Senior Project Manager

AQA; Manchester; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

35‑hour week

Pension 6–11.5%

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Health coverage

Eco-friendly transport

Job summary

AQA in Manchester is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead technology-enabled change across large-scale programmes, including digital exams and cloud-based platforms. The role focuses on delivering complex initiatives that matter to education across the UK.

You will manage plans, risks, issues and dependencies, coordinating multi-disciplinary teams and internal/external suppliers, and engaging confidently with Directors and Senior Management to drive outcomes.

Qualifications

• Strong track record delivering technology or digital projects in large/complex organisations.
• Hands-on experience delivering technology-enabled change in the last 18–24 months.
• Confidence working with Directors and Senior Management stakeholders, reporting and escalation.
• Experience delivering projects in Agile or hybrid environments.
• Recognised project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, PRINCE2 Agile, MSP, AgilePM or equivalent).

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of projects, manage plans, risks, issues and dependencies.
• Coordinate multi-disciplinary teams and third-party suppliers.
• Engage with senior stakeholders across the organisation.
• Track and report project delivery and progress.
• Ensure outcomes are delivered on time, to cost and to quality.

Skills

Delivery of tech projects

Agile/hybrid delivery

Stakeholder management

Planning & risk management

Leadership & cross-functional

Education

Project management qualification (PRINCE2/MSP/AgilePM)

Tools

PRINCE2

PRINCE2 Agile

MSP

Azure

Job description

At AQA, we're committed to advancing education and we're committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK , we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it's our people who make this happen.

Senior Project Manager

Permanent

Manchester | £58,000 - £66,000

Smart Hybrid Working - 2x days a week in the office

Are you a Senior Project Manager with a strong background in technology and digital delivery, looking for variety, challenge and the opportunity to work on large‑scale programmes that really matter?

Our growing team delivers complex programmes that are transforming education. From digital exams and assessment technology to enterprise platforms and cloud‑based solutions, our projects have a real and lasting impact on young people across the UK.

We are seeking a skilled, delivery‑focused Senior Project Manager to join our Programme and Project Management team. You will be aligned to a portfolio of technology-enabled change initiatives, working across enterprise and digital platforms that support and enable our core services.

You will be responsible for leading projects through delivery, managing plans, risks, issues and dependencies, and ensuring outcomes are delivered at pace, to cost and to quality. This includes coordinating multi‑disciplinary teams, working with internal specialists and third‑party suppliers, and engaging confidently with senior stakeholders across the organisation.

What's in it for you?

• Enjoy a flexible work environment with a 35‑hour week and extensive opportunities for learning and progression.
• Benefit from a competitive pension scheme, starting at 6% and rising up to 11.5%.
• Receive 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas office closure.
• Comprehensive health coverage from day one, including Bupa PMI, Health Cash Plan and Life Assurance.
• Participate in eco‑friendly transport schemes, including electric vehicles and cycle‑to‑work options.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

• A strong track record of delivering technology or digital projects within a large or complex organisation
• Recent, hands‑on experience delivering technology-enabled change, ideally within the last 18-24 months
• Confidence working day‑to‑day with Director and Senior Management level stakeholders, including reporting, influencing and escalation
• Experience delivering projects in Agile or hybrid delivery environments
• A recognised project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, PRINCE2 Agile, MSP, AgilePM or equivalent)

Desirable experience:

• Delivery of digital platforms, enterprise systems or cloud-based solutions
• Exposure to cloud technologies (e.g. Azure) and modern digital delivery environments
• Experience managing complex integration, dependencies and third‑party suppliers
• Coaching or supporting other Project Managers through matrix leadership (without formal line management)

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At AQA, we're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision‑making and impact. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect, has access to opportunities to grow and contribute, and feels able to be themselves. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences

Full Job Description

Summary

Purpose: To lead the delivery of Large Projects and/or multiple medium/small projects in the Projects and Programmes Portfolios. This roles encompasses a variety of potential programmes and work-streams.

In this role you will be required to analyse complex situations and issues, and manage multiple inter-dependent change-related activities driven by different programmes and stakeholder requirements.

The role of the Senior Project Manager is to work with the Stakeholders, Delivery teams, and AQA leadership and management teams to ensure that all activities in the overall Project Plan are delivered to time and quality. To track and report project delivery and progress. To identify and manage dependencies, risks and issues. To hold all project members to account for their areas of the Project and to work in a matrix-managed environment with competing change needs and driversLandscape:

The Senior Project Manager will have line management responsibility and will report into the Head of Projects in the Programmes & Project Management team and is one of the teams that make up the FCS Business Change Hub. This