Programme Director in London

We are looking for a Programme Director, with experience managing a variety of teams successfully, combined with an excellent track record of professional and profitable delivery of a portfolio of projects, to work within one of our established and highly successful business verticals. This role is a key function within the business – experience of efficient and successful team management is absolutely key, supported by very strong project management / delivery skills.

Location: Our offices are in London, Macclesfield, Manchester and Marlow. We are open to applications from all over the UK as we have remote and flexible hybrid working policies.

ABOUT LUCID GROUP: We are a global healthcare communications agency with deep therapeutic expertise that traverses the asset lifecycle, delivering transformative outcomes for healthcare brands for over 20 years. Our more than 500 highly trained professionals work with speed and agility to craft and execute breakthrough strategies that maximise performance and unlock a brand's full potential.

This position is aligned to one of our three capabilities:

• Scientific and Medical Communications: Translating scientific insight into impactful strategies and compelling narratives that inspire change.
• Commercial Communications: Accelerating a brand's trajectory with data‑driven strategies and creativity that moves markets.
• Consulting: Specialised life‑sciences consulting - empowering clients to optimise operating models, maximise asset potential and drive sustainable transformation.

ABOUT THE ROLE: Our Project Management team plays a central role in delivering high-quality outcomes for our clients. Working closely with Client Services, they coordinate cross‑functional teams across Lucid Global, including medical, editorial, strategy, creative, digital and motion, to ensure projects run smoothly and align with client needs. By providing clear direction, leveraging in‑house expertise and trusted partners, the team ensures work is delivered efficiently, on time, on budget, and to the highest standard.

Responsibilities for the Programme Director role include:

• Leadership & strategic direction: Lead a business vertical, ensuring the professional, profitable, and successful delivery of all programmes and projects. Serve as a core member of the leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, ways‑of‑working improvements, and organisational maturity in project delivery. Provide leadership and direction on major initiatives and new business opportunities, ensuring teams have clarity and confidence in delivery expectations. Set standards for project excellence across the business vertical, promoting high-quality outputs, and ensuring accountability among teams for the work delivered.
• Programme & project delivery oversight: Oversee the operational and financial performance of all projects within the vertical, ensuring they meet quality, timeline, and budget expectations. Act as the escalation point for project issues, leading mitigation, crisis management, and turnaround planning where required. Provide hands‑on project management for complex or high‑value projects. Ensure that all teams adopt agency delivery processes, including scoping, estimating, project planning, and documentation management. Drive continuous improvement in project health, planning, mapping, and delivery discipline.
• Client engagement & partnership: Serve as a senior client‑facing delivery lead, offering steer and direction, and ensuring confidence in programme execution. Support effective onboarding of new clients, embedding appropriate ways of working and ensuring alignment with internal teams.
• Financial & commercial management: Ensure strong financial performance across the vertical, including recoverability, utilisation, profitability, and accurate forecasting. Develop proposals and scopes of work in partnership with discipline leads and account teams.
• People leadership & team development: Line‑manage Project Managers and other delivery team members within the vertical, providing coaching, performance management, and skills development. Mentor Client Service and cross‑functional team members to elevate project management capability across the business. Support recruitment efforts for project managers or other delivery‑focused roles as required. Maintain a motivating, solution‑focused, entrepreneurial environment that supports team engagement and growth.
• Resource, risk & workflow management: Lead resource planning across the vertical, ensuring appropriate allocation and utilisation for project delivery. Troubleshoot delivery challenges proactively and guide teams through de‑escalation and resolution. Implement effective risk management and mitigation strategies to safeguard project success.

WHAT YOU’LL BE WORKING ON: Programme delivery, forecasting, people management and recruitment, budgets, project management, change management, financial planning, client partnering.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR: We are looking for individuals who have the following skills:

• Essential Criteria: Extensive experience managing projects ranging from branding, digital (web, app, CRM) and motion. Demonstrable and strong senior stakeholder management skills (clients and internal teams) with the ability to influence, negotiate (scope and finances), resolve conflict and drive agency growth through new business. Understanding of agency workflow, with holistic view across whole agency of implications to changes in systems, processes, etc. Experience of crisis management with risk mitigation strategy examples leading to successful outcomes. Budget and cost control. Evidence of effectively managing project teams of 15‑20 people in successful projects. Able to articulate Project Management methodology including processes, controls, delivery frameworks. Demonstrate strong leadership skills, developing and retaining the best people for the business. Ability to motivate others and support teams for positive and effective working environment. Advanced project planning software skills such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet.
• Desirable Criteria: Formal project management training (e.g., Prince2 or Agile). Experience within themed communications/healthcare industry.

BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH US: Our culture is fundamental to the delivery of transformation. Harnessing the talent and ambitions of those we work with empowers us to deliver our magic. On top of this, our benefits include:

• Discretionary bonus scheme.
• Contributory pension with Lucid contribution up to 5% of basic salary (enrolment after 3 months of employment).
• Cycle to work scheme.
• 25 working days holiday, 1 Celebration Day of your choice, 3 Christmas closure days plus 8 Bank Holidays per annum (pro‑rata for part‑time).
• Flexible holiday buy and sell scheme.
• Family friendly policies.
• Private family health and dental cover, including Employee Assistance Programme and a comprehensive employee rewards scheme.
• 4× basic salary life assurance cover.
• Medicash Healthcare Cash Plan (Level 1 company cover).
• Season Ticket Loans.
• Regular incentive schemes aligned to individual and team performance.
• Access to an employee discount platform with offers at 900+ retailers.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US TO BE LUCID? At Lucid Group, we transform lives. Always. We believe in providing a culture of authenticity, where we can all be ourselves, make real connections, and enjoy the work that we do. Together. We empower our people to embark on a journey of growth and advancement by offering meaningful learning and development opportunities. Central to our ethos is our commitment to cultivating an environment that embraces and respects people of all backgrounds and identities, underpinned by a culture of conscious inclusion and support. Lucid values are not just mere words; they are the culmination of our collective efforts. Co‑created by our people for our people, these values serve as our guiding principles, ensuring that every decision we make positively impacts the lives of the clients, patients, healthcare professionals, and colleagues we serve.

Compassionately Human: We think about the human impact of our actions.

Accountable Allies: We are the go‑to strategic partners for our clients.

Invent with Intent: We create meaningful solutions to solve real problems.

Courageously Curious: We challenge ourselves to think disruptively.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds and identities. We are committed to providing an inclusive recruitment experience to everyone. This commitment to inclusion is explicitly inclusive of race, colour, sex, age, pregnancy, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and / or expression or disability. As part of our commitment to recruiting and supporting colleagues with disabilities Lucid Group are a committed member of the UK Government’s Disability Scheme, supporting people with disabilities provides us with access to a wider talent pool and enables us to be a force for good in the world by creating fair and equitable access to employment opportunities. Aligned to this scheme we commit to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible by:

• Offering a guaranteed interview to candidates with disabilities who meet the essential criteria for the role.
• Anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments.
• Support any existing employee who acquires a disability or long‑term health condition.

If you wish to apply under this scheme please indicate so when asked on our DEI page which will appear as part of our job application process.