At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and deliver strategic programmes, ensuring alignment and execution across teams.
- Company: Dynamic organisation focused on large-scale transformation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Generous leave, pension contributions, life assurance, and employee discounts.
- Other info: Hybrid role with opportunities for growth in a fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by driving complex projects and collaborating with diverse teams.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing cross-functional programmes and strong planning skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € 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
- 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.
- 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 non-linear 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
- Up to 5% matched pension contribution.
- 4× annual salary life assurance.
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata).
- Employee discounts through MyDiscounts platform.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
This is a hybrid role, with 3 days per week based in either our Oxford or Jarrow office.
Programme Manager in Jarrow employer: Essentra
As a Programme Manager at our organisation, you will thrive in a dynamic and collaborative work culture that prioritises employee growth and development. With a strong focus on cross-functional teamwork and innovative problem-solving, we offer a supportive environment where your contributions are valued, alongside competitive benefits such as a matched pension contribution and generous annual leave. Our hybrid working model allows for flexibility, ensuring you can balance your professional and personal life while making a meaningful impact on our strategic programmes.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Programme Manager in Jarrow
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry and let them know you're on the hunt for a Programme Manager role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on an opportunity or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising common questions related to programme management. Think about how you can showcase your experience with managing dependencies and risks, as well as your ability to drive collaboration across teams.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to leverage our website for job applications! It’s super easy to apply directly through us, and we’re always looking for talented individuals who can help drive our strategic programmes forward.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after interviews with a thank-you note. It’s a great way to reiterate your interest in the role and remind them of your skills in managing complex, cross-functional programmes. A little gratitude goes a long way!
We think you need these skills to ace Programme Manager in Jarrow
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in managing large-scale, cross-functional programmes. We want to see how your skills align with our needs, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since strong communication is key for this role, use your application to demonstrate how you simplify complex information. We love seeing examples of how you've effectively communicated with senior stakeholders in the past.
Highlight Your Planning Capability:We’re looking for someone who can move from high-level milestones to detailed plans. In your application, share specific instances where you’ve successfully managed dependencies and risks while keeping everything on track.
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 Programme Manager role. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Essentra
✨Know the Programme Inside Out
Before your interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the strategic programme you'll be managing. Familiarise yourself with the key responsibilities and how they align with the company's goals. This will help you demonstrate your ability to drive the end-to-end delivery effectively.
✨Showcase Your Planning Skills
Be prepared to discuss your experience in creating detailed, executable plans from high-level milestones. Bring examples of how you've managed dependencies and risks in previous roles, as this will highlight your strong planning capability and ability to bring structure to ambiguity.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Communication
Since this role requires working across multiple functions, share specific instances where you've successfully collaborated with diverse teams. Highlight your communication skills by explaining how you've simplified complex information for senior audiences, ensuring everyone is aligned on priorities.
✨Demonstrate Agility and Adaptability
Discuss your experience in dynamic environments and how you've adapted to changes in programmes. Provide examples of how you've maintained pace while ensuring that processes remain value-adding, showing that you can balance structure with outcomes effectively.
