Programme Manager in Eastleigh

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Programme Manager to join our planning team at NHS Hampshire & Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB). This pivotal role supports the annual strategic commissioning and planning cycle, ensuring strategic and operational plans are effectively developed, coordinated, and delivered across our Integrated Care System.

You will work closely with senior leaders, including the Director of Strategic Finance, Deputy Director of Integrated Planning, commissioning leads, quality, workforce and wider partners, to drive high-quality programme delivery, strengthen planning processes, and ensure compliance with national policy and regulatory requirements. While the planning function is based in the Chief Finance Officer directorate, it covers all aspects of planning and no finance qualifications or experience are required. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a complex, fast-paced environment and enjoys working on high-profile, system-wide programmes.

Main duties of the job

• Support annual and in-year contract planning cycles, ensuring alignment with ICB priorities and NHS England guidance.
• Oversee complex programmes, managing milestones, risks, dependencies, and benefits realisation.
• Support financial modelling, activity planning, and value-for-money assessments.
• Establish robust mechanisms for tracking KPIs, compliance, and delivery.
• Produce high-quality reports and presentations for ICB committees, Board, and NHS England assurance meetings.
• Drive improvements in planning processes, incorporating best practices and lessons learned.
• Collate, interpret, and present complex information to support decision-making and assurance.
• Provide guidance, support matrix working, and contribute to a collaborative, inclusive culture.

About us

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight is responsible for planning and commissioning high-quality health and care services for our local population. With an annual budget of around £5bn, we work closely with NHS providers, Local Authorities, voluntary sector partners and communities to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and ensure services are sustainable for the future.

Our aim is to improve healthy life expectancy, outcomes and experience of services for everyone living in Hampshire and Isle of Wight and reduce health inequalities across all communities. Our strategic objectives are:

• Improving personalised neighbourhood care: Ensuring more people receive the right quality care, in the right place, at the right time to best meet their needs.
• Greater prevention: Strengthening preventative and proactive health and wellbeing to tackle the causes of illness and inequality.
• Smarter use of technology and data: Using data and technology to improve continuity, decision-making and experience of care.
• Better value: Ensuring the local NHS delivers better value through improved quality, efficiency and experience.
• Thriving workforce: Developing a skilled, supported workforce that delivers effective outcomes-focused strategic commissioning.

We value compassionate leadership, inclusion, innovation and partnership working. You will join a team that is forward-looking, highly skilled and dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of our population.

Job responsibilities

Lead the development and delivery of annual and in-year planning cycles, ensuring that contractual arrangements support NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight strategic priorities and comply with national guidance. Working closely with providers, commissioners, finance colleagues and clinical leaders, the post holder will facilitate the production of planning outputs while providing oversight of complex programmes and projects. They will ensure that effective governance, performance monitoring and risk management arrangements are in place, support financial modelling and value-for-money assessments, and produce high-quality reports to inform decision-making and provide assurance. The role also includes supporting procurement activities, maintaining contract and project governance processes, resolving complex issues as they arise and driving continuous improvement across contract planning and delivery.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

The post holder will provide oversight of a wide range of programmes, including transformation, efficiency, financial recovery and performance improvement initiatives, ensuring that progress can be effectively monitored and evidenced. By building strong relationships with programme and operational leads across the ICB, they will support the development of meaningful measures, milestones and Key Lines of Enquiry that demonstrate delivery against local and national priorities. They will analyse complex information from multiple sources, assess risks and emerging issues, and use sound judgement to make recommendations and support decision-making, often in situations where information is incomplete or evolving. The role also contributes to the development of assurance processes that provide confidence to NHS HIOW ICB committees, the Board and NHS England.

Planning and Organisation

A key aspect of the role is coordinating and managing assurance and oversight processes across the organisation. This includes planning and supporting meetings, leading the collation and quality assurance of reports and briefing materials, coordinating engagement with NHS England and ensuring that governance processes run effectively. The post holder will work with colleagues throughout the ICB to improve the way assurance information is reviewed and scrutinised, ensuring that organisational performance can be accurately assessed and that any required corrective actions are identified and implemented in a timely manner.

Policy and Service Development

The post holder will play an active role in shaping and improving assurance and governance arrangements across the organisation. Through horizon scanning, engagement with regional and national networks, and an understanding of emerging policy and best practice, they will provide practical advice and guidance that supports organisational improvement. They will contribute to the development of information systems, service improvement initiatives and integrated approaches to programme management, while also supporting the development and implementation of policies and procedures that strengthen governance, accountability and organisational effectiveness.

Financial and Physical Resources

Working closely with senior leaders, the post holder will support effective financial management across programmes and projects, ensuring that resources are used appropriately and in line with organisational policies and Standing Financial Instructions. They will contribute to budget monitoring and financial oversight activities, helping to ensure that expenditure is controlled, value for money is achieved and appropriate records are maintained to support transparency, accountability and audit requirements.

People Management

The role requires the ability to foster a positive, collaborative and high‑performing culture by promoting innovation, continuous learning and compassionate leadership. The post holder will support the development of individuals and teams through coaching, appraisal and workforce development processes and will contribute to recruitment and performance management activities where appropriate. By building strong relationships with colleagues across the organisation and wider system, they will encourage effective partnership working and ensure that staff are engaged, informed and empowered to contribute to organisational objectives.

Information Management

The post holder will be responsible for handling, interpreting and presenting complex, sensitive and often confidential information to support effective governance, assurance and decision‑making. They will ensure that information from a variety of sources is analysed, synthesised and communicated in a clear, accurate and meaningful way for a range of audiences, including senior leaders, committees and external stakeholders. The role also includes reviewing relevant policies and guidance, supporting the development of business cases and assurance reports, and ensuring compliance with Information Governance requirements and organisational standards.

Research and Development

The post holder will support the development of innovative approaches to assurance, governance and organisational improvement by providing expert advice, identifying opportunities for better ways of working and promoting the adoption of best practice. They will contribute to the design and implementation of new processes and systems, while encouraging the use of feedback from service users and stakeholders to inform learning and service development. Through a commitment to continuous improvement, they will help ensure that assurance arrangements remain effective, responsive and aligned with the needs of the organisation and the wider health system.

Person Specification

Qualifications and/or experience

• Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level qualification or significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area.

Skills and abilities

• Evidence of continued professional development.
• Demonstrated experience of co‑ordinating or working on projects in complex and challenging environments.
• Experience of managing risks and reporting.
• Experience of monitoring budgets and business planning processes.
• Understanding of the public sector.
• Demonstrated experience in a Healthcare environment.
• Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures.

Knowledge

• Experience of supporting benefits realisation at a programme level.
• Experience of measuring quality improvements in healthcare.
• Experience of successfully operating in a politically sensitive environment.

Communication and interpersonal skills

• Excellent oral and written skills.
• Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to a broad range of stakeholders.
• Experience of writing accurate and concise minutes and action notes.
• Experience of drafting briefing papers and correspondence for senior managers.
• Influencing and negotiating skills to motivate staff to participate in benefits realisation, and senior executives and managers for their support.
• Is credible to internal and external stakeholders.

Analytical and problem-solving skills

• Experience of preparing and analysing data to measure quality improvements and support benefits realisation.
• Numerate and an ability to undertake numerical analysis.
• Attention to detail combined with the ability to extract key messages from complex analysis.
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands.

IT and digital literacy

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Ability to manage electronic files and folders effectively.
• Competent in email, video conferencing (MS Teams, Zoom), and collaborative platforms.
• Evidence of clear and professional communication through digital channels.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.