Head of Programme Management

Application Deadline: 31 May 2026

Department: Finance & Operations

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: York Hub

Reporting To: Chief Finance & Operations Officer

Compensation: £70,000 - £84,000 / year

Description

Job purpose

To provide strategic oversight, leadership and delivery assurance across all three The UK Agri-Tech Centre programmes, CR&D & Commercial projects ensuring alignment and coherent delivery.

The role acts on behalf of the Senior Responsible Owners (SROs), translating strategic intent into robust programme execution. It leads governance, integration, interdependencies and reporting across programmes, while embedding a disciplined, outcome focused delivery culture.

Team Purpose
To ensure effective, integrated delivery of The UK Agri-Tech Centre’s programme portfolio through strong governance, coordinated planning, and oversight of risks, dependencies, outcomes and impact. The team provides structure, assurance and delivery leadership across all our programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing strategic leadership and oversight of all of The UK Agri-Tech Centre's programmes, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities.

• Leading a programme from mobilisation to closure, defining, tracking and realising outcomes and impact. 

• Translating strategic objectives, funding commitments and business priorities into a clear programme vision, roadmap and delivery plan. 

• Programme governance frameworks, reporting structures and assurance mechanisms.

• Senior escalation point for programme-level risks, issues and decisions.

• Ensuring governance boards operate effectively with high-quality analysis, insight and recommendations.

• Providing leadership, coaching and development support to Programme Managers & Programme Governance & Reporting Lead.

• Ensuring compliance with funding rules, governance requirements and assurance processes.

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Provide organisational-level oversight and leadership of the full programme, CR&D & Commercial portfolio. 

• Ensure programme delivery aligns with strategic objectives and SRO intent. 

• Lead cross-programme prioritisation, planning and outcomes & impact alignment. 

• Shape and embed delivery culture, frameworks and standards across The UK Agri-Tech Centre.

Operational Responsibilities:

• Lead a programme from mobilisation to closure, defining, tracking and realising outcomes and impact. 

• Oversee risks, issues, interdependencies and delivery performance. 

• Lead cross-programme planning, prioritisation and management of interdependencies.

• Drive integration across multiple workstreams to manage and resolve inter-programme dependencies.

• Oversee metrics, outcomes and impact tracking across all programmes, in conjunction with the Impact Lead. 

• Manage supplier engagement, Statements of Work and procurement compliance. 

• Maintain governance, assurance and reporting frameworks. 

• Monitor programme-level financial, metrics, outcomes and impact information. 

• Ensure post implementation evaluation and continuous improvement.

• Oversee post implementation reviews and ensure learning is embedded across programmes.

Leadership / People Responsibilities:

• Provide day to day leadership and coaching for Programme Managers.  

• Support matrix delivery teams through guidance, standards and escalation support.  

• Role model collaborative, outcome focused and disciplined delivery behaviours. 

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential:

• Significant experience leading multi programme portfolios which are matrix managed.

• Formal programme/project management accreditation (e.g., MSP, PRINCE2, APM). 

• Deep knowledge of programme governance, assurance and reporting. 

• Strong risk, dependency and issue management capability. 

• Understanding and experience of using logic models to plan programmes and delivery outputs and outcomes.

• Understanding of research, innovation and/or technical delivery contexts. 

• Strong stakeholder influence and executive communication skills. 

• Supplier oversight experience, including contracts and statements of work.

• Significant (5+year) line management experience.

Desirable:

• Experience in public sector or government funded environme