Programme Manager | Sponsorship is Available

Position: Programme Manager

Job Type: Full Time

Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum (pro rata)

Location: Manchester

Employer: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Application Deadline: September 22^nd, 2026

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Programme Manager to join the North Manchester Clinical Group Programme Management Office at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. The post holder will provide senior programme leadership, delivery support, governance and assurance across a portfolio of complex clinical and operational transformation programmes.

The role will support delivery of high priority programmes aligned to MFT and Clinical Group objectives, including elective care improvement, productivity, outpatient transformation, theatre productivity, clinical pathway redesign, service improvement and value for patients. The post holder will work closely with operational, clinical and corporate colleagues across the managed single services to ensure robust delivery and measurable improvement.

Main duties of the job

• Lead and manage a portfolio of complex programmes and projects from initiation through to implementation, evaluation and handover.
• Develop and maintain programme documentation, including programme briefs, project initiation documents, delivery plans, milestone plans, risk and issue logs, dependency maps and benefits trackers.
• Provide programme governance and assurance, ensuring appropriate escalation to senior governance groups, programme boards and Clinical Group leadership forums.
• Work with Senior Responsible Officers, clinical leads, operational managers and corporate teams to agree scope, objectives, deliverables, benefits and implementation plans.
• Analyse performance, activity, workforce and financial information to identify opportunities, quantify benefits and support evidence-based decision-making.
• Facilitate workshops, task and finish groups and stakeholder sessions to support service redesign and improvement.
• Support delivery of productivity, efficiency, access and quality improvement priorities, ensuring change is embedded into operational practice.
• Provide line management and coaching to project managers, project support staff or workstream leads where required.
• Promote consistent programme and project management methodology, including benefits realisation, risk management, dependency management and post implementation evaluation.

About us

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe – what better place to shape and develop your leadership career.

We deliver care to over 1 million patients & users each year through our 10 hospitals and extensive community services. Our 30,000 plus strong workforce is central to our success and innovation.You will play a pivotal part in supporting our operational excellence and strategic ambitions. You’ll work collaboratively with clinical and non-clinical teams, driving improvements that enhance patient experience, staff wellbeing, and service efficiency across the Trust.

MFT offers a dynamic, inclusive environment where your leadership, ideas, and expertise are valued. You’ll have access to professional development, digital tools and opportunities to contribute to transformational projects that shape the future of healthcare delivery. We are committed to supporting your growth and wellbeing, recognising the vital role you play in our organisation’s success. Join us and help shape the future of our Trust—make a real difference to our teams, our services, and our communities, and fundamentally, our patients.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading.

Explore Inside MFT Your Candidate Place

To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT Your Candidate Place. This welcoming onestop hub gives you a real sense of who we are what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. Youll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.

To access Inside MFT Your Candidate Place, simply click on the relevant PDF document under the Supporting Documents section and once opened, you can where either scan QR code or click on the link provided.

Closing vacancy listings early

We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity MattersMFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, were proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU for our patients, our communities, and each other. As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application especially personal statements and responses to role-specific questions is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent senior experience.
• Formal Project Management qualification (MSP/PRICE2)
• Evidence of continued professional development.

Desirable

• APM, Agile, Lean, QSIR or equivalent improvement/project qualification.
• Leadership or management qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of managing complex programmes or projects in an NHS provider organisation.
• Experience of business case development, planning, governance, risk management and benefits realisation.

Desirable

• Experience in NHS acute, community or integrated care settings.
• Experience of elective, productivity, outpatient or theatre improvement programmes.

Knowledge

Essential

• Understanding of NHS governance, operational performance, quality improvement and service transformation at a provider level.
• Knowledge of programme management methodologies and improvement tools.

Desirable

• Understanding of MFT priorities, clinical group structures.
• Knowledge of the North Manchester site and managed single service arrangements.

Analytical and Judgement

Essential

• Able to interpret complex performance, finance, workforce and quality data in a timely manner.
• Able to identify issues, develop options and make recommendations.

Desirable

• Experience using benchmarking tools, PLICS, Model Health System, Business Intelligence dashboards or similar intelligence platforms.

Communication

Essential

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to produce board level reports, facilitate workshops and influence senior stakeholders.
• Experience working with clinical leaders and operational managers.

Desirable

• Experience working with commissioners and corporate teams.

Planning and Organisation

Essential

• Able to manage competing priorities, interdependencies and deadlines across multiple workstreams.
• Strong attention to detail and delivery discipline.
• Demonstrable ability to work autonomously in a complex and fast paced environment.

Desirable

• Experience managing a portfolio of projects through formal PMO arrangements.

Leadership and Management

Essential

• Able to lead through influence, coach others and support delivery through matrix working.
• Demonstrates resilience, adaptability and a positive approach when managing competing priorities, ambiguity and challenging situations within a complex NHS environment.
• Experience of effective line management.

Desirable

• Line management experience in a PMO, transformation, improvement or operational delivery function.

Values and Behaviours

Essential

• Demonstrates MFT values and behaviours, including compassionate, curious, collaborative, open and honest, and inclusive ways of working.

Desirable

• Evidence of promoting inclusive, improvement focused team culture.

Additional information

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement.

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