Programme Manager - Children's Services Transformation

Location: Ealing (Hybrid & Flexible Working - Team Office Day Thursday)Contract: Initial 3 months (high likelihood of extension)Rate: £33.78 PAYE / £44.27 Umbrella per hour Start Date: ASAP

This is a high-impact, senior transformation role offering the opportunity to shape and deliver some of the most important Children's Services change programmes currently underway.

We are looking for a confident and experienced Programme Manager to lead a portfolio of complex, outcome-driven transformation initiatives that improve services for children, young people and families, while ensuring financial sustainability and long-term value.

You will sit at the centre of the organisation's change agenda, working with senior leaders, Members, partners, schools and service teams to drive delivery, unlock innovation and embed new ways of working.

You will provide strategic oversight and delivery leadership across a suite of interconnected Children's Services programmes, including:

• Families First Partnership Programme
• Best Start in Life Programme
• SEND Strategy
• Children's Services Strategy
• Children's Services MTFS Programme

This role is ideal for a programme professional who enjoys complexity, thrives in high-profile environments and can confidently balance pace, quality and political awareness.

• Designing and leading a robust, best-practice programme management framework across Children's Services transformation
• Coordinating multiple complex projects across teams, partners and schools to achieve clear, measurable outcomes
• Establishing strong PMO governance, reporting, assurance and benefits realisation arrangements
• Proactively managing complex risks, issues and interdependencies across programme workstreams
• Translating strategic ambitions into clear, credible delivery plans and implementation timetables
• Providing constructive challenge and expert advice to senior leaders, programme boards and elected Members
• Matrix-managing project teams, including contractors and secondees
• Developing and assuring high-quality business cases, including financial, outcome and ROI analysis
• Managing a programme budget of c. £350k and overseeing transformation investment funding of up to £1m
• Driving cultural change by championing new ways of working and showcasing progress and impact
• Acting as a senior point of contact across corporate support services and external partners
• Deputising for senior leaders when required

You'll bring:

• A proven track record of delivering large-scale, complex transformation programmes within local government or similarly complex public-sector environments
• Strong programme and project management capability (PRINCE2 / MSP or equivalent applied experience)
• Experience setting up and leading programme governance, assurance and PMO disciplines
• Confidence operating at senior levels, including the ability to challenge, influence and build credibility quickly
• Strong financial acumen, with experience developing compelling business cases and tracking benefit realisation
• Excellent stakeholder management skills across Members, senior leaders, partners and frontline teams
• The resilience and judgement to deliver at pace in a high-profile, politically sensitive environment

Highly desirable:

• Experience within Children's Services, particularly transformation, service reform or system change
• A passion for building strong PMO cultures and improving how organisations deliver change

• A visible, influential role at the heart of Children's Services transformation
• Genuine opportunity to improve outcomes for children and families
• High degree of autonomy and trust
• Flexible hybrid working
• Competitive contract rates with strong extension potential

This role is subject to safeguarding requirements and may require a DBS check. The organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.

Interviews are taking place ASAP, with swift decision-making. If you're a senior programme leader looking for meaningful work, complexity and real impact - this role delivers on all fronts.

Adecco acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. The Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

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