Programme Manager

On behalf of Defra , we are looking for a Programme Manager (Inside IR35) for a contract which is up to the end of April 2027 and is a hybrid role so requires up to 3 days a week in a Defra hub - London, Bristol, Newcastle and York and may also require occasional travel to another office.

In the Defra group, we deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people’s lives. We are responsible for England’s environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards. We have developed a set of three strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives . These objectives help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all the important work we carry out.

Provide strategic leadership across the programme, maintaining alignment between the 2045 strategy, organisational priorities and delivery activity. Maintain continuity of delivery during the transition between the outgoing and permanent Programme Managers, protecting key milestones, decisions and organisational knowledge. Own and maintain the integrated programme plan, coordinating property projects, workstreams, dependencies, milestones, lease events, decision points and critical-path activities. Lead programme governance, ensuring effective Programme Board arrangements, timely decision -making, proportionate reporting, escalation and clear accountability.

As a Programme Manager , your main responsibilities will be

- Support the SRO and Programme Board, providing clear, evidence-based recommendations and ensuring emerging problems requiring senior intervention are identified early.
- Manage programme-level risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies, ensuring clear ownership , mitigation and timely escalation.
- Maintain oversight of the programme business case and financial position, including budgets, forecasts, expenditure, funding requirements, affordability, benefits and value for money.
- Oversee benefits realisation, ensuring benefits are measurable, attributable, owned and tracked through delivery and into business-as-usual.
- Coordinate programme resources and capability, identifying constraints or gaps in capacity, skills and specialist input that could affect delivery.
- Manage cross-programme dependencies, including interfaces with workforce planning, organisational change, business operations and other relevant programmes.
- Lead senior stakeholder engagement, maintaining effective relationships with the SRO, senior leaders .

Essential Skills

- Extensive experience at programme manager level ideally within central government.
- Experience in property managed related programmes.
- Budget management experience and skillset across a programme.
- Strong business case management delivery from start to approval.
- Stakeholder engagement across the business which will include multiple leadership teams.
- Programme governance control and risk assurance experience.
- Raid management experience at programme management level.

Qualifications

- Formal project management qualification - Prince 2 or APM.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident employer, Defra encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates . Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, Defra welcome applications from veterans, service leavers, reservists and military spouses or partners. Applications from eligible candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".