Programme Manager

South East Water; Snodland; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Holiday entitlement

Flexible annual leave

Volunteer days

Cycle to work

Health cash plan

Life assurance

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

South East Water in the United Kingdom is seeking a Programme Manager to steer a portfolio of interdependent projects from initiation to closure, collaborating with senior leadership to deliver strategic benefits.

You will provide high-level leadership to project managers, develop overarching programme plans, monitor performance, manage multi-million budgets, and communicate progress to executives while driving organisational change and value delivery.

Qualifications

• A professional project management qualification such as PMP or PgMP is required, or an equivalent degree.
• Ability to align a portfolio of projects with the company's long-term business goals.
• Capacity to lead and mentor other project managers and inspire confidence in senior management.
• Experience managing multi-million pound budgets and financial forecasts across a programme.
• Proactive approach to identifying and managing interconnected risks across projects.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate a portfolio of interdependent projects from initiation to closure.
• Provide high-level leadership to project managers and act as the main point of contact for programme communications.
• Develop overarching programme plans and oversee execution to align with strategic goals.
• Proactively monitor and control programme performance against metrics.
• Regularly report on progress, financial status and strategic value to senior leadership.
• Manage stakeholders and external partners to secure buy-in and drive adoption of changes.
• Lead organisational change initiatives arising from the programme and ensure delivery of business benefits.

Skills

Portfolio management

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Budget control

Risk management

Programme governance

Job description

Summary

Are you looking for your next challenge steering high-impact transformation directly alongside senior leadership? Do you have a proven track record of managing high-stakes portfolios aligned directly with enterprise strategic goals? Reporting to the Head of Transformation, this Programme Manager role is responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of a portfolio of interdependent projects, all aligned with the company’s strategic goals. This involves overseeing multiple, related projects from conception to completion, balancing the key constraints of scope, budget and schedule across the entire programme. This role will act as the central hub for all programme-related communications and activities. This includes setting overarching strategic direction and programme milestones, monitoring progress and risks at a portfolio level, facilitating communication between project managers and senior stakeholders and ensuring that all project deliverables collectively meet the required strategic objectives.

Main responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate a portfolio of interdependent projects from initiation to closure.


• Provide high-level leadership to project managers and the broader programme team, serving as the main point of contact for all programme-related communications.


• Develop overarching programme plans and oversee the execution of all related projects to ensure they collectively align with the company's strategic goals.


• Proactively monitor and control programme performance against established metrics.


• Regularly report on progress, financial status and strategic value to senior leadership and key stakeholders.


• Take ownership of managing the complex relationships and interdependencies between projects within the programme.


• Proactively identify and mitigate programme-level risks to ensure the entire portfolio remains on track.


• Actively manage the expectations of a wide range of stakeholders, from project teams to the Executive team.


• Nurture strategic relationships with key external partners, suppliers and contractors.


• Lead organisational change initiatives that arise from the programme.


• Secure buy-in from appropriate levels of the organisation and communicate the intended outcomes and benefits of the change to ensure smooth adoption.


• Accountable for ensuring the programme delivers the intended business benefits and outcomes.


• Measure and report on the value created to demonstrate a return on investment.


• Manage the overall financial health and resource allocation for the entire programme's portfolio, making strategic decisions to secure funding and optimise spending.


• Matrix manage a project team to consistently exceed deadlines and deliver high-quality results.

You’ll need: Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• A professional project management qualification such as Project Management Professional (PMP) is required, in addition to a professional programme management qualification, such as Programme Management Professional (PgMP) or an equivalent degree (e.g. MBA in business management).


• The ability to align a portfolio of projects with the company's long-term business goals, understanding how each project contributes to overall value.


• The capacity to lead and mentor other project managers, resolve conflicts between different projects and inspire confidence in senior management and stakeholders.


• The skill to manage multi-million pound budgets and financial forecasts across an entire programme, ensuring all projects remain financially viable.


• A proactive approach to identifying and managing interconnected risks across all projects in the programme, understanding how a risk in one area could impact the whole.


• The ability to articulate complex project information, benefits and challenges to the Executive team and other key stakeholders in a clear, concise and persuasive manner.


• The expertise to lead large-scale organisational change and manage stakeholder buy-in across multiple teams and departments.


• A proven track record of successfully leading complex programs, managing multiple interdependent projects and ensuring the delivery of tangible business benefits that align with organisational goals.


• Demonstrated expertise in developing and managing programme-level budgets and using a data-driven approach to optimise resource allocation and maximise return on investment.


• Experience in building compelling business cases and using tactical communication, negotiation and influencing skills to gain buy-in and secure funding for large-scale initiatives from senior management.


• Experience in managing complex stakeholder relationships and leading large-scale organisational change initiatives, with the ability to navigate resistance and drive adoption to achieve strategic objectives.


• Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.

Eligibility & Compliance

It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water. Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

Compensation package

Salary from £85,000 p.a. (dependent on experience)

Benefits package

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.


• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.


• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.


• Paid volunteering days.


• Cycle to work scheme.


• Health cash plan.


• Life assurance.


• Wellbeing related benefits.

Equal opportunities & Inclusion

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity.

You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Company overview

We supply top-quality drinking water to 2.3 million customers in the southeast of England. Through a network of 9,000 miles of pipe, we deliver 544 million litres of water every day. It's the skill and expertise of our employees that ensures our water meets the highest standards. We make sure we can meet the needs of our customers both now and in the future.

Our culture and values

• Come to work to be safe, valued, and trusted.


• We’ll encourage you to create and pursue new opportunities for personal growth.


• A place to be the real you, build deeper connections and enjoy a sense of belonging.


• Be invested in helping us to create a sustainable water supply for now, and in the future.