Project Programme Manager (Interim)

We’re seeking a highly organised and delivery‑focused Project Programme Manager to take ownership of programme planning, governance and multi‑workstream progress across this critical initiative. This role is central to ensuring the project runs with clarity, discipline and momentum.

What You’ll Do

• Maintain the integrated programme plan, ensuring accuracy, alignment and up‑to‑date milestones.
• Track workstream progress, dependencies, risks and issues, escalating where required.
• Produce clear, data‑driven progress reports and dashboards for the Project Director and Steering Group.
• Coordinate governance meetings and ensure RAID logs, actions and decisions are tightly managed.
• Work closely with Workstream Leads to challenge, refine and support delivery commitments.
• Identify emerging delays or blockers and support recovery planning.
• Champion programme controls, standards and ways of working across the workstreams.

What You’ll Bring

• Proven experience in programme management, senior project management or PMO leadership.
• Strong capability in planning, scheduling and managing complex, multi‑stream programmes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with confidence engaging senior leaders.
• Expertise with programme management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Power BI).
• A structured, analytical and proactive delivery mindset.
• Ability to work at pace within a high‑profile transformation environment.

Role Purpose

The Project Programme Manager is responsible for the coordination, governance and maintenance of programme‑level planning and delivery controls, a major strategic transformation programme. The role ensures accurate, timely updates to programme plans, workstream progress, risks, issues and overall delivery confidence, enabling informed decision‑making by the Project Director and Steering Group.

Key Responsibilities

• Own, maintain and continuously update the integrated Programme Plan.
• Ensure workstream plans align to the programme’s roadmap, milestones, dependencies and critical path.
• Manage plan version control and apply structured change control.
• Support workstreams in developing and refining detailed delivery plans.
• Track progress against deliverables, milestones and KPIs across all workstreams.
• Work with Workstream Leads to ensure timely updates of RAG status, risks, issues and dependencies.
• Identify slippage, capacity challenges and cross‑stream impacts early.
• Provide challenge and coaching to Workstream Leads to support accurate forecasting and delivery discipline.
• Produce high‑quality progress reports, dashboards and decision papers for the Project Director and Steering Group.
• Maintain and manage RAID logs, decision logs and action trackers.
• Coordinate governance meetings and ensure documentation is complete, accurate and distributed on time.
• Support preparation for assurance reviews, stage gates and executive updates.
• Act as a key interface between the Project Director, Workstream Leads, PMO resources and senior stakeholders.
• Provide clear and concise communication on programme status and emerging risks.
• Facilitate effective engagement and alignment across technical, business and operational workstreams.
• Apply programme management methodologies and delivery standards consistently across all workstreams.
• Drive adoption of best practice tools, templates and governance processes.
• Support lessons‑learned reviews and embed improvements in future delivery cycles.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience as a Programme Manager, Senior Project Manager or PMO Lead in complex, multi‑workstream environments.
• Strong programme planning and scheduling capability, with experience managing integrated plans.
• Excellent governance, reporting and analytical skills.
• Proven ability to challenge constructively and influence senior stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency with planning and reporting tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Power BI).
• Strong understanding of risk, issue and dependency management.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a high‑profile transformation programme.
• Experience working on enterprise‑wide or multi‑year transformation programmes.
• Familiarity with business change, operational transformation or technology‑enabled delivery.

This is an interim role, day rate to be discussed.

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Contract

Job function: Management and Project Management

Industries: Food and Beverage Manufacturing