Senior Programme Manager

University of Cambridge; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

41 days annual leave

Defined benefits pension schemes

Flexible working options

Career development opportunities

Health and wellbeing support

Discounts on shopping

Job summary

University of Cambridge seeks an experienced Senior Programme Manager to provide strategic oversight and end-to-end delivery leadership for a major finance system transformation. You will coordinate across executives, business teams and external partners, balancing risk, dependency management and timely delivery to achieve strategic objectives.

You will lead planning, governance and stakeholder engagement in a large, complex organisation with hybrid working options and a focus on measurable

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex, large-scale transformation initiatives.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication abilities.
• Ability to translate strategy into pragmatic delivery plans.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership across major programme initiatives and ensure delivery aligns with strategic objectives.
• Oversee plans, budgets, risks, issues and dependencies with governance and reporting.
• Collaborate with executives, business teams and external partners to realise programme benefits.

Skills

Programme management

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Analytical skills

Risk management

Inter-personal skills

Education

Project management qualification

Professional qualification

Tools

MS Project

Oracle Financials

Oracle Fusion

Job description

# Senior Programme Manager**We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.**The implementation of the new finance system is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a difference to the way in which University departments process and manage their financial transactions.We are looking for an experienced Senior Programme Manager to play a pivotal leadership role in delivering this transformation. You will provide strategic oversight and end-to-end delivery leadership across major, complex and interdependent areas of the programme, ensuring that plans are achievable, risks and dependencies are actively managed, and delivery remains aligned with the University's strategic objectives.**The Role**Working closely with Executive Sponsors, senior University leaders, business teams, technical specialists and external delivery partners, you will lead the planning and delivery of key programme initiatives, bringing together business, technology and change activities to achieve successful outcomes.You will operate across a complex stakeholder environment, providing the leadership, structure and governance needed to maintain momentum, resolve challenges and manage competing priorities. This will include overseeing programme plans, resources, budgets, risks, issues and dependencies, ensuring that progress is clearly understood and that decisions are taken at the right level and at the right time. Through strong leadership and governance, the role will help ensure the successful realisation of programme objectives and the delivery of sustainable transformational change.**Your Skills**You will be an experienced programme or senior project management professional with a strong track record of delivering complex, large-scale transformation initiatives in a challenging stakeholder environment. You will combine strategic thinking with a pragmatic, delivery-focused approach, knowing how to translate ambitious objectives into realistic plans and tangible results.You will hold a professional qualification alongside a project management qualification and have excellent inter-personal, analytical and communication skills.Alongside these you will possess:* Excellent planning for short, medium and long term using MS Projects* A good understanding of enterprise systems and business transformation, ideally with experience of Oracle Financials or Oracle Fusion implementations.* Identify and pro-actively manage important risks, issues and problems effectively.Experience of working within a large, complex organisation, particularly in higher education or a similarly diverse institutional environment, would be advantageous.**Benefits**The University offers an excellent benefit package including:* 41 days annual leave, inclusive of Bank Holidays* Defined benefits pension schemes* Flexible working options* Career development opportunities* Support for health and mental wellbeing* Discounts on shopping**Location**The University is supportive of hybrid working, where some work is undertaken on University premises and some in a remote working environment. The aim of our approach is to enable as many staff as possible to work in a hybrid way if they wish and where their role allows. This arrangement is subject to change and will not form a part of the contractual terms of the role.Funding for this post is available for 12 months.Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check, a health assessment and a security check.If you would like more information about this role, informal enquiries can be directed by email to Michelle Bond on [e-mail] you have any questions the application process, please contact a Recruitment Administrator at Finhr\\[e-mail] closing date for applications is 5 November 2026. The interview date for the role is 17 November 2026.Please quote reference AG51463 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.