Project Manager (RPA Programme)

• 3 Months Contract (Possible Extension)
• £450-£500 Per Day (OUTSIDE IR35)

About Our Client

My client is a leading University looking for a Project Manager to lead the end-to-end delivery of assigned workstreams within a cross-institutional process improvement and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) programme. You, as the Project Manager, will oversee the delivery of high-impact change initiatives across academic and professional services areas, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget, and with meaningful outcomes for staff, students, and the institution.

This role requires experience in managing complex business change, excellent stakeholder management skills, and a strong grasp of both process and technology-led transformation within the HE sector.

Job Description

Your Roles & Responsibilities:

• Manage project budgets and track financial performance, ensuring delivery within agreed financial parameters.
• Secure and oversee project resources, allocating responsibilities and ensuring teams are used efficiently.
• Contribute to identifying and achieving financial savings or value realisation where applicable.
• Deliver timely, high-quality reporting aligned with institutional project governance (e.g., PMO, Portfolio Office) including RAID logs, highlight reports, status dashboards, and board papers.
• Manage change control processes and escalate risks, issues, or exceptions as required.
• Ensure compliance with organisational project and programme management standards.
• Define and agree on a clear and compelling project vision and scope, with expected outcomes and benefits fully articulated.
• Plan, sequence, and manage all project tasks, deliverables, and milestones to achieve timely and high-quality outcomes.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation from initiation through closure, including business cases, benefits maps, change controls, and lessons learnt.
• Identify, assess, and manage risks and issues throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring these are escalated where necessary and mitigation plans are in place.
• Build strong relationships with project sponsors, operational leads, and impacted teams across academic and professional services areas.
• Develop and manage stakeholder engagement plans and support change adoption, including identification of resistance and escalation to sponsors where required.
• Communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders to maintain alignment and manage expectations.
• Provide guidance to non-specialist colleagues leading smaller initiatives and promote consistent use of project management approaches across the institution.
• Actively participate in communities of practice and contribute to broader programme or portfolio initiatives.
• Collaborate closely with other Project Managers and support cross-project coordination.

The Successful Applicant

• Proven experience delivering process and/or technology-enabled change projects, ideally in Higher Education or another complex, stakeholder-rich environment.
• Strong understanding of project management methodologies (e.g., PRINCE2, Agile delivery models) and confidence managing both technical and non-technical delivery.
• Experience working with process improvement or automation teams and understanding of how RPA can drive efficiency.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to navigate academic sensitivities and align cross-functional interests.
• Confidence managing risks, dependencies, and change across multi-layered organisations.
• Ability to coach and support non-specialist colleagues in delivery roles, fostering a culture of capability-building and shared ownership.
• Self-starter with excellent organisation skills and a commitment to collaborative, inclusive transformation.

• Experienced in M365 inc. Teams & SharePoint, as well as PM tools such as Project & Jira.
• Must have University experience.

What's on Offer

£450-£500 Per Day (OUTSIDE IR35)

3 Months Contract