Programme Manager in Bristol

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is seeking to appoint a Programme Manager - Mass Transit to join the Mass Transit Team. Your key responsibility in this role will be to help deliver the Mayor's ambition for a connected, sustainable and prosperous West of England by driving the development of an ambitious Mass Transit programme that will transform the way people travel across the region. We're looking for a dynamic, strategic and delivery-focused programme leader who is passionate about shaping the future of public transport and delivering complex infrastructure programmes.

This is a unique opportunity to play a leading role in developing a long-term mass transit network that supports economic growth, improves connectivity and creates lasting benefits for communities across the West of England. This is a critical time in our transformation and growth journey, and you'll be pivotal in helping us achieve our ambitions by:

• Supporting the development and delivery of the West of England's Mass Transit programme.
• Developing robust programme plans, business cases and delivery strategies that support future government investment.
• Ensuring effective governance, risk management and programme controls are in place across a complex portfolio of work.
• Completing high-quality reporting, briefings and presentations for senior leaders, elected members and government stakeholders.
• Providing leadership, coordination and direction across multiple workstreams, partners, consultants and delivery organisations.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the day-to-day development and coordination of the Mass Transit programme.
• Manage programme risks, dependencies, issues and opportunities to ensure successful delivery.
• Support governance arrangements, including programme boards and senior decision-making forums.
• Commission and manage external consultants to support programme development.
• Ensure business cases and supporting evidence are robust, aligned to regional priorities and ready for submission to government and funding partners.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced programme professional who thrives in a complex, collaborative and politically aware environment. You'll be a highly organised and proactive leader, with the ability to bring together multiple stakeholders around a shared vision while maintaining a strong focus on delivery. We're particularly interested in people who:

• Have significant experience managing complex programmes within the public sector or infrastructure environment.
• Can successfully coordinate large multi-workstream programmes involving multiple organisations and partners.
• Have experience working with local authorities, government departments and delivery agencies.
• Possess strong planning, governance, risk management and reporting expertise.
• Can translate strategic objectives into practical and deliverable programmes of work.
• Are confident influencing senior leaders, elected members and government stakeholders.
• Bring strong commercial awareness and an understanding of programme delivery in complex environments.
• Have experience leading, motivating and developing teams.

This team is at the forefront of one of the most significant transport investment programmes in the region. Joining us means being part of a collaborative and ambitious organisation committed to improving connectivity, supporting economic growth and creating a more sustainable future for the West of England. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a transformative programme from the ground up, work with influential stakeholders across the public and private sectors, and make a lasting impact on how people live, work and travel across the region.

We offer an excellent benefits package including:

• 26 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years continuous service.
• 2 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Flexible, family friendly and hybrid working options to ensure you achieve the best work/life balance and career goals.
• Reduced bus fare travel across the West of England.

We believe in fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, empowering you to thrive in your career. We prioritise your growth and success by providing a diverse range of learning and development opportunities. Our goal is to keep you motivated, equipped with essential skills, and confident in delivering excellent services.

The salary for this role is £63,685 - £69,665. This is the full-time equivalent salary, and will be pro-rata for part-time. We advertise salary ranges for job roles, with new appointments for external candidates typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, where higher skill levels or experience are applicable, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate.

As a founding Member of the West of England Good Employment Charter and accredited Living Wage Employer, we're committed to creating a diverse environment where all our employees can thrive. We make sure all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment and we particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or citizenship status.

As part of our commitment to fair and inclusive recruitment, we provide interview questions to all shortlisted candidates in advance/on request. This approach helps ensure everyone can demonstrate their skills, knowledge and experience fully, and supports our duties under the Equality Act 2010.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, condition or need any additional support that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process, please get in touch with our Resourcing Team at Resourcing@westofengland-ca.gov.uk. We are here to assist and accommodate your needs.

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