Programme Manager (Local Innovation Partnership Fund)

Plymouth University; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Generous pension scheme

Cycle to Work & Electric Car Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Development opportunities

Flexible working

Retailer discounts

On-site nursery

Job summary

University of Plymouth Services Limited is seeking an experienced Programme Manager to lead the day-to-day delivery of a £20m UKRI-funded Local Innovation Partnership Fund (LIPF) programme. You will support the Programme Director, manage delivery plans, and oversee governance and reporting to partners and the funder.

The role requires on-site presence three days a week and offers a fixed-term contract until 31 March 2031, with a structured benefits package and opportunities for development.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex business projects on time and to budget.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with academic, professional staff and external stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise, multi-task and delegate.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise and self-manage.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management and operational delivery of the programme to ensure timely, on-budget delivery per UKRI requirements.
• Provide programme-wide coordination and governance support.
• Manage performance and KPI monitoring, reporting to the funder, and risk management.
• Lead a small team comprising a Programme administrator and a grants manager.

Skills

Delivery of complex projects

Interpersonal relationships

Organisational skills

Time management

Job description

Are you an experienced project manager with a track record of success?

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the delivery of the UKRI funded Great South West Global Autonomy Cluster LIPF (Local Innovation Partnership Fund) programme. This is a £20m five-year programme which aims to grow the regional autonomy cluster, working with a range of partners across the geography.

About the role:

As the Programme Manager, you will:

• support the Programme Director and lead the day-to-day management and operational delivery of the programme, ensuring all programme activities, funding streams, partners and projects are delivered on time, within budget and in accordance with UKRI requirements.
• provide programme-wide coordination.
• performance management and governance support.
• lead a small team made up of a Programme administrator and a grants manager.

You will be responsible for:

• leading the day-to-day management of the programme and its workstreams, including developing and maintaining detailed programme delivery plans.
• performance management and KPI monitoring, including monitoring progress against milestones, deliverables and outputs.
• leading the preparation of quarterly, annual and ad hoc reports for the funder, coordinating reporting inputs from partners and grant recipients
• risk management - managing the programme governance framework and monitoring delivery risks and ensuring mitigation plans are implemented.

For this role, you will need to be on site 3 days a week. Although we can accommodate working from home for this role, flexibility to be on-site will be expected due to business needs.

This is a full time, fixed term role, working 37 hours per week until 31/03/2031 due to funding.

What we’re looking for:

You should have:

• previous experience of successfully delivering complex business projects on time and to budget.
• excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build productive and influential relationships with both academic and professional staff, and with external stakeholders.
• strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise, multi-task and delegate.
• excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise and self-manage.

Our Offer:

A successful external candidate for this position would be employed by the University of Plymouth Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Plymouth. Employees of the University of Plymouth Services Limited work alongside the University of Plymouth colleagues in delivery of Plymouth’s strategic vision, and will adopt the University of Plymouth’s HR policies and procedures in full unless otherwise stated.

We have a wide range of staff benefits available to employees, depending on eligibility:

• Generous annual leave: 35 Days Annual Leave (pro rata if part-time) plus Bank Holidays* & Closure Days*
• Generous pension scheme
• Cycle to Work & Electric Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Development opportunities
• Enhanced family leave
• Flexible working
• Retailer discounts
• On-site nursery

*Pro rata if part-time/fixed term contract

Additional Information:

The University of Plymouth is building an inclusive and equitable university where everyone feels represented, supported, and empowered to thrive. Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is guided by the Inclusive Institutions Framework, a strategic and externally validated approach that embeds these principles across the entire institution.

closing date: monday 16th November 2026 at 12 o'clock midnight