Senior Project Manager

2 Year FTC

£54,495 - £59,113

Your role

GMCA is looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager to join the programme team leading delivery of the Greater Manchester Early Years and School Readiness programme. The role will play a pivotal role in designing, commissioning, delivering and learning from our various programmes and policy work that aim to strengthen our support for babies, children and families from pregnancy to age 5. They will coordinate project planning and delivery across the GM Early Years and School Readiness transformation programme; working alongside subject matter/clinical leads and external partners to jointly lead key workstreams that focus on strengthening family support and child development offers. They will also support the Senior Principal with policy development, government engagement and relationship management across the breadth of stakeholders.

You will work with the wider programme team and a broad range of stakeholders from across the ten local authorities, NHS Greater Manchester, the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and other key partners, to deliver our collective ambition that every child in GM has the best start in life and starts school ready to learn and thrive.

As Senior Project Manager, you will:

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of a complex programme, ensuring agreed outcomes, milestones, budgets and benefits are achieved.
• Provide project management across high profile workstreams and partnership projects.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders across GMCA, local authorities and partner organisations.
• Oversee programme reporting and assurance, including risk and issue management.
• Commission activity and contract management in line with GMCA policies and procedures.
• Use data, insight and learning to inform programme design, improvement and system change.
• Support collaborative working and shared ownership across partners, embedding co-production where appropriate.
• Prepare high-quality briefings, reports and updates for senior leaders, boards and elected members.

About You

The role would suit candidates with experience of managing large projects/programmes in a complex policy environment with a passion for improving outcomes for our youngest residents, and an interest in prevention and early intervention in relation to early years and child development.

You will be someone who brings:

• Experience of managing complex programmes or portfolios in a public sector or partnership environment, ideally within children's services, early years or public/population health.
• Experience of programme governance, financial management, commissioning and performance reporting.
• Is confident managing projects with multiple stakeholders and interdependent workstreams.
• Can build positive, productive relationships across organisations and professional groups, with strong communication and engagement skills and a relational approach
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complexity into clear, actionable insight.
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment and works well as part of a wider team.
• Is reflective, curious and committed to learning.

The GM Early Years and School Readiness Programme

Improving early child development outcomes and narrowing the school readiness gap, between Greater Manchester and England is a priority in our 10 year Greater Manchester Strategy. The GM Early Years and School Readiness is a longstanding programme that supports the work of GM local authorities and partners in ensuring all children get the best start in life, with an emphasis on the added value to be gained from GM level collaboration, building innovative approaches that can support sustained system change. It is one of number of transformation programmes within the GM Children's and Young People's team and also works closely with other GMCA directorates on shared priorities.

The next phase of programme delivery, from April 2026, aims to deepen the maturity of our whole system approach to early years; strengthen support to families from pregnancy to age 5; reduce the pressures impacting on families and develop the enablers of high quality early years and family support. You can find out more about the programme on the GMCA website. Greater Manchester School Readiness - Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Mandatory Information:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.

Privacy Notice (Click here)

Employees on the redeployment register will be given priority for any vacancies in the first instance. If employees are identified as a match from the register then the vacancy may be withdrawn or put on hold pending an outcome.

For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note we are not a licenced sponsor.

Hybrid working

This role is part of GMCA's hybrid working scheme. As part of our commitment to 'Build Back Fairer' in Greater Manchester following the Covid-19 pandemic, we have evolved our management methods by trusting and empowering staff to deliver their work in the best way that suits the business and their individual needs, and supports health and wellbeing. Our hybrid working policy sets out a flexible approach, combining attendance at our on-site locations with remote working, typically from home; the location of work is primarily dictated by the needs of the business: 'Do what is right for you and the business on that day'. If appointed to the role you will work with your manager to agree and regularly review the best working pattern for you, your team and your work.