Senior Programme Manager

Job summary

Would you like to help deliver programmes that drive economic growth, unlock investment and create opportunities across the UK? Could you contribute to major events that showcase UK business, innovation and trade on the global stage? Are you interested in supporting complex programmes that drive innovation, strengthen critical infrastructure, enable emerging technologies or transform the way government delivers its priorities?

If so, the Project Delivery Expertise Pool (PDEP) could be the opportunity you're looking for.

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) is the UK government department driving economic growth. We help businesses to invest, expand and export, creating jobs, opportunity and prosperity across the UK. Project delivery is central to turning strategic ambition into tangible outcomes that support businesses, communities and citizens.

At the heart of Department’s Project Delivery Division is the PDEP which brings together a dynamic community of project delivery professionals who provide flexible delivery expertise across the department's priorities.

As a member of the Pool, you could work across a diverse portfolio of projects and programmes that help deliver the department's objectives. The portfolio spans a broad range of activity, including business and trade, investment, economic growth, innovation, technology, science, major events, place-based development, infrastructure and organisational transformation.

Projects vary in scale, complexity and stage of delivery, providing opportunities to contribute across the full project lifecycle, from early development and mobilisation through to implementation, assurance and benefits realisation.

The Pool provides the expertise, leadership and delivery capability needed to respond flexibly to changing business needs and support successful delivery where it matters most. Working across a variety of assignments, you will have the opportunity to apply and develop your project delivery skills, collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, and contribute to outcomes that have a real impact.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced, ambitious and motivated project delivery professional to join BIST's Project Delivery Expertise Pool and contribute to the successful delivery of departmental priorities to support businesses and build economic growth across the UK.

Job description

As a Senior Programme Manager within the Project Delivery Expertise Pool, you will lead critical and complex projects and programmes that deliver high value outcomes for the Department. You will be deployed across a variety of initiatives, taking responsibility for shaping delivery strategies, defining scope, guiding multidisciplinary teams to deliver agreed outputs within time, cost and quality constraints. You will use a blend of programme leadership, analytical capability and structured delivery methodologies including Agile, to break down complex problems and design effective solutions. The role involves leading business case development, managing budgets, setting delivery methodologies, implementing appropriate governance and ensuring benefits realisation is achieved. You will engage senior stakeholders, manage risks and issues, organise assurance reviews and champion change management.

As a senior leader, you will set delivery expectations, provide coaching and guidance to project teams and ensure strong performance, accountability and timely reporting against programme objectives. You will be expected to operate confidently in environments with a high level of ambiguity, using sound judgement to shape direction, clarify priorities and maintain delivery momentum.

Due to the nature of the Project Delivery Expertise Pool, there may also be occasions where pool members are required to step into other project delivery roles to support departmental priorities.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to :

• Lead programme delivery to achieve agreed outcomes, setting delivery strategy, analysing issues and ensuring work is delivered to time, cost and quality standards.
• Provide day-to-day management and leadership of programme teams, establishing programme structures, delivery methodologies and managing transitions between phases.
• Initiate projects by defining scope, engaging key stakeholders, producing delivery plans and ensuring resources and governance arrangements are in place.
• Develop and maintain Business Cases, budgets and Benefits Realisation Strategies, tracking delivery against expected outcomes.
• Conduct stakeholder mapping and develop engagement strategies, ensuring effective communication and collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Identify, monitor and manage programme risks and issues, escalating appropriately and proposing mitigating actions to safeguard delivery.
• Support governance and assurance activity, organising reviews (including gateway reviews), acting on recommendations and ensuring effective decision-making forums operate.
• Provide coaching, guidance and support to programme teams; set clear performance expectations and translate programme vision into delivery objectives.
• If not currently held, you will be supported in achieving Government Project Delivery Accreditation at Foundation level or above.

Person specification

Candidates should be able to provide evidence of their skills and experience against the following criteria.

Essential criteria

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage;

• Significant experience leading programmes or complex projects, applying robust project and programme management methodologies.
• Proven ability to set delivery direction, manage teams, oversee budgets and lead the development of Business Cases and benefits strategies
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience building effective relationships across organisational boundaries.
• Ability to identify, analyse and manage risks, issues and dependencies in complex delivery environments.
• Clear and effective communicator with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Qualifications

A Project Delivery qualification at Practitioner level will be expected for this role.

Examples of suitable qualifications are, but not limited to:

PRINCE2 Practitioner
Agile Project Management Practitioner
APM Project Management Qualification
APM Chartered Project Professional
Project Leadership Programme
PMI Project Management Professional
Managing Projects and Leading Workstreams

Evidence to support qualifications will be requested prior to interview.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• This will be tested at interview via presentation, question will be provided 5 days prior to interview. Based on the Project Delivery Capability Framework : https://projectdelivery.gov.uk/pdcf/programme-manager-g7/

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £60,732, Department for Business and Trade contributes £17,594 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement of up to 750 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

Your application will be sifted against the Experience criteria of the Civil Service Success Profiles.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

We aim to sift both the CV and the Personal Statement but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the CV will either progressed to a full sift where the Personal Statement is then assessed, or progressed straight to further assessment/interview.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited to interview, where we will assess you on Technical (oral presentation, details will be provided in advance of interview).

Please note, following a recent change to the Machinery of Government, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will be renamed to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) as of 20th July 2026. BIST will connect the UK’s world-class science and technology base directly to the businesses, places and workers that will drive good growth across the country. Such changes will not affect the selection process for this campaign; however, we wanted to take this opportunity to advise you of the recent changes to our department.

You can find further information here regarding recent governmental changes Machinery of Government changes: Fact Sheet - GOV.UK.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
• A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
• Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
• Candidates that do not quite meet the standard for this role may be offered a position at a lower grade.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

Vetting

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : pdrecruitment@businessandtrade.gov.uk
• Email : pdrecruitment@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.

Attachments

DBT candidate pack July 2024 (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 943kB)DBT T&Cs 2025-08-18 Opens in new window (doc, 46kB)