Project Manager – Strategic Planning in Surrey

Royal Holloway, University of London has developed a new strategy, RH2030s. The new strategy will introduce a significant amount of change to the University, and this role is fundamental to its implementation.

Experience managing digital/data projects including stakeholder management. Excellence in written and oral communication skills including workshop facilitation, presentation skills, and working with diverse teams. Experience of setting up and implementing cross‑functional projects.

The role sits within a small sub‑team (Strategy Implementation Team) of the Strategic Planning Directorate. The role‑holder will provide project management support to a number of strategic projects. As well as project teams, they will work closely with the senior executive team to ensure alignment with strategic implementation plans.

The Strategic Planning Directorate is responsible for providing planning support and management information to inform decision making as part of the strategic planning process and the delivery of the University’s strategic objectives.

• Project manage key strategic change initiatives.
• Draw on expertise and training in project management methodologies to be the driving force behind the planning and delivery of key strategic projects.
• Manage projects from requirement definition through to implementation, including defining project scope, objectives, costs, benefits, producing high level and detailed project work plans, and co‑ordination of implementation within agreed timescales, cost, and quality standards.
• Manage project teams, including assigning roles and responsibilities to project team members and delegating activities as appropriate.
• Work closely with others, including Business Analysts, to organise complex information and data to identify underlying issues and their causes and provide solutions to rectifying these, considering factors such as cost, benefits, risks, timing, buy‑in, goals, and values.
• Support the Project Sponsor and Project Lead, including organisation of workshops, project meetings, and project boards.
• Ensure that there are effective feedback mechanisms in place by championing a consultative and partnership approach to the development of plans and implementation of change.
• Prepare evidence‑based business cases, including the creation of appropriate documentation for submission to the University’s governance process.
• Work closely with the IT PMO and IT Project Managers to deliver projects, ensuring technical and business change requirements are integrated and developed in collaboration.
• Identify and agree training needs for each phase of project implementation in order to support effective change management.
• Identify, assess, and monitor risks and impact associated with projects, recommending mitigating actions as appropriate.
• Create and maintain communication plans targeted to all stakeholders to ensure appropriate consultation, information provision, and understanding of all activities being undertaken.
• Prepare and present reports on project progress to project boards, steering groups, and members of the leadership team, as and when required.
• Agree and monitor project budgets and resources.
• Monitor completion of activities ensuring they are completed on time, to appropriate quality and within budget.
• Ensure that wherever appropriate, best practice across the sector is explored, documented, and put forward for implementation.
• Contribute to the overall development and ways of working of the Strategy Implementation Team.
• Provide constructive and timely responses to requests from members of the University’s leadership team.
• Provide ad hoc project management advice and support to colleagues as required.

As the needs of the University change, the above job profile, duties, and location of the role within the University will be adjusted accordingly.

The duties listed above may be varied from time to time as dictated by the changing needs of the University. The post holder will also be expected to undertake additional duties as appropriate and as requested by their manager. The post holder may be required to work at any of the locations at which the business of Royal Holloway is conducted. The location of this role is hybrid, with a minimum of two days working on campus (currently Tuesday and Thursday each week, but subject to change depending on the needs of the business).

The post holder will be required to work closely with all colleagues within the Strategic Planning. The following list is not exhaustive, but the post holder will also be required to liaise with colleagues in other areas, such as: Senior Leadership Team, Student Journey Division, Marketing.