Programme Manager

Newcastle University; Newcastle; On-site; ZAR 1 048 000 - 1 113 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is seeking a Programme Manager to oversee the delivery of research and capacity development under the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in project management, a strong educational background, and excellent communication skills. Responsibilities include managing budgets, engaging with stakeholders, and ensuring program success through strategic decision-making. This is a full-time, on-site role offering a competitive salary between £47,389 and £50,253 per annum.

Benefits

Generous holiday package

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Pension scheme opportunities

Qualifications

• Significant experience in programme and project management.
• Proven decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily management and delivery of the Consortium.
• Deliver capacity development programmes and training.
• Manage, monitor, control, and report budgets for the programme.

Skills

Project Management Methodology

Budgeting

Leadership Experience

Supervising Experience

Microsoft Project

Education

Degree or equivalent in a related field

Project and Programme Management qualification

Tools

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Salary: £47,389 to £50,253 per annum, with progression to £56,535.

Newcastle University is a great place to work with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 31 October 2025.

The Role

Launched in August 2025 the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium (NIHR MDC) is a £50 million, five‑year investment that brings together a diverse range of organisations with expertise in research capacity development and working with people and communities to deliver a step change in maternity outcomes and develop future research leaders in this area. The research carried out by the consortium is organised into five themes and two workstreams, focusing on inequalities before, during and after pregnancy. Nine University‑led collaborations comprise the MDC.

The NIHR MDC is co‑ordinated from Newcastle University (Research and Capacity Development) and the University of Birmingham (Research). The postholder will be based at Newcastle University and work closely with the Consortium team at the University of Birmingham. This is an on‑site post.

The post‑holder will plan and manage a range of activities related to the delivery of research programmes and career development and training in maternal health and care associated with the NIHR MDC’s research and capacity development plans. The Programme Manager will coordinate the delivery of research and a range of capacity development programmes and training initiatives to those within and outside the MDC.

The NIHR MDC has been established to increase the evidence base to address maternity inequalities, facilitating a multidisciplinary whole‑systems approach to address uncertainties across research innovation and implementation. It will task researchers and policymakers with finding new ways to tackle maternity inequalities. The research will have strong community engagement and be guided by inclusive principles, ensuring it is accessible to those developing policies and services to improve pregnancy outcomes, access to and experience of maternity services.

The NIHR MDC’s research will help answer the most important questions facing policymakers, local authorities and service providers organised across five themes and two workstreams. To achieve this, the Consortium will inspire and equip the next generation of research leaders in maternal health and care. The UK‑wide Consortium will develop an innovative and transformative capacity‑building programme of career development awards and opportunities linked and embedded within the MDC’s research themes and workstreams. The Consortium will focus on growing long‑term research capacity and expertise, especially within under‑represented disciplines, professions and underserved communities, inspiring and supporting the next generation of researchers with the right skill mix to work across clinical practice and research sectors.

The Programme Manager (Newcastle) will oversee the delivery of research as well as support the delivery of a variety of capacity development and training opportunities for trainee researchers and within the community at all levels, both inside and outside the NIHR MDC.

Key responsibilities include working with partners across the Consortium and with external stakeholders such as local authorities, research delivery networks, universities, public organisations, and voluntary and community sector partners. This is a fixed‑term contract until the end of July 2030.

Key Accountabilities

• Take full operational responsibility for the day‑to‑day management and delivery of the Consortium (Newcastle) to ensure agreed targets are met.
• Working with the MDC Capacity Development and Training Manager deliver capacity development programmes and training proactively monitoring their progress, identifying and managing all relevant risks and issues and initiating appropriate corrective action to ensure timely, on‐budget delivery.
• Ensure effective quality assurance and the overall integrity of the Consortium’s work, finding innovative solutions to resolve conflicting priorities and potential overlap or gaps in provision.
• Ensure each capacity development programme offers value for money and embeds national policy, regulatory requirements and good practice.
• Along with the Programme Manager at the University of Birmingham develop robust performance indicators and risk‑management metrics for each programme to ensure they achieve their objectives.
• Develop and deploy appropriate processes to capture and retain evidence of delivery in accordance with funder and stakeholder requirements and work with the Consortium’s Communications Manager to promote the successes of research programmes and capacity‑development schemes.
• Manage, monitor, control and report budgets for the programme, working closely with the co‑lead for Research and Capacity Development and the university finance team to ensure activity is on time and budget.
• Produce progress reports to the co‑lead for Research and Capacity Development, the Consortium’s Executive Board and Capacity Development Leads Group, ensuring reporting deadlines are met.
• Engage with members of the Consortium and key stakeholders, including the NIHR community groups, local authorities, the research delivery network and members of the public, to ensure programmes are co‑designed with researchers, practitioners and the communities they serve.
• Represent the Consortium at local, regional and national meetings and at national and international conferences, preparing and delivering presentations as appropriate.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Significant experience of programme and project management and demonstrable ability to deliver results on time and within budget.
• Proven high level of decision‑making and problem‑solving skills and the ability to lead initiatives, prioritise and plan strategically.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including diplomacy, motivation, negotiation and influencing.
• Success in developing effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels and across a range of disciplines and partner organisations, providing authoritative advice to senior colleagues.
• Ability to work independently and make decisions on complex or overlapping matters.
• Strong digital literacy skills and ability to communicate and collaborate easily using digital tools.
• Well‑developed understanding of funding and financial management procedures.
• Experience of research management and governance.
• Experience of working with research funders.
• Knowledge of the UK research funding landscape.
• Experience of working collaboratively with academic, professional and managerial staff at a senior level within a healthcare, academic or research setting.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Collaborative, inclusive, transparent and open communication, acting with integrity and building high levels of trust.
• Strategic thinker able to see the big picture while paying attention to detail in complex situations.
• Creative problem‑solver with the ability to imagine beyond the status quo.
• Uses benchmarking to analyse external practices, gaining deeper understanding of issues and identifying opportunities.
• High drive, initiative and resilience.
• Articulate, confident and politically adept communicator ready to handle difficult situations and challenge when necessary.
• Works collaboratively with others, playing a positive role in teams and establishing and growing relationships across the organisation where diverse skills, expertise and opinions are valued.
• Energetic, can‑do approach that inspires and enthuses others to take the lead in driving forward initiatives.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent level qualification and experience in a similar research‑related role or significant vocational experience demonstrating progression through progressively more demanding relevant roles.
• Project and Programme Management qualification.

Desirable

• Experience of working with research funders.
• Knowledge of the UK research funding landscape.
• Experience of working collaboratively with academic, professional and managerial staff at a senior level within a healthcare, academic or research setting.

Newcastle University is a global university where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity and celebrate the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who complement our existing teams, as we believe success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a gold Athena Swan award for the advancement of gender equality and a Race Equality Charter Bronze award. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

We are also a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 28719.

Required Experience: Manager

Key Skills: Project Management Methodology, Project / Program Management, Program Management, Management Experience, Microsoft PowerPoint, Project Management, Microsoft Project, Budgeting, DoD Experience, Leadership Experience, Supervising Experience, Contracts

Employment Type: Full‑Time

Vacancy: 1

Monthly Salary: £47,389 – £50,253

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Programme Manager • Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa