Senior Programme Manager (FTC 24 months)

Edinburgh Napier University; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Edinburgh Napier University is seeking a Senior Programme Manager to lead a 24-month fixed-term transformation across Scotland's Tertiary Education sector. You will drive delivery across multiple work packages, manage governance, risks and budgets, and engage senior stakeholders to deliver strategic outcomes.

Working with senior leaders across institutions, you will recruit and onboard the programme team, report on progress and build a proactive, high-performing culture.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex multi-stakeholder programmes.
• Strong governance, risk and financial oversight capabilities.
• Ability to work with senior leaders across institutions.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership across multiple work packages.
• Oversee governance, reporting, risk and dependency management.
• Lead budgeting, recruitment onboarding and team development.
• Foster collaboration across partner institutions and stakeholders.

Skills

Programme management

Stakeholder management

Governance & reporting

Job description

Senior Programme Manager Fixed term, 24 months

Lead a Transformational Collaboration Across Scotland's Tertiary Education Sector

As Senior Programme Manager, you will sit at the heart of the Scottish Tertiary Alliance Framework programme, providing operational leadership across multiple work packages, driving progress, influencing decision-making and ensuring effective governance, stakeholder engagement and programme delivery.

Working closely with senior leaders across all three institutions, you will help turn strategic ambition into tangible outcomes and shape the future direction of this landmark partnership.

About the Role

This role sits at the heart of the Scottish Tertiary Alliance Framework, providing leadership and coordination across a complex, multi-institutional programme that is shaping the future of tertiary education in Scotland.

Working closely with the Senior Strategic Advisor, you will lead programme delivery across multiple work packages, ensuring activities remain aligned with strategic objectives, governance requirements and funding commitments.

You will oversee integrated planning, reporting, risk and dependency management, support the delivery of the Alliance's governance and legal framework, and coordinate engagement with senior stakeholders, governance boards and funding partners.

Supporting the governance and legal framework workstream, you will play a key role in maintaining integrated programme plans, monitoring progress against milestones and funding requirements, and ensuring risks, dependencies and decisions are effectively managed. The role also includes responsibility for managing programme budgets, supporting recruitment and onboarding activities, and providing leadership and development support to programme team members.

Alongside managing programme resources and budgets, you will foster collaboration across partner institutions, support recruitment and onboarding activities, and provide leadership and development support to the Programme Support Coordinator, helping to build a proactive, high-performing programme culture.

Who we are looking for

You will be an experienced programme professional with a proven track record of delivering complex projects or programmes involving multiple stakeholders, organisations and competing priorities. You will bring:

• Strong programme planning, governance, risk management and financial oversight experience, together with the ability to exercise sound judgement and make effective operational decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• With influencing and relationship-management skills, you will be confident working with senior leaders and stakeholders across multiple organisations, building consensus and driving progress towards shared objectives.
• Experience of leading and developing colleagues, managing budgets and reporting on programme performance, and will be comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery.
• Experience of working within higher education, further education, the public sector or large-scale collaborative programmes would be highly advantageous.

We offer 41 days annual leave (includes bank holidays), a generous pension scheme (17.6%), flexible working and professional development opportunities.

Additional Information:

This post is funded until August 2028 and is offered on a fixed-term basis. Continuation beyond this date will be subject to ongoing funding.

On this occasion, the University will not consider applicants requiring sponsorship or visa support for this role. International applicants will therefore only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.