PMO Lead — IPS Grow

We are recruiting for a PMO Lead to join the IPS Grow team. This is a senior project delivery role with an additional formal leadership remit for the Project Management function within IPS Grow.

The purpose of this role is to maximise impact across a growing national programme with diverse stakeholders, ensuring consistent delivery and strategic alignment.

The PMO Lead will:

• Line manage the IPS Grow Project Managers;
• Provide oversight of the IPS Grow project portfolio;
• Ensure a consistent, high-quality and proportionate approach to project management;
• Work closely with Directors to identify, prioritise and sequence projects.

Alongside this leadership role, the PMO Lead will also lead and deliver projects directly. Approximately 1.5 days per week will be focused on PMO leadership, people management and portfolio oversight, with the remainder of time spent on project delivery. Projects within IPS Grow are varied and often complex, involving multiple internal teams, external partners and commissioners. This role offers the opportunity to combine hands-on delivery with shaping how work happens across the IPS Grow programme.

About IPS Grow

IPS Grow is a national programme designed to support the expansion of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services across England and Wales. The programme is led by Social Finance in partnership with the Centre for Mental Health and is funded by NHS England, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership of the IPS Grow Project Management function.
• Line manage IPS Grow Project Managers, providing regular supervision, coaching and performance management.
• Support Project Managers to plan workloads effectively, balancing delivery demands and development needs.
• Develop, maintain and improve project management templates, tools and guidance used across IPS Grow.
• Establish clear and proportionate ways of working for project initiation, planning, delivery and closure.
• Maintain a single, accurate view of all IPS Grow projects, including status, risks, dependencies and resourcing.
• Lead portfolio-level reporting, providing clear and timely updates to Directors and senior colleagues.
• Embed a culture of professional development, continuous improvement and reflective practice within the PM team.

• Work closely with IPS Grow Strategic Leadership team to identify, define and agree new project requirements.
• Maintain and manage the IPS Grow project backlog, ensuring projects are prioritised by urgency, importance and strategic value.
• Support senior colleagues to make informed decisions about sequencing, resourcing and trade-offs.
• Allocate projects to Project Managers, taking account of capacity, skills and development objectives.
• Identify and elevate risks, capacity constraints or delivery challenges in a timely and constructive way.

• Lead and deliver a portfolio of projects from initiation through to completion.
• Develop detailed project plans, including scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines and resource requirements.
• Lead change effectively, supporting teams and stakeholders to adopt new ways of working, processes or approaches, and ensuring changes are embedded and sustained over time.
• Assemble, coordinate and motivate project teams working in a matrixed way.
• Manage budgets and resources effectively, ensuring financial discipline and value for money.
• Monitor progress against milestones and KPIs, ensuring delivery to time, quality and scope.
• Identify and manage risks, developing mitigation strategies and contingency plans.
• Ensure appropriate quality assurance of project outputs to meet organisational and commissioner expectations.
• Maintain clear and accurate project documentation and reporting.
• Lead lessons-learnt sessions and post-project evaluations to inform future work.

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate:

• Passion for developing and supporting team members.
• Strong strategic, analytical and creative thinking, with the ability to work comfortably with ambiguity.
• The ability to organise and structure thinking when developing plans and approaches with teams and senior stakeholders.
• Confidence working with Directors and senior colleagues on prioritisation and decision-making.
• High levels of trust, integrity, empathy and commitment to driving social change.
• Strong communication skills, including written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Willingness to develop understanding of relevant regulatory compliance and risk management requirements.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards of quality and delivery.

Working at Social Finance

The fixed salary for this position is £67,500 per annum. Working for a mission driven organisation is more than just what we pay though, it’s about our culture, our approach and what else we offer. We actively encourage applications from under-represented and minoritised groups, including those with lived experience of the social issues we are working to address. We are an equal opportunities employer. We support a range of flexible working options and welcome UK based applications from outside of London/the Southeast so far as they can meet the in-person meeting requirements for the role. We can also accommodate secondments and part-time working.

How to Apply

We use Applied, an application platform developed by the Behavioural Insights Team, to record your application. Applied uses behavioural and data science to improve hiring decisions and minimise unconscious bias in the recruitment process. You will be asked to respond to situational based questions which will allow you to express your ability. Your answer to each question will be viewed in isolation. Please therefore ensure there is enough detail in that single response, without any references to your other responses.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30th March 2026 — 10am

If you have any queries regarding the role, please contact deb.penglis@socialfinance.org.uk