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- Tasks: Lead and coordinate multiple projects to achieve strategic goals and ensure smooth operations.
- Company: Join the iconic Waterstones team, a cornerstone of bookselling in the UK and Ireland.
- Benefits: Enjoy a supportive work environment with opportunities for growth and development.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace that values every voice.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic role that drives business transformation and innovation.
- Qualifications: Experience in programme management and strong communication skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 ÂŁ per year.
We are looking for a Programme Manager to join our friendly and dynamic team here at the Waterstones Book Hub in Burton Upon Trent. You will provide the overarching coordination needed when multiple, inter‑dependent projects are running at once. Ensure all projects align to the same strategic goals, manage complex dependencies, and maintain a high‑level view of progress, risks, and priorities. To oversee shared timelines, resources, and decision‑making structures, prevent duplication, minimise delays, and ensure issues in one area don’t derail the wider programme.
You will be able to create consistent governance, reporting, and communication across all projects, giving leaders clear, consolidated insight. The programme manager keeps the entire set of projects moving in sync and focused on delivering the intended business outcomes, not just individual outputs.
What you will be doing
- Strategic Alignment
- Ensure all projects within the programme align to overarching business goals and desired outcomes.
- Maintain focus on benefits realisation rather than just project delivery.
- Dependency & Risk Management
- Identify, map, and actively manage inter‑dependencies across projects.
- Anticipate risks that could impact multiple workstreams and coordinate mitigations.
- Governance & Decision‑Making
- Establish and run governance forums (e.g., Steering Committees, working groups).
- Escalate issues appropriately and ensure timely decision‑making.
- Integrated Planning & Roadmapping
- Build and maintain the overall programme plan, ensuring that timelines across projects align.
- Adjust sequencing to accommodate changes or delays without impacting critical outcomes.
- Resource Coordination
- Oversee shared resourcing across teams, resolving conflicts or bottlenecks.
- Ensure capacity planning is accurate and sustainable.
- Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Act as the central communication point across all projects and leadership levels.
- Provide clear, consolidated reporting so stakeholders have full visibility of progress and risks.
- Standards, Processes & Quality Assurance
- Drive consistency in reporting, RAID logs, change control, and delivery approaches across projects.
- Ensure each project follows agreed governance and quality standards.
- Benefits Tracking & Value Delivery
- Monitor whether the combined programme is delivering its intended commercial, operational, or transformational benefits.
- Adjust course where necessary to maximise value.
What we need from you
- Proven Programme Management Background
- Demonstrable experience leading complex, multi‑workstream programmes with inter‑dependent timelines.
- Strong track record of delivering business transformation, operational change, or technology‑enabled programmes.
- Cross‑Functional Leadership
- Experience coordinating across multiple departments (e.g., Operations, Tech, Commercial, Finance).
- Skilled at influencing senior stakeholders and managing governance forums such as Steering Committees.
- Dependency, Risk & Issue Management
- Extensive experience identifying, managing, and mitigating cross‑project risks, dependencies, and resource conflicts.
- Resource & Budget Oversight
- Background in managing programme budgets, resource planning, and capacity management across concurrent projects.
- Strategic Planning & Benefits Realisation
- Experience developing end‑to‑end programme roadmaps.
- Ability to track and drive benefits realisation, not just deliverables.
- Change Management Exposure
- Experience working with change teams to ensure smooth adoption, communication, and stakeholder engagement.
- Strong Reporting & Communication Skills
- Ability to consolidate complex programme information into clear, executive‑level reporting and summaries.
Desirable:
- Professional Certifications
- MSP (Managing Successful Programmes)
- PRINCE2 Practitioner
- APM PMQ/PPQ
- PMP (Project Management Professional)
- Agile or SAFe certifications
Person Profile
- Strategic, composed, and highly organised leader who thrives in complex, fast‑moving environments.
- Proactive and calm under pressure, able to spot risks early, connect the dots quickly, and bring clarity where there is ambiguity.
- Strong communicator and influencer, capable of engaging with stakeholders at every level-from hands‑on project teams to senior executives.
- Pragmatic yet detail‑aware, balance long‑term strategic thinking with the ability to get into operational detail when needed.
- Solutions‑focused, delivery‑driven mentality, with the confidence to challenge constructively, make tough prioritisation calls, and guide teams through uncertainty or change.
- Demonstrate high emotional intelligence, resilience, and a collaborative approach, brings people together, fosters accountability, and maintains momentum across multiple workstreams.
Why work for Waterstones
Waterstones is the cornerstone of bookselling across the UK and Ireland. Joining Waterstones means being an active part in a success story that began in 1982, and books are as popular now as the day we started. Trading across the UK, Ireland and Europe, we are present in over 300 shopping locations, where Waterstones continues to thrive, each year actively pursuing a programme of new bookshop openings. Online at Waterstones.com, we meanwhile mirror the essence of our bookshops, further showcasing the unique enthusiasm and knowledge of our booksellers.
If you have the relevant essential experience and you are interested, we would love to hear from you.
Waterstones is committed to encouraging equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and is dedicated toward eliminating unlawful discrimination. Our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel fully respected and to be able to give their best.
Diversity Statement
At Waterstones, we are committed to creating a workplace that is fair and inclusive to people from all backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we strive to promote an inclusive work culture. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment processes are free from bias, and our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel fully respected and able to give their best.
Reasonable Adjustments
We understand that some disabled applicants may, due to the nature of their disability, find some parts of the recruitment process challenging. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the interview process, please make these known either to your interviewer or the person you liaise with when setting up your interview.
Program Manager employer: Waterstones
Contact Detail:
Waterstones Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Program Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend events, and engage with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that Programme Manager role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company, understand their projects, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. We want you to shine and show them why you're the perfect fit for managing their complex programmes.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills through examples! When discussing your past experiences, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to clearly demonstrate how you've successfully managed inter-dependencies and risks in previous roles. We love a good story that highlights your achievements!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After your interview, send a thank-you email expressing your appreciation for the opportunity. It’s a great way to reinforce your interest in the position and keep you top of mind. And remember, apply through our website for the best chance at landing that job!
We think you need these skills to ace Program Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in programme management. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you've successfully managed complex projects. We want to see how you've delivered real business outcomes, not just outputs.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language and structure your thoughts logically. This will help us quickly grasp your qualifications and fit for the role.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and shows your enthusiasm for joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Waterstones
✨Know Your Projects Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the projects mentioned in the job description. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with managing inter-dependent timelines and ensuring strategic alignment across multiple workstreams.
✨Showcase Your Risk Management Skills
Prepare examples of how you've identified and mitigated risks in previous roles. Highlight your ability to anticipate issues that could impact multiple projects and how you've successfully navigated those challenges.
✨Demonstrate Strong Communication Abilities
Since the role involves acting as a central communication point, practice articulating complex information clearly. Bring examples of how you've consolidated reporting for stakeholders and facilitated effective governance forums.
✨Emphasise Your Leadership Style
Be ready to discuss your approach to cross-functional leadership. Share experiences where you've influenced senior stakeholders and coordinated teams across different departments to achieve common goals.