Manager in Bedford

Location: Flexible, with UK travel required

Salary: Competitive, starting from £60,000 per annum + bonus + benefits

Working pattern: Permanent, Full time

About us

IMPOWER is the country’s largest independent management consultancy focused exclusively on helping our public sector clients improve services for their local communities. We hold a profound belief in the innate value of public services; a better public sector is the cornerstone of a better society. IMPOWER helps public service leaders produce lasting, positive change in complex systems. We exist because public services can be – and should be – improved. For us, improving public services is fundamentally about improving the lives of citizens. We have consistently demonstrated that performance can be improved and that this improved performance can be sustained, citizens’ lives made noticeably better and public services left more resilient to manage future challenges. IMPOWER is ambitious and growing! We are seeking colleagues who are ready for challenge, growth and opportunity over the coming years as we build the blueprint for better public services.

About the role

Our Managers are responsible for the delivery of projects and management of project teams, ensuring to successfully meet agreed commitments to the client. They ensure our projects embed our EDGEWORK approach. They will have some responsibility for building relationships with client stakeholders as directed by the project leaders, and they will be responsible for sharing insights across projects and the wider company, contributing to the development of Inventive Methods and communication profiles. Our Managers are emotionally intelligent – and know how to develop and manage a team of exceptionally talented and high performing staff. They are responsible for the day to day and longer-term performance management of our project and internal teams, ensuring that our staff are trained, developed, retained, and well cared for.

About you

• Experience working in a similar role within a Management Consultancy, with expertise in project delivery focused on achievement of enhanced outcomes, effective use of resources and cultural or behavioural change.
• Skilled in managing multiple project teams and workstreams.
• Knowledgeable in public sector consulting, with a deep understanding of local government, social care, health, and housing.
• Demonstrated exceptional emotional intelligence, with a clear understanding of values-based organisations and environments.
• Proven ability in developing and managing high-performing individuals, achieving effective results, and adapting management style according to individual needs.
• Commercially minded with a thorough understanding of the commercial requirements of running a consulting business, ensuring consulting staff meet their responsibilities in these areas.
• Through understanding of the ethical values of providing consulting services within the public sector and their practical application.
• Strong analytical, written, and presentation skills.
• Willingness to travel nationwide and stay overnight near client sites when necessary.

About the Responsibilities:

• Oversee the day-to-day management and delivery of consultancy projects across local government and/or health, ensuring clear plans are established and milestones are met in line with client expectations and contractual agreements.
• Deliver projects on budget and ensure consistent high quality, as evidenced by client feedback.
• Manage a team of delivery consultants (including associates), ensuring clarity of individual roles and collective targets, fostering a collaborative culture to achieve client objectives.
• Ensure staff time and other project resources are effectively managed in line with the agreed project profile and proactively manage any variations.
• Ensure Project Directors and Delivery Directors are informed about progress, engaged at key points, and aware of any risks or issues.

• Manage client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor (including to Delivery Directors and relevant senior leaders) – with the ability to influence stakeholder decision making to ensure successful project delivery.
• Delegate relationship management appropriately across delivery teams, ensuring clear stakeholder plans are in place that support project delivery with defined ownership across teams.
• Ensure the Director or Delivery Director on projects are included in key stakeholder meetings and are well briefed on project delivery and any potential risks.
• Build collaborative relationships across the company, leveraging the expertise of others to support successful project delivery and account growth.

• Support your team to understand their own development needs and actively pursue learning and development opportunities.
• Provide effective line management to staff within their Director teams, setting clear performance objectives that support growth and development.
• Serve as an approachable role model for delivery standards across the business, ensuring these standards are understood and achieved with demonstrable impact.

• Exhibit a solid understanding of the commercial activities required to deliver projects on budget and on time, ensuring staff complete appropriate commercial reporting.
• Share insights and impacts from projects, recognising where these can support new sales and business growth.
• Advocate for IMPOWER's work through networking, social media, and blogs to enhance the IMPOWER brand.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of IMPOWER's EDGEWORK methodology, continuously improving inventive methods and coaching staff on their use in appropriate project situations.
• Support innovation and excellence through collaboration in IMPOWER’s value propositions and development of relevant market propositions.

• Use self-awareness and feedback to set personal goals and address areas for improvement.
• Seek help when facing new challenges and share skills with colleagues to support your team.
• Actively develop your knowledge, skills and experience of working within a specific value proposition as part of development expert level capability in a chosen sector.

About our offer

• Competitive salary, with a personal and company-based performance bonus
• 28 days annual leave (+ bank holidays), with buy/sell/rollover scheme
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance and Income Protection
• Medical and Dental Insurance
• Gym Subsidy contribution, including to online fitness subscriptions
• Parent, guardian, and carer friendly policies
• Discounts at a variety of high street retailers
• Regular training and development opportunities
• Paid volunteer/CSR days
• Regular team socials and celebrations (even virtual ones!)

About our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At IMPOWER, whilst we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer - our commitment to facilitating a safe, inclusive working environment doesn’t just stop at an Equality and Diversity Policy. We are an organisation that is actively working towards anti-discrimination of any kind against race, gender, gender identity, sexuality, disability, age, religious belief, parental or carer commitments, marital status or civil partnership. We do this through our D&I strategy, through constant review of our policies and procedures, through our recruitment processes, and through the training and development of our staff.