Project Manager

This Project Manager role focuses on end-to-end delivery of complex change initiatives within the university, from concept to benefits realization. Key responsibilities include managing project lifecycles, governance, planning, finances, risks, and multidisciplinary teams. Essential requirements include a relevant degree or equivalent experience, a strong track record in delivering complex projects in higher education, and excellent stakeholder management skills.

• The Project Manager is responsible for the successful end-to-end delivery of one or more complex change initiatives, from early concept, business case development and governance approval through to delivery, transition into business-as-usual and benefits realisation.
• The role operates with a significant degree of autonomy, applying established good practice while adapting approaches to suit context, risk and organisational maturity.
• Projects may involve technology, process, organisational or infrastructure change and require close collaboration across academic, professional services and external partners. Key Duties and Responsibilities
• Select, tailor and apply appropriate project life cycle approaches, exercising professional judgement to respond to uncertainty, complexity and risk
• Establish, operate and maintain effective project governance and reporting arrangements, ensuring clear accountability, robust decision-making and timely escalation in line with organisational standards
• Lead the development, approval and ongoing refinement of the project business case, ensuring continued alignment with strategic objectives, affordability and value for money
• Produce, baseline and maintain an integrated project management plan, incorporating scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, risks, issues, communications and benefits
• Actively manage delivery performance against agreed baselines, using data and insight to forecast outcomes, manage tolerances and recommend corrective action
• Take responsibility for project financial management, including estimation, budgeting, forecasting, cost control and financial reporting, within agreed delegations
• Identify, assess and manage risks, issues, dependencies and assumptions proactively, implementing agreed response strategies and escalating emerging threats or opportunities
• Secure, lead and coordinate multi-disciplinary project teams, applying appropriate leadership styles to motivate performance, build capability and maintain momentum. Potential line management of staff
• Manage internal and external resources and suppliers as required, including contributing to procurement, contract management and performance oversight
• Design and deliver structured stakeholder engagement and communication activities, influencing effectively at all levels and managing expectations in complex or contested environments
• Plan and manage transition activities to ensure that project outputs are successfully embedded into business-as-usual operations, minimising disruption and enabling adoption
• Define, monitor and report on benefits realisation, supporting benefit owners to understand, track and optimise the value delivered by the change initiative
• Ensure that sustainability, equality, ethical and compliance considerations are embedded into decision-making and delivery practices
• Capture, share and apply lessons learned to support continuous improvement of project delivery capability and organisational learning

• Degree (or equivalent professional qualification or demonstrable experience) in a relevant discipline
• Experience delivering change in higher education/academic sector
• Substantial experience delivering complex projects (technology, process, organisational or infrastructure change) across the full project life cycle, with evidence of operating at a competent to proficient professional level
• Strong applied knowledge of project governance, integrated planning, risk and issue management, financial management and benefits realisation
• Demonstrable experience of leading and coordinating multi-disciplinary teams, including matrix-managed resources
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgement, anticipate issues and make informed decisions within a defined governance framework
• Highly effective stakeholder engagement, communication and influencing skills, including experience working with senior stakeholders
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with confidence using data to inform decisions and recommendations
• Recognised project management qualification (e.g. APM PMQ, PRINCE2 Practitioner or equivalent)
• Experience of digital, systems-enabled or transformation-led change initiatives.
• Understanding of portfolio, programme or PMO environments and how projects contribute to strategic outcomes
• Active commitment to continuing professional development and professional standards