Website Transformation Project Lead (Hybrid, 12-Month)

Salary - £48,414 to £60,195

Flexible & hybrid working (50/50)

Wallingford, Lancaster, Edinburgh or Bangor

1-year Fixed Term

Closing date for applications: 30 March 2026. We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

Interviews are expected to be held week commencing 6 April 2026.

There’s never been a more exciting time to join UKCEH. As we progress through a significant digital transformation, anchored in our Strategy to 2030 and our refreshed brand identity, we are developing a new website that will become a central platform for science communication, stakeholder engagement, commercial visibility and organisational impact.

We are seeking an experienced Website Project Manager (Digital Project Manager) who has successfully delivered complex website transformations and brings both commercial awareness and a passion for environmental purpose. Offered as a 12‑month contract, this role is for someone who can confidently lead a multi‑phase digital programme and help take the organisation on that journey.

Reporting to the Head of Communications & Engagement, you will lead the planning, architecture and phased roll‑out of our new website. You’ll coordinate closely with communications, marketing, stakeholder engagement and IT teams to shape a site that reflects our ambitions and serves diverse audiences - from funders, government and partners to the public, collaborators and future talent.

You will chair and guide a project working group, build insight-driven decisions, and maintain clear timelines, delivery roadmaps and resource plans. You’ll also collaborate with external UX, SEO and GEO specialists to optimise user journeys, embed data-driven performance monitoring, and ensure the site meets accessibility standards.

This role will play a central part in establishing governance for the new website, including content lifecycle management, publishing workflows and digital accessibility compliance.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Lead the planning and delivery of UKCEH’s new website - creating a platform that truly serves our users and showcases the impact of our science.
• Drive a phased roll‑out of a new website architecture, ensuring each stage lands smoothly and adds meaningful value.
• Create and manage clear project roadmaps, timelines and resourcing, keeping the whole programme on track and moving forward with pace.
• Work collaboratively with communications, marketing and stakeholder engagement teams to ensure the site reflects real user needs and organisational priorities.
• Partner closely with our IT team to deliver a technically robust, scalable and future‑ready platform.
• Align the website with commercial services, partnerships and fundraising, enabling stronger engagement and new opportunities.
• Build an internal employee website transition group (with the Head of Communications & Engagement) to bring colleagues on the journey and enhance adoption.
• Collaborate with external UX and SEO/GEO specialists to create intuitive, insight‑driven user journeys for a wide range of audiences.
• Embed data‑driven performance monitoring to continually refine and improve the site.
• Ensure the website meets accessibility standards, enabling inclusive access for all users.
• Establish strong governance across content lifecycle management, publishing workflows and digital accessibility compliance.

This is a unique opportunity for a confident digital project leader to shape a high‑profile programme and deliver a website that truly reflects who we are, what we do, and the impact our science makes.

For the role of Website Project Manager, we’re looking for somebody who has:

• Robust project management skills, with confidence in planning, phasing and driving delivery.
• Proven success leading full website transformations within complex organisations.
• Experience delivering websites that support science communications, commercial services, digital marketing, public engagement / citizen science.
• Experience in scientific, research‑driven or technical environments, ideally with private and NGO sector experience, bringing both commercial thinking and collaborative ways of working.
• Ability to navigate diverse stakeholder groups and balance organisational, commercial and user needs.
• A working knowledge of UX, SEO and content strategy, shaping user journeys for varied audiences.
• Experience collaborating with IT teams, developers and external agencies to deliver complex digital solutions.
• Data‑driven decision‑making, using analytics to optimise performance.
• Experience with CMS platforms such as Drupal.
• Knowledge of integrating websites with wider digital systems, including Research Information Systems (e.g. Pure) and CRM tools (e.g. HubSpot).
• Flexibility and willingness to travel to Wallingford headquarters periodically for key meetings.

You’ll be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute that’s committed to recruiting talented people like you, progressing your career and giving you the support you need to thrive at UKCEH. Our science makes a real difference, enabling people and the environment to prosper, and enriching society. We are the custodians of a wealth of environmental data, collected by UKCEH and its predecessors over the course of more than 60 years.

Working for UKCEH is rewarding. We appreciate the continuous dedication and contributions of our staff, which is why we provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes financial incentives and wellbeing-oriented perks, such as:

• 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure.
• 10% employer pension contribution.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependent).
• Peer reward and recognition scheme.
• Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• 24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more.

If this role excites you and fits with your career goals, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV along with responses to the questions below. Your answers should highlight the qualifications, skills, and experience most relevant to this role. Provide up to 200 words per question, using specific examples to demonstrate your personal contribution and impact. Please do not submit a separate cover letter.

Supporting Statement Questions:

• Describe a project where you led a significant website transformation within a complex organisation. (Explain your role, the challenges you managed, and the results you achieved).
• Give an example of how you have navigated diverse stakeholder groups to ensure a project was delivered on time and within budget. (Highlight how you built alignment, addressed competing priorities, and maintained project momentum).

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

At UKCEH, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and circumstances. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and people with disabilities, and we’re happy to provide adjustments or support at any stage of the recruitment process - just let us know.

If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

Please note: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role and this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self-sponsorship, please indicate this in your application so we can take it into account during the recruitment process.