Senior Planning and Projects Manager (Institutes) in Manchester

Manchester Metropolitan University is currently recruiting a Senior Planning and Projects Manager (Institutes) on a full-time, permanent basis. The successful applicant will provide strategic and operational leadership for the planning and delivery of projects and activities associated with the University's Institutes. Working closely with the Institute Director and senior colleagues across the University, you will help translate strategic ambitions into coherent, well-governed and deliverable programmes of work.

About The Role

The role will have a specific focus on supporting the Institute for Children's Futures (ICF), which brings together communities of researchers, practitioners and policymakers. The Institute operates to establish a critical mass of research that supports evidence-based policy and practice and identifies the trends and patterns affecting children's futures and is guided by its mission statement ‘To improve the lives and futures of children and young people'. This role is based within the Business Engagement & Partnerships Directorate and is a member of the Directorate's Senior Leadership Team. This is a collaborative and evolving team, who lead on the development of a dynamic engagement and partnerships culture across the University. The team supports academic colleagues to identify, build and sustain partnerships with external organisations in a proactive, coordinated, and strategic way – to make real impact.

You will provide strategic direction and support for the Institute's planning and project activities, ensuring that these are aligned with the ICF's recently-approved 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, and the University's Road to 2035 Strategy. You will oversee a varied portfolio of projects and activities, ensuring that effective and appropriate arrangements are in place for planning, governance, accountability, resource allocation and financial management. You will proactively manage risks, issues and interdependencies, monitor key milestones and ensure that the benefits of Institute activity, particularly those relating to research, are identified, tracked and realised.

As a member of the ICF's Senior Management Team, you will contribute to strategic and operational planning and decision‑making and work collaboratively in a matrix structure with senior academic and professional services colleagues across the University. You will provide direction and guidance to ensure that there is clarity around roles, responsibilities, resources and timescales, helping the ICF team to allocate and maintain its complex and varied portfolio of work in a balanced, controlled and effective way. The role will include responsibility for management reporting, portfolio dashboards, benefits monitoring and return‑on‑investment analysis. You will use data and insight to support decision‑making, identify opportunities for continuous improvement and to ensure that the activities and achievements of the ICF are represented to management and governance forums across the University. You will also line‑manage relevant professional services staff.

You may be required to support the Institute at internal and external meetings, conferences and events, to ensure our university can fully leverage our strengths and assets, representing our work to stakeholders, and to promote our core education and research goals as set out in the University Road to 2035 Strategy.

About You

We are seeking an experienced and pragmatic manager with a strong track record of building and leading complex portfolios, programmes or projects across large organisations. You will be able to develop and deliver a substantial portfolio of effective, credible and practical plans, supported by excellent strategic and operational organisational skills. Central to your success will be the ability to structure work collaboratively within agreed parameters, while tailoring plans to the strengths, circumstances and working practices of each specific delivery team. You will have a strong understanding of project and business planning, governance, risk management, resource and financial planning, and benefits realisation. You will also have experience of producing, reviewing and presenting business cases and investment proposals, using complex information to draw conclusions and make clear, professional recommendations.

You will thrive in a collaborative, networked and nuanced environment, and be skilled at working across organisational boundaries within a matrix management structure. You will support the ICF in navigating these arrangements to minimise ambiguity, delay and project drift. The ICF is an agile and responsive organisation with a small core team of staff. Alongside leading planning and guiding work projects, the successful candidate will therefore be willing to work closely and flexibly with the rest of the leadership team to help to carry out varied day-to-day operational tasks that are required to keep the ICF running effectively. Strong communication, influencing and relationship‑building skills are essential. You will engage confidently and credibly with colleagues at all levels, including University senior leaders and external stakeholders at chief executive or equivalent level. You will also be able to adjust in different settings and different audiences to effectively represent the interests of the ICF and the university, and to act as a collaborative liaison channel between the ICF and various internal and external stakeholders and management groups.

A good familiarity with the operating structure of large higher education organisations would be considered a significant advantage. Direct experience in the higher education sector, or in a research‑intensive or policy‑focused environment, would also be desirable, as would knowledge of the UK research and innovation funding landscape. Given the focus of the Institute for Children's Futures an understanding of, and interest in, children's rights would be a significant advantage. The successful candidate would be able to demonstrate a strong and realistic understanding of how their work can help to support the ICF in delivering its mission statement, and in translating complex and diverse areas of activity within the University into tangible and positive real‑world outcomes.

Manchester Metropolitan University fosters an inclusive culture of belonging that promotes equity and celebrates diversity. We value a diverse workforce for the innovation and diversity of thought it brings and welcome applications from all local and international communities, including Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and LGBTQ+ individuals. We support a range of flexible working arrangements, including hybrid and tailored schedules, which can be discussed with your line manager. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or in your role, please let us know so we can provide appropriate support. Our commitment to inclusivity includes mentoring programmes, accessibility resources, and professional development opportunities to empower and support underrepresented groups. Manchester Met is a Disability Confident Leader and, under this scheme, aims to offer an interview to disabled people who apply for the role and meet the essential criteria as listed in the attached Job Description for that vacancy.