At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and coordinate multiple projects to achieve strategic goals and ensure smooth operations.
- Company: Join Waterstones, a beloved bookselling cornerstone in the UK and Ireland.
- Benefits: Enjoy a supportive work environment with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- Other info: Be part of a thriving company with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic team while managing exciting projects.
- Qualifications: Experience in programme management and strong communication skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
About the job
Permanent position based in The Book Hub, Burton Upon Trent. 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.
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 in Stoke-on-Trent employer: Waterstones
Waterstones is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work culture at The Book Hub in Burton Upon Trent. Employees benefit from a supportive environment that fosters professional growth and development, with opportunities to lead impactful projects in a dynamic team setting. Joining Waterstones means being part of a respected brand in the bookselling industry, where your contributions directly influence the success of our mission to promote reading and literature.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Program Manager in Stoke-on-Trent
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or even in person. Let them know you're on the hunt for a Programme Manager role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company, understand their projects, and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. Practise common interview questions and be ready to showcase your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit for the Programme Manager position.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities waiting for you. Make sure your application stands out by tailoring it to the specific role and highlighting your relevant experience in programme management.
We think you need these skills to ace Program Manager in Stoke-on-Trent
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Programme Manager role. Highlight your experience in managing complex projects and how you've aligned them with strategic goals. We want to see how you can bring your unique skills to our team!
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of your successes in previous roles. Whether it’s delivering a project on time or managing risks effectively, we love to see quantifiable results that demonstrate your impact.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it 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 at a glance.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the Programme Manager position. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Waterstones
✨Know Your Programme Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the role of a Programme Manager and how it fits within the Waterstones Book Hub. Familiarise yourself with their current projects and strategic goals, so you can discuss how your experience aligns with their needs.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Skills
Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully coordinated across multiple departments in previous roles. Highlight your ability to influence senior stakeholders and manage governance forums, as this is crucial for the position.
✨Prepare for Risk Management Questions
Anticipate questions about how you've identified and mitigated risks in past projects. Have concrete examples ready that demonstrate your proactive approach to managing dependencies and ensuring project timelines stay on track.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Practice summarising complex information into clear, concise points. During the interview, focus on your communication skills, as being able to provide consolidated reporting and insights will be key to success in this role.
