Senior Project Manager

Plymouth City Council; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Plymouth City Council is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead the Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation programme. You will own workstreams from planning through delivery, coordinating with theme leads across the Council and with Devon authorities to keep plans and milestones on track.

The role requires navigating a political environment, writing clearly for senior readers, and a strong ability to manage dependencies, risk, and key decision points to ensure timely progress.

Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering complex programmes in a political environment.
• Ability to write clearly for senior readers and translate complex topics.
• Understanding of local government decision-making processes.

Responsibilities

• Own a set of workstreams from planning through delivery, coordinating with theme leads.
• Identify, track dependencies and the critical path; manage risk proactively.
• Ensure timely decisions are made by the right people and at the right level.

Skills

Programme management

Stakeholder engagement

Policy awareness

Job description

Senior Project Manager, Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Expression of Interest

• This vacancy is only available for those currently employed at Plymouth City Council in the Executive Office Directorate, Support and Research Team. If you are not employed in this service area, please do not apply, as your application will not be considered*

About The Role

Plymouth is going through the most significant change to its governance since the Council was created. Following the Government's decision on local government reorganisation in Devon, a new council will be established covering Plymouth and 13 parishes currently in South Hams, with the first elections in May 2027 and vesting day on 1 April 2028. Alongside that, the Council is pursuing accession to the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority as a constituent member, which would be the first accession of its kind in the country.

The Devolution and LGR Office coordinates this work for the Council. We are looking for a Senior Project Manager to join the team and take responsibility for delivery across a substantial part of the programme.

What You Would Be Doing

You would own a set of workstreams from planning through to delivery, working with theme leads across the Council and with counterparts in the other Devon authorities. That means building and holding the plan, tracking dependencies and the critical path, managing risk properly rather than just recording it, and making sure decisions get taken at the right time by the right people.

What We Are Looking For

Someone with a strong track record of running complex programmes in a political environment, who is comfortable with ambiguity and can hold structure while the detail is still settling. You will need to write clearly and quickly for senior readers, understand how local government decision making actually works, and be confident dealing directly with chief officers, elected members and civil servants. Formal project management accreditation is useful but the evidence of delivery matters more.

Closing Date: Monday 14 September