We’re looking for a talented and experienced Senior Project Manager to join our Strategic Projects team and make a key contribution to driving forward the strategic agenda of one of the UK’s largest and most ambitious universities. You will lead on the delivery of some of the unique, ambitious and transformative strategic projects within our institutional portfolio. Our ideal candidate will have significant experience in delivering complex projects in a large organisation and be confident in working with senior stakeholders and building trusted and productive working relationships.

Here at Manchester Metropolitan University, we are committed to developing an outstanding teaching and learning experience for our students, whilst also building a research-rich culture to address some of the biggest challenges facing society today. Key to delivering this agenda is our portfolio of strategic projects which will help transform the organisation and enhance our offer to students, staff and the wider community. These represent major strategic investments by the University aimed at generating a step-change; therefore, they are typically large scale and highly complex, involving multiple stakeholders and interdependencies across the institution. 

The portfolio is managed by our Strategic Projects team, which provides dedicated, high-quality project and programme support. It ensures cross-project oversight and control, standardised reporting and management of risks, issues and project benefits. It adopts a range of project management methodologies according to the specific needs of each project. Typically, projects will involve representatives from IT, HR, External Relations and Estates, Facilities and Capital Development (EFCD), alongside academic leads, a senior sponsor from the University Executive Group (UEG) and external stakeholders.

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager to join the team and in the first instance lead on the delivery of one of our key projects: the School of Digital Arts (SODA). SODA is a purpose-built, interdisciplinary school which is due to open in 2021. It is a £35m investment into the workspaces, networks, teaching and research that will drive forward ideas and innovation across all forms of creative content, including; media production, film, sound, photography, animation, AI and games design. The successful candidate will also have an important role to play in the development of new projects that emerge from the University strategy and will have the opportunity to project manage new and existing projects beyond the initially assigned School of Digital Arts.

What you will bring to the role

Working with senior academic colleagues as well as professional services heads and other university project management teams, you will be responsible for ensuring that the benefits of these significant investments are identified and delivered. You will work closely with the wider project team, acting as a single point of contact, bringing together departments and faculties across the University to secure the necessary resources. You will have experience of managing complex streams of activity to a tight timeframe, within budget and to a high quality. You will have exceptional communication skills and a proven ability to work effectively with all levels of seniority. You will be proactive, enjoy working flexibly and appreciate variety in your work.  Experience of working in the Higher Education sector is desirable but not essential. Formal training in project management techniques and methodology, particularly PRINCE2 and Agile, is advantageous and highly desirable, as is an active membership in a professional project management body such as APM. 

Closing date: 3 February 2020

We hope to hold interviews for this post on Wednesday 12th February 2020.