Change Programme Support Officer

Job Description

Job Title: Change Programme Support Officer
Salary: £33,531 - £38,052 per annum
Grade: D
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: 37 hours per week

About the Department

The Change Programme Office is the Council’s corporate resource for the governance, management and delivery of projects. The team is responsible for the organisation’s approach to delivering projects, whether delivering directly, or supporting others to deliver. The key Programme the CPO has extended responsibility for is the Transformation Programme based on the council’s road map.

About the Role

As a Change Programme Support Officer, you will:

• Assist the Change Delivery Manager(s) and Project Manager(s) in services in all aspects of project and change programme delivery, including but not limited to scheduling, resource coordination, and document management.
• Manage project related data effectively, ensuring its accuracy and accessibility. This includes updating spreadsheets and generating reports as required.
• Facilitate project board meetings by preparing a forward plan and agendas, collating relevant documents, and recording minutes. Recording and following the progress of action items with their owners is also essential, ensuring timely resolution.
• Provide general administrative support to the programme, including managing diaries, scheduling meetings, and handling correspondence.
• Manage critical boards such as Change Board and Modernisation board, ensuring drumbeat and flow of actions and key papers and chasing senior stakeholders for follow through.
• Organise and maintain project documents, ensuring version control and compliance with corporate standards.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders when required, providing updates on project progress.
• Have the ability to analyse reports and plans and flag up areas of variance.
• Complete regular quality assurance checks on project management processes, including audits, programme review, and compliance checks.
• Co-ordinate the production of project reporting on a regular basis with project stakeholders.
• Champion the organisation’s approach to change management and act as an advocate and guardian for the established practices to deliver the programme.
• Provide ad hoc support to a range of change projects, as well as work on assigned work-streams; assessing and resolving issues, in line with policies and procedures, escalating more complex issues where appropriate.
  

This role offers the chance to make a real difference by changing the way the Council works to deliver services.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Excellent organisational, oral, and written communication skills
• Ability to proactively manage Exec level boards and follow through actions with directors.
• Experience providing high quality project administrative support.
• Experience of working in a project management environment, using a range of project management documentation skills
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Ability to process and understand complex numerical data sets.
• Experience of building productive relationships with Stakeholders.
• Experience of working in local government and understanding the decision-making processes and structures.
• Ability to communicate data clearly to a non-technical audience.

Essential qualifications: A degree (including higher level apprenticeship) and/or professional or programme / project management qualification or equivalent experience.

DBS Check: Not required

Benefits of Working with Us

At Thurrock Council, we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable)
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support
• Staff discounts and local offers
• A supportive and inclusive working environment

Important Dates

Closing Date (Redeployment Only): 26th March 2026

Closing Date (Internal & External): 6th April 2026

Interview Date: 14th & 15th April 2026

Additional Information

If you have any questions about the role or interview process, please contact:

Tobin Stephenson – Head of Change

tobin.stephenson@thurrock.gov.uk | Telephone call available on request

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification, please follow the link below:

Download Job Profile (PDF Document)

If the Job Profile and Person Specification list any qualifications as essential, please also upload copies of those relevant qualifications.

About us

Why Thurrock?

Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.

Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead.

This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough.

Our location

Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents.

We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes.

Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road.

Staff benefits

We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

Further information can be found here Employment benefits | Working for the council | Thurrock Council

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification.

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.

For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: Thurrock Council