At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and deliver strategic programmes, ensuring alignment and execution across teams.
- Company: Dynamic organisation focused on transformation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, pension contributions, life assurance, and generous annual leave.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team with opportunities for growth and development.
- Why this job: Drive impactful projects and enhance your leadership skills in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing large-scale programmes and strong planning capabilities.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 € per year.
The Programme Manager is responsible for driving the end-to-end delivery of our top strategic programme, moving it from planning into execution, and ensuring workstreams are aligned, sequenced, and delivering against agreed outcomes. This role provides structure, pace and control across a complex, cross-functional programme ensuring dependencies are managed, risks are surfaced early and leadership has clear visibility of progress and decisions required.
Key Responsibilities
- Programme Planning & Delivery
- Build and maintain an integrated programme plan, linking all workstreams into a single coherent view.
- Translate high-level milestones into detailed, executable delivery plans and sequencing.
- Drive progression from Level 1 alignment into Level 2 delivery planning and execution.
- Ensure all MVP-critical milestones and decisions are defined, tracked, and delivered.
- Dependency & Risk Management
- Identify and manage cross-workstream dependencies and interdependencies.
- Proactively surface risks, constraints, and blockers and drive resolution.
- Ensure assumptions, risks, and dependencies are clearly captured and owned across workstreams.
- Governance & Reporting
- Establish and run programme governance (SteerCo, GEC, Board updates as required).
- Provide clear, concise reporting on progress, risks, and key decisions.
- Maintain core programme artefacts (PID, WIDs, integrated plan, benefits view) as a single source of truth.
- Ensure alignment across sponsors, workstream leads, and stakeholders.
- Cross-Functional Alignment
- Facilitate structured working sessions to align teams on deliverables, sequencing, and priorities.
- Drive collaboration across Product, Commercial, Technology, and Operations teams.
- Challenge and support workstream leads to ensure plans are realistic, joined-up, and deliverable.
- Resource, Capacity & Delivery Readiness
- Ensure clarity on resource requirements, capacity, and funding needs across workstreams.
- Support mobilisation of teams as the programme moves from planning into execution.
- Track delivery readiness and support go/no-go decisions at key milestones.
- Stakeholder Management
- Act as the central point of coordination for programme leadership and stakeholders.
- Maintain strong relationships with sponsors, workstream leads, and senior leadership.
- Ensure alignment on priorities, trade-offs, and decisions required to move forward.
Required Skills & Experience
- Proven experience managing large-scale, cross-functional transformation programmes.
- Strong planning capability - able to move from high-level milestones to detailed, executable plans.
- Track record of managing dependencies, risks, and complex stakeholder environments.
- Ability to drive pace, challenge constructively, and bring structure to ambiguity.
- Strong communication skills - able to simplify complex information for senior audiences.
- Experience working across multiple functions (commercial, product, technology, operations).
Ways of Working
- Dynamic and pragmatic, able to balance structure with pace and outcomes.
- An agile thinker, comfortable working with ambiguity and adapting as the programme evolves.
- Experienced operating in nonlinear environments, recognising that the programme will continue to change and flex over time.
- Collaborative by nature, comfortable iterating with stakeholders to solve complex problems.
- Able to maintain appropriate process and discipline, without allowing process to become overly restrictive.
- Practical and pragmatic, recognising that as a 300m revenue organisation, we need proportionate, value-adding process.
What we offer
- Competitive Salary.
- Up to 5% matched pension contribution.
- 4x annual salary life assurance.
- 25 days annual leave plus.
Programme Manager - Oxford, Ox5 1hx in Guildford employer: Essentra
As a Programme Manager at our Oxford location, you will thrive in a dynamic and collaborative work culture that prioritises employee growth and development. We offer competitive salaries, generous leave, and a supportive environment where your contributions directly impact our strategic goals. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values innovation and teamwork, ensuring you have the resources and opportunities to excel in your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Programme Manager - Oxford, Ox5 1hx in Guildford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their values and goals. We want to see you shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online platforms. The more comfortable you are, the better you’ll perform when it counts.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step.
We think you need these skills to ace Programme Manager - Oxford, Ox5 1hx in Guildford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Programme Manager role. Highlight your experience in managing large-scale programmes and how you've tackled dependencies and risks in the past. We want to see how you can bring your unique skills to our team!
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since this role involves a lot of stakeholder management, it's crucial to demonstrate your strong communication abilities. Use clear and concise language in your application to show us that you can simplify complex information for senior audiences. Remember, clarity is key!
Highlight Cross-Functional Experience:We love candidates who have worked across different functions like commercial, product, technology, and operations. Make sure to include examples of how you've collaborated with various teams to drive successful outcomes. This will really set you apart from the crowd!
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you're keen on joining the StudySmarter family!
How to prepare for a job interview at Essentra
✨Know Your Programme Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the programme management principles and methodologies relevant to the role. Familiarise yourself with the specific challenges and objectives mentioned in the job description, so you can discuss how your experience aligns with their needs.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Experience
This role requires collaboration across various teams. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully managed cross-functional projects in the past. Highlight your ability to break down silos and foster teamwork, as this will demonstrate your fit for the position.
✨Prepare for Risk and Dependency Questions
Given the emphasis on risk management and dependencies in the job description, prepare to discuss how you've identified and managed these in previous roles. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and provide clear, concise examples.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Strong communication skills are crucial for this role. Practice simplifying complex information and presenting it clearly, as you might need to explain intricate details to senior stakeholders. Confidence in your delivery will help convey your expertise and suitability for the role.
