At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and manage key projects that directly benefit students in higher education.
- Company: Join the Office for Students, the independent regulator of higher education in England.
- Benefits: Enjoy a generous pension, flexible working, and a supportive culture.
- Other info: Embrace a dynamic environment with opportunities for continuous learning and career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on students' experiences while developing your project management skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading complex projects and engaging with senior stakeholders.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Working closely with project teams and senior leaders, you will ensure that key projects are rigorously planned, appropriately resourced, and effectively managed throughout their lifecycle. You will coordinate activity across multiple workstreams, maintain clear oversight of progress against milestones, and proactively identify and resolve issues that could hinder delivery. You will also play a central role in identifying, assessing, and managing risks to keep projects on track and achieving their intended outcomes. Alongside strong technical skills, you will build and sustain the relationships needed to understand priorities, influence decisions, and help ensure our work delivers real benefits for students.
About the role
- Shape work that directly benefits students by helping ensure that some of the OfS’s most important projects deliver meaningful impact, influencing how the higher education sector operates in the interests of students.
- Ensure projects are well-planned, properly resourced and delivered effectively, enabling teams and senior leaders to take informed decisions and keeping complex work on track.
- Connect work across individual projects, supporting cross-organisational alignment and ensuring value for the taxpayers and institutions that fund our work.
- Influence senior stakeholders and champion effective delivery, helping to embed more consistent, confident project management approaches across the organisation.
- Be encouraged to innovate, improve, and apply a range of delivery methodologies, in an environment that supports continuous learning.
About you
- Has substantial experience leading complex projects, with responsibility for end-to-end delivery.
- Has deep expertise across a range of project and operational delivery methodologies and the judgement to deploy the right tools and techniques for the situation at hand.
- Coaches and supports others to build project and programme delivery capability, enabling colleagues to apply appropriate delivery methods with confidence.
- Is confident engaging senior stakeholders and able to facilitate purposeful discussions.
- Is able to deliver difficult messages with tact and understanding, ensuring decisions are implemented and trade-offs are understood.
- Understands the wider organisational context, recognising interdependencies and anticipating risks.
- Works proactively and autonomously, taking the initiative and driving progress without close supervision.
- Is comfortable operating in uncertain environments, adapting quickly as priorities evolve.
- Shows a commitment to continuous learning and improvement, reflects critically but constructively on experience, and contributes to the development of delivery capability across teams.
Working for us
The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do. We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Flexibility is important to the OfS, as we recognise that it can enable people to work more effectively. A set of organisation-wide principles shape our approach to flexible and hybrid working, which our teams then use as guidance on how they deliver their business goals. This would usually mean working from the office for two or three days in a typical week. To attract the widest possible field of qualified applicants, flexible working – for example job share and part-time working – apply to this role. We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application stage, please contact us at recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk and we will be happy to help.
Project and Resource Manager employer: Office for Students
The Office for Students (OfS) is an exceptional employer dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment that prioritises the development of its staff. With a strong commitment to flexible working arrangements and a culture that values diversity, employees are encouraged to innovate and grow within their roles, making a meaningful impact on the higher education sector. Joining the OfS means being part of a forward-looking organisation that champions student success and offers significant opportunities for professional advancement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Project and Resource Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at the OfS on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by understanding the OfS's mission and values. Show us how your experience aligns with our goals of enhancing student experiences in higher education. We love candidates who are passionate about making a difference!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your project management skills in mock interviews. Be ready to discuss specific projects you've led, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them. We want to see your problem-solving skills in action!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at the OfS.
We think you need these skills to ace Project and Resource Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role of Project and Resource Manager. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills:Don’t just list your skills; provide examples of how you've successfully led complex projects in the past. We want to see how you’ve managed resources, risks, and stakeholder relationships effectively.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way to ensure it reaches us directly and allows you to keep track of your application status easily.
How to prepare for a job interview at Office for Students
✨Know Your Projects Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the projects mentioned in the job description. Understand their goals, challenges, and how they impact students. This will help you demonstrate your ability to manage complex projects effectively.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills
Prepare examples of how you've engaged with senior stakeholders in the past. Highlight your ability to influence decisions and facilitate discussions, as this is crucial for the role. Be ready to discuss how you handle difficult conversations with tact.
✨Demonstrate Your Risk Management Expertise
Be prepared to talk about how you've identified and managed risks in previous projects. Use specific examples to illustrate your proactive approach and how it led to successful project outcomes. This shows you can keep projects on track even in uncertain environments.
✨Emphasise Continuous Learning
The OfS values continuous improvement, so share how you've reflected on past experiences to enhance your project management skills. Discuss any methodologies you've adopted or adapted, showing your commitment to personal and team development.
