Programme Manager (Custom Programmes) in Cambridge

This opportunity is available on a full-time, permanent basis. Working hours are 40 hours per week. There will be a six-month probationary period.

As a Programme Manager, you will change leaders who change the world by bringing together all programme components and supporting our clients, team, and faculty to deliver a transformative learning experience to our participants. The role holder will be based in the Custom Programmes team, who focus on addressing the specific learning and strategic needs of our portfolio of organisational clients. The successful applicant will be responsible for the detailed end-to-end project management and on-site delivery or launch of a digital product of a range of programmes for senior executives from local, national, and global organisations. Some programme schedules will be outside normal working hours, including weekends, and the flow of work may not follow a regular working week. Nevertheless, we understand the importance of flexibility in managing work-life balance; our structure includes flexible working hours to accommodate individual needs and preferences.

Main responsibilities:

• Project and event management
• Manage a set of clients and programmes using formal project management disciplines including project plans, risk registers and risk management discussions, stakeholder maps and plans, communications plans, budget tracking, resource plans, weekly dashboards including tracking to milestones and risks, and regular upwards reporting into portfolio plans for the custom business.
• Ensure full visibility of project progress at all times through accurate planning, progress and completion tracking and record keeping for all aspects of a programme.
• Chair team discussions around activities, milestones, due dates, tasks due and dependencies, ensuring adequate planning, control and delivery of outputs.
• Take full ownership of administrative arrangements for a portfolio of programmes, including but not limited to booking and securing accommodation, travel, catering, audio-visual (AV), entertainment, dinners, setup and maintenance of a virtual learning environment (VLE).
• In co-operation with Business Development colleagues and Learning Designers, confirm terms and conditions with contributing faculty and external speakers, ensuring teaching materials are received, reviewed and, when necessary, translated in a timely manner.
• During programme events, ensure clients and participants are fully supported in their learning experience with us. This includes commitment to the quality of all aspects of the event including co-ordinating with faculty, external providers/contributors, catering, facilities, and AV/IT teams as required, working as a team to deliver the best possible learning experience to participants including out of hours event set-up and networking commitments.
• Prepare and support any programme activities in the live online environment from a technical perspective using Zoom or Teams, in a studio setup or remotely.
• Stakeholder management
• Work collaboratively with other members of the Programme Management team and staff in Executive Education, as well as the faculty of the Business School, to build our reputation as a pre-eminent provider of executive education programmes.
• Manage internal and external stakeholders with confidence and diplomacy.
• Manage all aspects of service for our clients to a very high standard and provide first-class customer service for our clients and programme participants.
• Identify suitable service providers, including programme venues, hotels and Colleges to ensure participants' and clients' needs are met.
• Communication and information
• Communicate with programme participants throughout their learning journey before, during and after their programme to ensure they feel well informed and supported at any stage.
• Schedule and lead, in collaboration with learning designers and Academic Programme Directors, roundtables and rehearsals with the entire faculty team ahead of each programme delivery.
• Collate, analyse, and distribute feedback to the Academic Programme Director and other stakeholders as appropriate, and chair debrief meetings for each programme for continuous improvement of our portfolio.
• Maintain and update business information held by the company for suppliers and clients. Ensure that all records in the business management system (BMS) and workflow management system are accurate and kept up to date, in accordance with company policy and data protection regulations.

About you:

Our ideal candidate should have the following qualities, skills and attributes. You are asked to provide a CV and a covering letter demonstrating how your own experience meets these requirements:

• Education and qualifications: Graduate level or equivalent qualification/experience.
• Formal project management qualification (e.g. APM, Prince 2, Agile or other) or equivalent experience - desirable.
• Customer-centric approach to working with an understanding of the requirements of event management, preferably in an educational setting.
• Willingness to, alongside other team members, take ownership of all aspects of quality of our programmes and ability to drive team towards continuous improvement.
• Be highly organised, demonstrating experience of managing multiple deadlines.
• Good knowledge and understanding of modern office and learning technology.
• An understanding that some programme schedules will be outside normal working hours, including weekends, and that the flow of work may not follow a regular working week.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 11:59 on Thursday 26 February 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier with the receipt of suitable candidates, so if you are interested please do not hesitate to apply.