Programme Manager

Programme Manager

Fixed Term / Secondment (12 months), Full Time

£63,323 to £74,497 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 12th July 2026

This is a hybrid working role, with attendance in the Chelmsford office expected to be about one day per week on average, depending on business need.

Please note this opportunity will be offered as a 12 month fixed term contract or secondment.

Essex County Council is a forward thinking organisation that delivers transformational change.

The role

A Programme Manager leads a defined programme or set of projects, together with associated business change activities, that contribute to the Council's strategic aims and support the management of financial pressures.

You will develop compelling business cases to drive transformation, establish robust programme governance and assurance, and oversee delivery by monitoring progress, managing risks and issues, and ensuring the organisation is ready to adopt change.

As a credible and influential leader within a programme environment, you will champion best practice and deliver outcomes that align with and support the Council's strategic objectives.

Accountabilities

• Work collaboratively with service areas and partners supporting the development of compelling business cases.
• Build effective stakeholder and partner relationships at senior level, influencing and eliciting support at senior level.
• Be accountable for leading teams of people, building professionalism and expertise through development activities.
• Develop and deliver a resourcing plan, including management of programme budget, for complex and large scale programmes to ensure delivery of outcomes.
• Oversee risk and issue management, ensuring mitigations are in place to address issues between elements of the programme, resolving these through negotiated agreement or escalating.
• Collaborate with customers to agree quantified realisable benefits and metrics to monitor impact, designing and actively managing the programme plan, ensuring outcomes are achieved.
• Maintain the overall integrity and coherence of programme and governance framework to support each project, plan programme assurance activities and manage dependencies within the programme and across other activities in the portfolio.
• Translate the programme vision into delivery objectives supporting the Strategic Aims of the Council, leading the programme to deliver the business case benefits and outcomes.
• Provide technical leadership in both line and matrix management styles, ensuring successful delivery of programmes and supporting the Portfolio Manager in leading, assuring and delivering the portfolio of work that delivers against the Strategic Aims of the Council.
• Define specific targets & objectives annually within the performance management framework.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in a relevant professional area, accredited to the level of APM Practitioner or MSP Practitioner.
• Experience working as a Programme Manager within a local Government setting.
• Evidence of successfully implementing major change initiatives within a range of large organisations.
• Experience working closely with Members and senior leaders and managers to overcome resistance to change.
• Ideally experience working within a political environment with detailed knowledge of a public sector setting and the nuances involved in being part of a complex environment.
• Experience working with complex multi agency partnerships and stakeholder groups.
• Exemplary leadership capability evidenced in creating a high performance culture, drawing on specialist skills and expertise effectively, bringing together diverse capabilities.
• Evidence of creativity in exploring innovative business opportunities which maximise opportunities for development of a financially sustainable service.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We're also committed to interview veterans and care leavers who meet the minimum requirements of the role.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email .