Senior Programme Management Officer

London Gov; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

London Gov is seeking a Senior Programme Management Officer to oversee the Programme Management Office for Health and Universal Free School Meals. This role demands excellent organisational skills, leadership, and experience managing high-impact programmes. Responsibilities include ensuring programme delivery, compliance with policies, and fostering collaboration with stakeholders. The role offers an opportunity to contribute directly to the wellbeing of Londoners while working in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

30 days' annual leave

Interest-free season ticket loan

Career average pension scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing large-scale programmes with multiple projects.
• Understanding of political environments.
• Experience with budget management and corporate reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the PMO functions for health and UFSM teams.
• Provide project oversight and forward planning.
• Ensure effective delivery and reporting across programmes.

Skills

Organisational skills

Critical thinking

Analytical skills

Job description

Interview date: Week commencing 11th August 2025

Communities & Skills

Collaborative, open, inclusive and fair - we work with and through partners to ensure Londoners can shape healthy, empowered and productive lives . Communities and Skills is led by Executive Director, Tunde Olayinka and is comprised of the following units: Civil Society & Sport, Communities & Social Policy, Group Public Health Unit, Skills and Employment and Health, Children and Young Londoners.

About the role

We’re looking for an experienced and proactive Senior Programme Management Officer to lead the Programme Management Office for our Health and Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) team. This is a high-impact role that calls for a sharp eye for detail, strong leadership, and a passion for driving results in a complex, fast-paced environment. Working with multiple stakeholders internal and external.

While each team has its distinct focus, your oversight will ensure smooth programme delivery and unlock opportunities for strategic cross-team collaboration between Health and UFSM.

Your role will be to provide project oversight and forward planning for the Team’s corporate responsibilities, including corporate performance reporting and other corporate returns and briefings, working closely with the Senior Managers and with the Business Support team.

This role offers the opportunity to shape delivery on a programme that directly supports the wellbeing of Londoners. If you are an experienced programme manager with excellent organisation skills, attention to detail and quality, experienced in PMO systems and leading teams – we want to hear from you.

What your day will look like

• Lead the PMO functions across the health and UFSM teams, embedding governance, assurance and planning across key workstreams.
• Provide project oversight and forward planning working in an agile and flexible way
• Ensure effective delivery and reporting across a high-profile programme portfolios.
• Prepare clear and concise programme reports, dashboards and agendas.
• Work closely with Finance, Governance, Legal and policy teams to ensure compliance with GLA policies and frameworks.
• Support risk management, forward planning and continuous improvement.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across the GLA, local government, and partners.

Skills, knowledge and experience

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• An understanding of the issues associated with working in a complex political environments
• Proven experience managing large-scale programmes with multiple projects and partners, including risk management.
• Experience of delivering effective monitoring processes/systems as well as experience of managing budgets and corporate reporting.
• Critical thinking, analytical and written skills, experience of analysing data from multiple sources and demonstrable ability to utilise these to assess, interpret, and present ideas, data, and information.
• Substantial experience of co-ordinating work across a number of stakeholders and building and managing relationships in a partnership environment across a wide range of sectors especially the public sector.
• Experience of managing teams.
• Understanding of the Universal free school meals programme is desirable.

The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA Competency Framework

This role is based at London Fire Brigade’s Head Office (Union Street SE1 0LL). With a requirement to travel to City Hall for key meetings.

How to apply

If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

• Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.

Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement have a maximum file size of 1.5MB each and upload your Personal Statement to the ‘CV and Cover Letter section’ of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.

Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g., “CV – applicant name - 012345)

As part of GLA’s continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and Personal Statements that could cause discrimination.

If you have questions about the role

If you wish to talk to someone about the role, the hiring manager would be happy to speak to you. Please contact them at [emailprotected]

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, contact the [emailprotected] who support the GLA with recruitment.

Assessment process

Once you have submitted an application, your details will be reviewed by a panel.

If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to an interview/assessment.

The interview/assessment date is: To be confirmed

Equality, diversity and inclusion

London's diversity is its biggest asset, and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share.

Please note we are a Disability Confident Employer so for candidates who wish to be considered under the scheme and meet the essential criteria, they will automatically be invited to interview. Please note, should you require any adjustments through the process, we will accommodate as much as possible. Please contact the recruitment team for further information if required.

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

In addition to a good salary package, you will be paid every four weeks, providing frequent salary payments. We also offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Additional Information

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening.

If you are a GLA employee applying for an internal fixed-term position, as an internal secondment opportunity, you must ensure you satisfy the following secondment policy criteria listed below before applying

• On a permanent contract or a fixed term contract where the time left on the contract at the point at which you apply for secondment is longer than the secondment period;
• successfully completed your probation period and are performing to the required standard for your current role; and
• at least 18 months service with the GLA

If you do meet the criteria listed above, you will need to complete theApproval for secondment application form and gain line manager approval, before emailing the fully completed form to the Resourcing Assistant who is managing the vacancy.This form must be received by the closing date of the vacancy.Failure to provide this form will mean your application cannot be progressed.

If you are unable to satisfy all of the criteria, unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply for this vacancy as an internal secondment. For further information, please seeSecondment Policy and Procedure .

IMPORTANT: If you are a current GLA employee on a fixed-term contract, which is due to end BEFORE the end date of this vacancy, you DO NOT NEED to complete theApproval for secondment application form as it is not a secondment.

If you are successful in securing this secondment opportunity, you will need to be released from your existing role, so please ensure that you make your line manager aware of your application.

More Support

If you have a disability which makes submitting an online application form difficult, please contact [emailprotected] .

The GLA is proud to be a Level 2: Disability Confident employer. We are committed to becoming a more inclusive and accessible organisation, and creating a truly inclusive and accessible workplace and culture for our disabled staff. We have named Disability Equality as a key corporate priority within our EDI Strategy. We welcome and encourage applications from disabled applicants. Should you wish to opt into the scheme, please let us know during your application.

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