Programme Assurance Manager in Birmingham

Are you an experienced assurance leader ready to influence high-impact programmes across the West Midlands Combined Authority? We are seeking a Programme Assurance Manager to play a pivotal role in strengthening WMCA's second line of defence, ensuring our programmes and projects are robust, well-governed, and aligned with the Single Assurance Framework. In this senior role, you'll lead the development and delivery of an Integrated Programme Assurance Plan, provide expert guidance to project sponsors, and drive continuous improvement across WMCA's diverse investment portfolios. Managing a team of Programme Assurance Specialists, you'll work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to embed best practice, enhance decision-making, and support the successful delivery of outcomes that matter to the region.

What you will be doing:

• Keep abreast of and evaluate the effectiveness of new programme assurance tools and techniques and governance best practice.
• Work with the Centre of Excellence lead to ensure regular reviews of Directorate Project Pipelines to enable effective planning of assurance activity and resource capacity.
• Work with the Head of Internal Audit to ensure an integrated, risk-based approach is adopted for all Assurance Plans and that the outcome of any assurance activity feeds into the strategic risk management process.
• Work with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective assurance of WMCA projects and programmes is implemented in accordance with WMCA Single Assurance Framework (SAF).
• Provide specialist advice, information and, where appropriate, challenge to Directors, Senior Managers and internal/external project leads, to identify and develop effective processes and controls across all Directorates; ensuring an effective three Lines of Defence approach is adopted across WMCA.
• Act as an escalation point for the Assurance Specialists.
• Develop and implement Assurance toolkits and processes, standard templates and guidance to enable delivery of an effective second line of defence assurance function.
• Deliver an integrated annual plan of assurance activity, across all WMCA Directorates, ensuring an independent, risk-based approach is adopted based upon best practice and following SAF and wider Government requirements.
• Report high level outcomes of assurance activity to relevant WMCA Boards including Project, Programme, Directorate and Audit Risk & Assurance Committees focusing assurance reporting on its impact and any improvement activity recommended and undertaken, common themes, best practice identified and progress against any recommendations made.
• Work with the Internal Audit lead to ensure an integrated approach is adopted for all Assurance plans and that the outcome of any assurance activity feeds into the Internal Audit planning process.

What's essential:

• Experience of programme/project delivery and HMT assurance models, ideally in the areas of WMCA's Investment Programme and wider Combined Authority related projects.
• Experience of supervising professionals.
• Analysis and evaluation of complex data in order to translate into improvement/assurance planning and effective reporting to senior managers/WMCA Boards.
• Liaising with senior management & demonstrating specialist best practice/assurance knowledge with the ability to constructively challenge in order to drive service/project improvement.
• Excellent interpersonal and persuasive skills with the ability to work and build rapport with internal/external stakeholders at different levels.
• Management of priorities and able to meet deadlines.
• Proactive approach to problem-solving.
• PRINCE 2 Practitioner.

Location: The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B16 3SD with at least 2 days a week spent in the office.

How to apply:

Applying for a role with WMCA is straightforward. Follow these steps to get started:

• Create your Careers Account. Register with your name, email address, and a password.
• Build your Profile. Upload your CV to help populate your career and education details.
• Write your Supporting Statement. Make sure to address each of the required essential criteria.
• Submit your application. Do one final check and once complete, click submit.

Anonymised Applications: Your uploaded CV won't be visible after submission. Our process is anonymised, and only the information in your profile is used for shortlisting. Be thorough in each section. It's your chance to showcase your skills and experience.

Reasonable adjustments: If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process, please get in touch with our Recruitment Team.

Salary and benefits: We advertise salary ranges, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees. Requests for salaries above the maximum advertised range will not be considered. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) Statutory days.
• EV car benefit scheme.
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing, and mortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e-bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest-free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology.
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers, and more.
• You can now also obtain a Costco membership through the WMCA.
• Boundless unlocks unlimited entry to top-rated UK attractions and loads of extra benefits and discounts.
• Eye Care Scheme, offering a free eye test and a financial contribution towards your glasses.

For more information, please visit the benefits page on our career site.

Why join WMCA? WMCA is laser-focused on improving the West Midlands, bringing economic growth, jobs, homes, and better journeys to the region. We target local needs where it matters most, ensuring everyone has a job that pays well and has access to safe and affordable places they can call home. We put people and place at the heart of everything we do, working hand in hand with our partners to direct funding where it's needed most. What you do, really matters. Your expertise will help make a big difference, improving people's lives, every day.

Our Values: Our behaviours sit at the heart of our values, helping to shape how we work together as WMCA employees and setting clear expectations.

• Collaborative Team Focused working as part of a team, managing and leading.
• Service Driven customer, resident and partner focused.
• Driven Empowered and Accountable taking ownership and leading when needed.
• Performance Focused being ambitious and going the extra mile.
• Inclusive One Organisation Mindset believe in each other's expertise.
• Open and Honest Communication we do what we say we are going to do.
• Innovative Forward Thinking embrace change and open to new possibilities.
• Problem Solving go for clear and simple whenever possible.

Creating an inclusive workplace: WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as the RACE Code Quality Mark, Armed Forces Covenant (Gold status) and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We're a Disability Confident Employer with Leader status, committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet all the essential role criteria. We are also proud to be a Ban the Box employer, which means we do not ask about criminal convictions at the initial application stage, and will only ask after an offer is made as part of our onboarding checks, which helps us remove barriers for people with past convictions and supporting fair opportunities for all. We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passionate about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional 'perfect candidate' mould. We gladly consider part-time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying.

Right to Work in the UK: Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed. Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).