Programme Manager

We’re recruiting a Programme Manager to play a key, strategic role in the development and delivery of Cafcass’ Private Law Reform (Pathfinder) programme. If you join us, you’ll deliver the programme according to internal and partnership goals and advocate a transformational approach towards delivery of the Cafcass elements of the programme, leading on all programme and project planning, including matrix management of Business Analysts in the core Project Team. This is a highly visible role in which you will work closely with senior leaders within Cafcass as well as with external partners, including the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

As Programme Manager, your key responsibilities will include:

• Developing and maintaining the programme plan, with a key focus on all risks, assumptions, dependencies and issues.
• Providing highly effective short, medium and long-term programme and project plans aligned with Cafcass’ Corporate plans, and MoJ strategies.
• Utilising Cafcass’ Project Portfolio Management (PPM) tool to ensure the programme and its composite projects are clearly planned, documented, and tracked, ensuring a programmatic view is maintained at all times.
• Providing advice and guidance to colleagues during programme implementation, to ensure selection of the most appropriate planning approach, tools and processes, ensuring proportionality.
• Challenging and testing programme assumptions to ensure that plans are realistic and achievable and aligned to wider corporate strategic requirements.
• Monitoring and reporting on the programme budget, ensuring the appropriate financial controls are in place.

Who we’re looking for:

The importance of this strategic programme to Cafcass and the wider sector in which we operate in cannot be overstated. Reflecting this, we have some clear requirements:

• Programme management qualification (or equivalent) is essential.
• Degree level qualification essential.
• Experience leading a team (as well as managing a Project Support Officer, you will matrix manage others).
• Substantial experience of programme, project, risk and issue management.
• Expertise in financial planning as relates to programme and project management.
• It may be an advantage if you have experience of working in the public sector and even better if you have experience of working within the Family Justice System.

We’re expecting a lot of interest in this role, so we encourage you to please ensure the above – and any of the other key requirements we have – is clearly demonstrated in your CV and/or application form.

Where will you work?

There will be some travel - we have 30+ offices – and you can also expect to meet with your manager and team at regular intervals in-person, especially during your induction, as we know the value of this for colleagues. However, you can also expect to work remotely too, and we provide excellent equipment and technical support for you to do this. We can discuss what this might look like if we have the chance to speak with you.

As an organisation, we’re proud of the extensive wellbeing support available for colleagues, as well as excellent benefits, all of which we hope encourages you to work within our dedicated team.

If you’re preparing to apply, we encourage you not to rely heavily on AI tools when creating your application. While we recognise the benefits AI can offer, your application should reflect your own experience, insights, and motivations. This helps us genuinely understand what you will bring to the role. Applications that appear to contain generalised or inauthentic content may limit our ability to assess your suitability, and where it is clear that AI has been used, it may affect our decision-making during the screening process.

Next steps / timelines:

Below we have given you an indication of a timetable we are hoping to work towards, although dates are subject to change.

• Closing date: {Expiry Date}
• Initial interviews: By Friday 13th February
• Final Interview: TBC but between 23rd February and 6th March

Please note, the following: We only plan to advertise this vacancy for a short period. If once we’ve done an initial, informal review of applicants we may decide to extend the advert to allow more people to apply. This will not mean anyone that’s already applied has been discounted. If we extend, this may mean the above timeline has to change. Initial and final interviews are likely to take place remotely via MS Teams.

If you wish to informally discuss the vacancy please contact Imogen Nicholson (Head of Practice (Strategic Development & Change)). However, if waiting to speak with Imogen and the closing date is imminent, please apply whilst you can and if you later decide you don’t wish to be considered, you can withdraw your application.

In anticipation of your successful application, we encourage you to review our offer and pre-employment checks process. You are welcome to raise any questions or concerns about these checks during your application, with the assurance that this information will remain confidential. We look forward to receiving your application.