Senior Project Manager

Bristol City Council; West of England; On-site; GBP 71,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Flexi-time

Local Government Pension Scheme

Job summary

Bristol City Council is seeking experienced Senior Project Managers to lead significant and complex change projects within the Portfolios, Programmes and Projects service.

You will work with senior leaders and partners to drive business-case development, governance and benefits realisation from idea to implementation. This is a 12-month fixed-term contract based at City Hall, College Green, Bristol.

Qualifications

• Experience of leading complex, high-risk projects through the full lifecycle.
• Ability to translate strategic ambition into outcomes, credible plans and practical delivery.
• Strong governance, options appraisal, financial, benefits, risk and dependency management skills.
• Confidence leading multidisciplinary teams and influencing senior stakeholders across organisational and professional boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, high-risk projects through full lifecycle.
• Translate strategic intent into credible plans and outcomes.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders across boundaries to deliver change.
• Drive adoption, governance and benefits realisation.

Skills

Leading complex projects

Strategic execution

Business case

Stakeholder management

Change management

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Job reference VAC008917 Date posted 01/10/2026 Application closing date Blank Location City Hall College Green City Centre Bristol BS1 5TR Salary TP1: £70,919 - £78,556 Package Blank Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Job category/type Project Management Attachments Person Specification.pdf Job Description.pdf

This role will be an initial 12-month Fixed Term Contract

Bristol City Council is looking for experienced Senior Project Managers to lead some of our most significant and complex change projects.

Our Portfolios, Programmes and Projects service helps turn the council's strategic priorities into well-designed, deliverable change. Working alongside senior leaders, service experts, technical specialists and partners, you will take high-profile projects from early ideas and business-case development through to implementation and benefits realisation.

We are looking for rounded project leaders - not simply people who can manage a plan. You will bring professional grip and sound judgement, while recognising that successful delivery depends on people, engagement and organisational change as much as robust governance. You will be comfortable with ambiguity, able to build trust across boundaries and skilled at creating shared ownership of change.

Areas of work

We are particularly keen to receive applications from candidates with experience working in any of the following areas:

• Technology-enabled change - procuring and implementing complex systems or applications, combining an understanding of successful technical delivery with a strong focus on service outcomes, business readiness, process change, colleague engagement and adoption.
• Assets and infrastructure transformation - delivering large transformation programmes focused on how buildings, service locations, operational estate, fleet and wider infrastructure can support future service delivery, organisational priorities, sustainability and long-term financial resilience.

What you will bring

• Experience of leading complex, high-risk projects through the full lifecycle.
• The ability to translate strategic ambition into clear outcomes, credible plans and practical delivery.
• Strong business-case, options appraisal, financial, benefits, risk and dependency management skills.
• Confidence leading multidisciplinary teams and influencing senior stakeholders across organisational and professional boundaries.
• A collaborative and adaptable approach, with a genuine commitment to involving the people who will deliver, use and experience the change.

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high profile organisation.

Join us and you'll receive a generous rewards package including flexible working arrangements, flexi-time and membership of the Local Government Pension scheme. In addition, you'll be working in a supportive environment where you'll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

We're a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.

At Bristol City Council, we value having a workforce as diverse as the City we serve. We therefore welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community, and we particularly encourage applicants from women, Black and racially minoritised, Disabled,LGBTQ+ candidates who are currently under-represented within our service area. Appointments will be made on merit.