Senior Programmes Manager

Foundations; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Foundations is seeking a Senior Programmes Manager to lead strategic funding, oversight and delivery of grants within a defined thematic area. You will guide programme design, evaluation readiness and governance, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery and robust evidence generation.

You will manage a team, coordinate external stakeholders and drive funding strategies, with a focus on impact for children and families. The role is based in Central London with hybrid working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing large, complex, multi-stakeholder programmes or projects.
• Experience in grant-making, commissioning and/or grant/contract management.
• Proven track record of budget planning, review, rephasing and realignment.

Responsibilities

• Lead funding strategy, oversight and portfolio management for a defined priority area.
• Oversee grants, budgets, risks and project delivery from inception to close.
• Develop partnerships with delivery organisations, evaluators and stakeholders.

Skills

Programme management

Stakeholder management

Budget management

Grant management

Evaluation methods

Job description

Senior Programmes Manager

We are looking for a Senior Programmes Manager to lead the strategic funding, oversight and active management of a dedicated portfolio of grants focused on a specific thematic area supporting intervention implementation, evaluation and research.

Job role: Senior Programmes Manager

Salary: £54,899 per annum, plus generous benefits

Contract type: 12-month contract (Maternity cover)

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week

Location: Central London (hybrid working)

Closing date: 27 November 2026

Interviews: w/c 7 December 26

The Role

As a What Works Centre, the organisation generates and champions high-quality evidence to improve outcomes for children and families. The Programmes Team creates the conditions for robust evidence generation and use by identifying opportunities, shaping funding activity and overseeing delivery from inception to close. The team develops partnerships with delivery organisations, evaluators, co-funders and stakeholders, supports evaluation readiness and implementation, and oversees grants, budgets, risks and project delivery. Throughout its work, the team embeds EDIE, anti-racism, lived experience and stakeholder voice into programme design and decision-making.

The team’s purpose is to:

• Create the conditions for high-quality research evidence to be generated and used.
• Build partnerships that enable robust and ethical evaluation.
• Represent delivery perspectives to help bridge practice, evidence and policy.
• Design and implement funding strategies for complex evidence-generation programmes.

You will lead the funding, strategic oversight and portfolio management of programmes within the Strengthening Family Networks priority area, ensuring projects are delivered effectively, on time, within budget and generate robust evidence through independent evaluation.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Grant funding
• Grant management
• Thematic Leadership
• Line management
• External stakeholder management
• Develop and improve processes and systems

About You

• Significant experience of managing large, complex, multi-stakeholder programmes or projects. In particular, experience exercising strategic judgement across complex programmes, balancing delivery, stakeholder, financial and evaluation considerations.
• Experience of grant-making, commissioning and/or grant/contract management
• A track record of successful budget management including reviewing, rephasing and realigning budgets
• Familiarity with research and evaluation methods (including randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental design, and feasibility studies)
• Experience at working in a fast-paced environment with a demanding workload and competing priorities
• Knowledge of barriers to research in early intervention and children’s social care, or related areas (for example: child/young people’s mental health; domestic abuse; violence against women and girls, education)
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills; able to present research to non-technical audiences

The organisation strives to be a great place to work, where everyone is high performing and where together the teams can achieve impact that makes a real difference for vulnerable children and families. Focussig on generating and championing high quality evidence, working directly with government and local leaders to provide practical solutions and encourage change. Join an organisation with ambitious aims and our people are essential to it’s success

You may have experience in areas such as Programme, Programmes, Programme Manager, Senior Programme Manager.