Location: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
Salary: £57,100 – £70,000
Contract: Permanent
Hybrid Working: Available
Closing Date: 21 May 2025
Introduction: Make a Difference to Education and Your Career
At Cambridge University Press & Assessment, we are seeking a Senior Programme Manager to join our dynamic team. As a leading global academic publisher and assessment organization, we are proud to be part of the University of Cambridge, contributing to education across the globe. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced professional who wants to make a significant impact on millions of lives through education.
About the Role
As a Senior Programme Manager, you will play a crucial role in driving large-scale strategic and tactical programmes. These initiatives aim to improve access to education and life opportunities for millions worldwide. This role is focused on overseeing and managing technology and product-related programmes, from defining strategic goals to implementing successful outcomes.
Key Responsibilities:
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Programme Leadership: You will take the lead in defining, shaping, and delivering high-impact programmes within technology and product groups. Collaborating with directors, team members, and stakeholders, you will ensure that each programme aligns with strategic goals.
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Global Change Management: Oversee multiple programmes, each with unique challenges and opportunities, ensuring their successful delivery. You may work on business change initiatives, IT projects, or product innovation expansion into new regions.
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Team Mentorship and Development: As a senior leader, you will mentor and guide Senior Project Managers and other team members. You will actively contribute to recruitment, training, and ongoing development to ensure high standards in programme management.
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Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with senior stakeholders, build consensus, and ensure transparency through effective communication and regular updates. You will drive governance and ensure successful programme outcomes through proactive risk management and dependency planning.
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Strategic Leadership and Tactical Execution: You will have the autonomy to take ownership of programmes at any stage, from setting strategic direction to resolving critical issues and steering projects back on track when necessary.
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Programme Governance: Provide proactive oversight, maintaining good governance and ensuring that projects are delivered on time, within scope, and to the highest standards.
About You: Expertise and Leadership in Programme Management
To succeed in this role, you will bring a wealth of experience and expertise in managing complex, multifaceted programmes. Your background will demonstrate a strong ability to lead change and manage programmes from start to finish.
Key Qualifications:
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Proven Experience: Extensive experience in programme management with a focus on large, complex, and business-critical projects. You should have demonstrated your ability to manage significant business change and technical development initiatives.
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Agile & User-Centered Design: A deep understanding and hands-on experience with Agile methodologies and user-centered design principles to create impactful, innovative solutions.
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Stakeholder Management: Proven success in engaging stakeholders at all levels and building consensus around strategic goals.
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Leadership: Strong people skills and the ability to guide and mentor programme teams, while also promoting a collaborative environment.
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Governance and Risk Management: A track record of ensuring that governance practices are followed and risks are mitigated throughout the programme lifecycle.
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Strategic Vision & Hands-On Management: Ability to see the bigger picture, while also being hands-on to tackle specific challenges that arise within programmes.
Key Responsibilities Breakdown
Programme Oversight & Delivery
You will be accountable for leading multiple global technology programmes, focusing on maximizing outcomes through strategic delivery and risk management. Whether starting a programme from scratch, guiding a project back on track, or expanding an existing solution, you will be responsible for delivering successful results.
Leadership & Development
In this role, your leadership will extend beyond day-to-day management. You will actively mentor your team and foster a culture of continuous improvement, helping them grow and succeed. Your role will involve recruiting new team members, developing training plans, and creating growth opportunities for all team members.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
You will work across departments and teams, collaborating with stakeholders to define clear objectives and ensure alignment. The success of your programmes will rely on strong communication skills and your ability to align diverse viewpoints towards a common goal.
Why Join Us? Rewards and Benefits
At Cambridge University Press & Assessment, we understand that success comes from empowering our employees. We offer a comprehensive and competitive rewards package that includes:
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Generous Annual Leave: 28 days of leave plus bank holidays to support work-life balance.
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Health & Wellbeing: Private medical insurance and permanent health insurance to keep you and your family covered.
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Financial Security: A group personal pension scheme and life assurance (up to 4x annual salary) to secure your financial future.
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Bonuses & Incentives: A discretionary annual bonus based on performance.
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Green Travel Schemes: Access to sustainable travel options to reduce your environmental impact.
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Flexible Working Options: Hybrid working, allowing you to balance office time with working remotely. You will be expected to work at least 40-60% of your time from the office.
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Inclusive Environment: We are committed to creating an environment where diversity and inclusion are embraced. We encourage applications from individuals from all backgrounds and communities, including those from underrepresented groups.
Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
At Cambridge University Press & Assessment, we believe that the diversity of our employees brings innovation, growth, and success. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including individuals from various demographic, cultural, and social classes. We create a safe and supportive environment for our employees to thrive, where diverse voices are respected and heard.
Ready to Pursue Your Potential?
We are looking for a Senior Programme Manager who is ready to make a real difference. If you are passionate about programme management and want to contribute to a global mission of improving access to education, then this is the role for you.
Apply now and take the first step toward a rewarding career with Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
How to Apply
To apply for this exciting opportunity, please visit our careers page. We will be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis, with a final deadline for submissions by 21 May 2025. We encourage early applications, as we may close the campaign earlier if suitable candidates are identified.
Important Notes:
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Successful applicants will be subject to background checks, including DBS checks, due to the nature of our work in a regulated industry.
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Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible candidates under the Skilled Worker Visa route. For more information on eligibility, please refer to the UK Government’s website.