Project Delivery & Capability Manager

Alzheimer's Research UK; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Alzheimer's Research UK is seeking a Project Delivery & Capability Manager to drive the organisation's project management maturity. You will partner with leaders across departments to embed effective delivery frameworks and governance, coaching teams to deliver strategic initiatives at scale.

The role involves line management of a Senior Projects Officer, shaping capabilities, and collaborating with the Strategy & Governance Directorate to embed best practices.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering cross-organisational projects.
• Proven ability to develop and implement project management frameworks.
• Evidence of coaching and partnering across an organisation.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and continuous improvement of the Project Management Framework.
• Act as centre of excellence for project management across the organisation.
• Design and deliver project management training and workshops.

Skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder management

Planning & governance

Coaching & mentoring

Analytical thinking

Education

PRINCE2 or APM certification

Tools

Excel

Smartsheet

MS Projects

Job description

Location Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AD (Agile; approximately 2 days a week from our office)

This is a Permanent , , Full Time vacancy.

Published

Published 8 days ago

Closing

Closing in 13 days

The Vacancy

TheProjectDelivery & CapabilityManager plays a key role in enabling the successful delivery of theARUK’s10-year strategy through the development and embedding of an effective, scalable and proportionate Project Management Framework.

This is not a traditional project management role. We are looking for a collaborative delivery professional who can partner with colleagues across ARUK to help teams successfully deliver strategic projects, build organisationalcapabilityand embed effective ways of working.This role would suit someone who combines strong project managementexpertisewith excellent relationship-building skills and is motivated by coaching,influencingand partnering with colleagues across an organisation. We are seeking a generalist who can work across diverse business functions, helping teams deliver strategic initiatives effectively, rather than a specialist focused on a single technical or operational discipline.

Managing theProject Deliveryteamand with line management responsibility for the Senior Projects Officer, the post holder will help drive organisational project management maturity by acting as a trusted partner, advisor and expert for project and programme teams across the charity. Through coaching, consultation, training and hands-on partnering support, the role will help ensure major, cross-organisationalstrategic initiatives are set up for success and delivered effectively.

Operating withinanevolving hub-and-spoke model, the ProjectDelivery and Capability Managerwill work closely with leaders of large,complexand strategically significant projects and programmes, providingexpertisein areas such as planning, governance, stakeholder engagement, risk management, dependencymanagementand benefits realisation. The role will also contribute to the continuous development of project management tools, standards,trainingand communities of practice that improve delivery capability across the organisation.

While the primary focus is on delivery enablement and capability building, the postholder may directly manage selected high-risk or high-complexity projects whereadditionalproject managementexpertiseor capacity isrequired.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• In collaboration with the Head of Programme Management, leadthe ongoing development,implementationand continuous improvement of the charity's Project Management Framework, ensuring itremainsfit for purpose, proportionate and aligned to organisational prioritiesand ARUK’s impact-focused annual planning approach
• Act as a centre of excellence for project managementat ARUK,partnering with colleagues across the organisation toprovideexpert advice,guidanceand challenge;useactive listening, curiosity and adaptability to tailor support and drive successful delivery outcomes
• Develop,maintainand promote project management standards, templates,guidanceandother resourcesthat support consistent and effective project delivery, providing colleagues with practical tools that support decision-making, reduce complexity, and improve outcomes
• Design and deliver project management training,workshopsandconsultations, toincrease project management capability and maturity across theorganisation, empowering teams to successfully deliverprojects in proportion to their scope, scale, and complexity
• Partner with colleaguesin theOrganisational Development and Learning & Developmentteamto ensure project management capability-building aligns with broader organisational development priorities
• Monitor and evaluatetheadoption of project management practices,identifyingopportunities to improve project delivery effectiveness across the organisation
• Oversee the maintenanceand continuousdevelopment ofproject management resources, intranetcontentand self-service guidance materials

Strategic Project and Programme Partnering

• Proactively partner with leaders of large,complexand strategically important projects and programmes to strengthen delivery planning,governanceand execution
• Provide specialist support and challenge in areas including project set-up, governance, stakeholder management, risk management, dependency mapping, sequencing, phased delivery planning and project review
• Facilitate effective coordination between interconnected projects and programmes, helping teamsidentifyand manage cross-organisational dependencies,risksand impacts.
• Support project and programme teams inestablishingclear delivery plans, governance structures, decision‑making routesand success measures
• Build strong and collaborative relationships with project sponsors, senior stakeholders and delivery teams to foster a culture of accountability, learning and continuous improvement

Line management and Team Development

• Linemanagethe Senior Projects Officer,maintainingoversight of team resource anddelegating work asappropriate toensure continued opportunity to embed and further develop their skills and knowledge
• Provide clear instruction and guidance to the Senior Projects Officer, and engage in coaching and goal-setting conversations, empowering them to succeed and develop in their role
• Continuously seek opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in the Strategy & Governance Directorate, contributing to Directorate’s influence and success in partnering with the wider organisation

Community of Practice and Continuous Improvement

• Support theHead of Programme Management in thedevelopment and facilitation ofARUK’sProject Management Community of Practice, creating opportunities for collaboration, sharedlearningand peer support.
• Encourage the adoption of common approaches, standards and tools across projects and programmes.
• Capture, share and embed lessons learned and best practice from projects and programmes across the organisation.
• Identify emerging trends, approaches and innovations in project and programme management and assess their relevance for adoption within the charity.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and learning that strengthens organisational delivery capability.

Selective Project Delivery

• Lead selected high-risk, high-complexity or business-critical projects where project management support is required and capacity is available.
• Establish and maintain effective project governance, plans, reporting, risk management and stakeholder engagement arrangements for assigned projects.
• Ensure project outcomes, benefits and lessons learned are successfully transitioned into business-as-usual operations.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Experience managing cross-organisational projects, including developing project plans,allocatingtasks, and managing risks, decisions, and changes.
• Sound knowledge of project management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile),alongside evidence of successfully sharing this knowledge with colleagues via training, partnering, or other knowledge-sharing activities
• Evidencedeveloping,implementingor evolving projectmanagement frameworks,standardsor governance approaches within a complex organisation, with a focus on effective delivery over restrictive processes
• Experience of partnering with cross-organisational projects teams, and actively collaborating with colleagues on joint initiatives
• Experience supporting organisational change, adoption, or implementation activities as part of project delivery
• Demonstrable ability to work with, influence, and advise a variety of internal and external stakeholders at all levels
• Working knowledge of project management tools, such as Excel, Smartsheet, MS Projects or similar
• Project Management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, APM), or evidence of equivalent project management learning or experience
• Excellent communication and people management skills, with an ability to build relationships, trust, and inspire confidence and respect at all levels.
• Strong teamplayer who can work both independently and collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, and the ability to manage a varied workload and reprioritise workin accordance withthe organisation’s needs
• Excellent listening skills,demonstratingflexibility, curiosity, and an ability to learn
• Demonstrates good negotiation and influencing skills
• Demonstrates a proactive and pragmatic approach to investigating and solving problems, strives for continuous improvement andidentifiesways to deliver creative and innovative solutions
• A good blend of strategic and analytical thinking; with an ability to see the bigger picture and makeappropriate recommendations
• Ability to absorb and processnew informationquickly
• Strong ethical standards and a high level of personal integrity and empathy

The closing date for applications is the 31st August 2026.

The Charity

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure. Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope.

There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer's Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented. Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

It is important to offer a range of benefits which are designed to meet both the organisational and individual needs, are market competitive and designed to attract and retain employees.

Alzheimer's Research UK is a registered charity, numbers 1077089 and SC042474.
3 Riverside, Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6AD