Position: Interim Project Manager
Location: Guildford House, Guildford, GU1 3AJ
Hybrid Working: 2 days per week
Start Date: ASAP – 7 September 2026
Contract Duration: Temporary contract until 31 March 2027
Working Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pay Rate: £68.75 per hour
Job Responsibilities
- Lead the Programme Management Office (PMO) function for the Housing Improvement Programme
- Ensure effective programme governance, coordination, and oversight across multiple interdependent workstreams
- Monitor programme performance, risks, and issues, ensuring appropriate action and escalation
- Provide assurance, professional challenge, and coordination to support effective decision-making
- Maintain accurate programme documentation, reporting, and governance records
- Identify, assess, mitigate, and escalate programme risks where appropriate
- Work closely with project managers and delivery leads, providing constructive challenge and support
- Balance strategic programme objectives with operational priorities and pressures
- Line manage the Project Support Officer
- Operate with a high level of professional autonomy and accountability
Requirements & Person Specification
Qualifications & Experience
- Proven experience in project or programme management, ideally within a complex public-sector environment
- Strong experience of PMO governance and risk management
- Demonstrable experience coordinating multiple interdependent projects or workstreams
- Experience monitoring programme performance, risks, issues, dependencies, and delivery milestones
- Experience providing assurance, constructive challenge, and professional advice to project and programme leads
- Proven ability to maintain accurate programme reporting, documentation, and governance records
- Experience working with senior stakeholders and supporting effective decision-making and escalation
- Experience of line management and supporting the development of project support staff
- Experience within housing, local government, or a similarly complex public-sector environment is desirable
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong understanding of PMO governance, programme management, risk management, and assurance processes
- Excellent organisational, coordination, analytical, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to identify, assess, mitigate, and escalate programme risks and issues effectively
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to provide professional challenge constructively
- Ability to manage competing priorities and balance strategic programme objectives with operational pressures
- Strong attention to detail and ability to produce accurate, clear, and timely programme reports and governance documentation
- Ability to work with a high degree of professional autonomy, accountability, and sound judgement
- Ability to build effective working relationships with project managers, delivery leads, senior stakeholders, and programme teams
Other Requirements
- Ability to work hybrid, including 2 days per week at Guildford House
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and complex programme environment
- Commitment to maintaining high standards of governance, assurance, and programme delivery
- Ability to manage sensitive information and maintain appropriate confidentiality and professional standards
Job Reference: 5303479
Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Pay: £68.75 per hour
Application question(s):
- Have you managed multiple interdependent projects or workstreams within a programme?
- Have you worked in housing, property, asset management, repairs, regeneration or housing improvement programmes?
Experience:
- Programme management: 2 years (required)
- Risk management: 2 years (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Guildford GU1 3AJ
