and treatments are also provided at 13 other networked sites, and in patients homes. And as a specialist tertiary surgical centre, we focus on rare cancers, complex procedures, and multidisciplinary approaches to cancer surgery, specialising in colorectal, peritoneal, gynaecological, urological and plastic surgery.

We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We have been named by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), as one of the best hospitals providing opportunities for patients to participate in clinical research studies, with more than 800 studies open at any time, caring for over 3,000 patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE

• Provide day-to-day leadership for a portfolio of programmes, working collaboratively with stakeholders across the system to deliver agreed priorities.
• Lead the planning, implementation and evaluation of initiatives aligned to national, regional and local priorities.
• Act as a subject matter expert, providing advice and guidance on workforce transformation, education and service improvement.
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of national policy, workforce developments and emerging best practice, translating these into local delivery.
• Work across organisational boundaries, using effective programme and project management approaches to deliver outcomes and respond to changing priorities.
• Provide line management and professional support to members of the team where appropriate.
• Work flexibly across the organisation, providing leadership and programme management support to other Programme Managers and portfolios where service need or organisational priorities require.

ORGANISATION

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with providers, system partners, education organisations and other stakeholders to support priorities.
• Work collaboratively across health and care organisations to identify opportunities for workforce transformation and service improvement.
• Ensure patient, public and stakeholder engagement is embedded
• Build effective partnerships with education providers and national organisations to support collaborative working and reduce duplication.

COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT

• Act as the lead contact for allocated programmes of work.
• Prepare and present reports and presentations for governance groups and senior stakeholders.
• Communicate complex information clearly to a wide range of audiences, supporting informed decision making.
• Provide regular updates on programme progress, risks and opportunities, escalating issues where appropriate.
• Develop effective working relationships across organisations to support successful programme delivery.

SYSTEMS AND DATA MANAGEMENT

• Analyse data to inform programme planning, workforce development and continuous improvement.
• Work with colleagues to develop outcome measures and evaluate the impact of initiatives.
• Ensure information is managed appropriately and in accordance with relevant information governance requirements.
• Research and interpret national guidance, evidence and best practice to support programme development.

PLANNING AND REPORTING

• Support the development and delivery of workforce and education plans that align with organisational priorities, NHS planning guidance and national workforce strategies.
• Develop, monitor and report against programme plans, milestones, risks and performance measures.
• Produce high-quality reports, business cases and briefing papers to support governance and decision making.
• Lead the evaluation of programmes and projects, identifying learning and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Maintain programme documentation, including risk registers, action plans and reporting mechanisms.
• Contribute to organisational reporting, annual reports and service reviews as required.

FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES

• Manage allocated programme budgets and commissioned activity, ensuring effective use of resources.
• Support procurement activity and the commissioning of external services where required.
• Identify funding opportunities and contribute to the development of business cases and funding proposals.
• Support workforce planning and resource management to ensure successful delivery of programme objectives.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion throughout all programmes and activities.
• Ensure equality considerations are incorporated into programme planning, delivery and evaluation.
• Carry out duties in accordance with Trust policies, legislation and best practice, promoting an inclusive culture for colleagues, partners and service users.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Educated to postgraduate degree level or equivalent or significant experience of working at a similar level within the subject area

Experience

• Experience of leading complex programmes and projects within the NHS or wider health and care system
• Experience leading workforce and education transformation and improvements across multiple organisations
• Experience of managing programme risks, issues and governance
• Experience of leading, managing and developing staff
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries
• Experience of working with senior clinical and operational leaders to deliver service improvement and workforce transformation
• Experience of promoting and delivering multi-professional education
• Experience of working strategically and delivering on workforce plans (including working with workforce data)

Skills

• Effective communication skills, using oral, written and other multi-media means and adapt to a broad range of different stakeholders
• Can communicate in difficult situations with sensitivity and manage emotionally charged conversations
• Can influence others to develop a shared vision
• Ability to analyse complex information from a wide range of sources and challenge the status quo, making independent judgements
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to innovate, use experience and act where information is incomplete
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to develop and deliver programme plans across multiple organisations
• Ability to monitor performance, identify risks and issues, and take appropriate action to maintain programme delivery
• Self-motivated and able to work autonomously to achieve agreed objectives
• Can work to demanding and changing timescales

Knowledge

• Has an understanding of cancer services in Greater Manchester
• Has an understanding of the workforce and current challenges
• Knowledge of the development and application of competency-based frameworks

Values

• Committed to quality in all that they do
• Values diversity and difference and promotes equality of opportunity
• Committed to working to help clinicians deliver better outcomes for patients
• Committed to patient and carer involvement in the development of health services
• Committed to the use of evidence and clinical consensus to bring about change
• Operates with integrity and openness
• Committed to personal development and supporting others to do the same
• Challenges received wisdom and acceptance of the status quo

Other

The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.

Pre-Employment Checks

To confirm your suitability for the role, we will carry out pre-employment checks in line with NHS Employment Check Standards. These include:

• Identity verification
• Right to work check
• Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role, payment of this will be the applicants responsibility)
• Professional registration and/or qualification check
• Occupational health assessment
• Employment history and reference validation

All applicants external to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust will be required to provide their HMRC employment history to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will be used to validate employment history and references.

If you require sponsorship, we will assess your eligibility based on current government guidance. If the role is not eligible and you cannot demonstrate your right to work, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.

NO SMOKING POLICY

You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.

Additional Information

We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels. In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.

We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all our activities. We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery in any of its forms, including slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking. We are fully committed to acting ethically and with transparency in all our business dealings and relationships, and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our organisation or supply chains.

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