Project Manager – (Housing Strategy & Economic Development)

Salt; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 78,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

Salt Digital Recruitment is seeking a Project Manager for housing strategy and economic development in Wokingham, Berkshire. The role is hybrid (2 days in the office, 3 remote) for 52 weeks, 37 hours per week, Inside IR35, paying £500 per day.

Start around 14 September 2026 and manage a £24m Housing Acquisition Programme and a five-year housing strategy. You will lead major programmes, manage governance, risk, and reporting, and build senior stakeholder relationships to ensure successful

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years' Project Management experience with evidence of successful delivery
• Experience working in local government or public sector programmes preferred
• Strong stakeholder management with senior Leaders
• Ability to analyse complex information and translate into clear reporting

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of large-scale and strategically important projects
• Develop and maintain project plans, milestones and delivery timescales
• Manage project governance, reporting, risks and issues
• Provide visibility of project progress and dependencies
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders and external partners
• Support the delivery of the £24 million Housing Acquisition and Investment Programme
• Coordinate annual statutory reporting to MHCLG from spring 2027
• Produce quarterly delivery and monitoring information for governance forums

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Governance & reporting

Risk management

Strong communication

Analytical ability

Tools

MS Project

SharePoint

Teams

MS Word

MS Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Project Manager - (Housing Strategy & Economic Development)

Location: Wokingham, Berkshire

Contract: 52 weeks Rate: £500 per day Status: Inside IR35 Hours: 37 hours per week Working pattern: Hybrid - 2 days per week in the Wokingham office, 3 days remote Target start: 14 September 2026

The Opportunity

A key focus of the role will be supporting major housing-related programmes, including a £24 million Council Housing Acquisition and Investment Programme and the delivery of a five-year housing strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of large-scale and strategically important projects
• Develop and maintain clear project plans, milestones and delivery timescales
• Manage project governance, reporting, actions, risks and issues
• Provide clear visibility of project progress, dependencies and delivery status
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, subject matter experts and external partners
• Support the delivery of a £24 million Council Housing Acquisition and Investment Programme
• Manage delivery of a five-year housing strategy and associated implementation activity
• Ensure appropriate governance and risk management arrangements are in place
• Track the use of MHCLG grant funding and support associated reporting requirements
• Coordinate annual statutory reporting to MHCLG from spring 2027
• Produce quarterly delivery and monitoring information as required
• Support the design and implementation of a local licensing scheme for supported exempt accommodation
• Monitor project costs, benefits and outcomes in conjunction with finance colleagues
• Manage third-party suppliers and external partners where required
• Produce clear, concise project documentation and reports for governance forums
• Facilitate project meetings and ensure actions and decisions are appropriately recorded and tracked
• Work independently and proactively to resolve issues and maintain delivery momentum

Key Experience

• Must have previous Local Government experience
• Minimum of 2 years' Project Management experience with evidence of successful delivery
• Experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders and dependencies
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including experience working with senior leaders
• Experience working with third-party providers
• Strong project planning, governance and reporting capability
• Proven ability to manage risks, issues, actions and project milestones
• Ability to analyse complex information and translate it into clear recommendations and reporting
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently, solve problems and make decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities
• Experience using Microsoft tools including SharePoint, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and MS Project

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience delivering projects within a local authority
• Experience of housing, property acquisition or supported accommodation programmes
• Experience working with government grant funding
• Experience of statutory reporting within a public sector environment
• Experience delivering transformation or business change programmes

Important Information

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK Candidates must currently be UK-based The hybrid working arrangement is a requirement of the role and candidates must be able to attend the Wokingham office 2 days per week Candidates must be available to start on or around 14 September 2026 This role is Inside IR35 A full client job description and further information will be shared with successful applicants. *Rates depend on experience and client requirements