Programme Manager

Why Southwark?

We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse and growing population. At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.

Southwark is also one of the most densely populated areas in the country; in other words, we do not have a huge amount of space per person so the space we do have is precious. Our streets are publicly owned and should be used for the things we most value. Most streets are currently designed to prioritise cars, even though most people do not own one. Polluting vehicles contribute to nearly half of the air pollution in London and road transport makes up 18% of the borough’s overall carbon emissions. The Streets for People programme is vital in freeing up space for walking, cycling and public transport and reducing traffic.

What You'll Be Doing

• Play a key part in the delivery of the Streets for People agenda, with a particular focus on Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and street lighting programmes.
• Support the creation of safer, cleaner, more accessible, and better-managed streets across Southwark.
• Manage and coordinate complex, multi-disciplinary projects to ensure successful rollout of EV charging and future-ready street lighting initiatives.
• Oversee programme delivery from planning through implementation, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to agreed quality standards.
• Coordinate capital investment programmes and secure, manage, and monitor external funding opportunities to support delivery objectives.
• Work collaboratively with operational services, external partners, contractors, and stakeholders to achieve programme outcomes.
• Translate strategic priorities and agreed plans into practical, effective, and well-managed delivery programmes.
• Engage with residents, businesses, and community stakeholders to ensure local priorities and needs are reflected in project delivery.
• Monitor programme performance, manage risks and dependencies, and provide regular progress reporting to senior stakeholders.
• Ensure programme delivery aligns with council objectives, sustainability goals, and best practice in public realm infrastructure management.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for an experienced programme manager who is passionate about making Southwark a clean, green and safe borough. You will manage two programmes concurrently using clear programme management tools, governance, planning and reporting disciplines. A key focus will be expanding access to EV charging across the borough, including on estates and council land, working through partnerships with private providers and supporting a sustainable funding and operating model for rollout and long-term management. You will also oversee street lighting improvement activity, including smarter lighting, Central Management System (CMS) capability, inspection regimes, digital workflows, asset data, performance reporting, KPIs and fault forecasting.

You do not need to be a technical specialist in EV infrastructure, street lighting or highways to succeed in this role. We are looking for someone who can provide strong programme leadership, bring structure to complex delivery, manage risks and dependencies, and work confidently with experienced subject matter experts across Environment, Sustainability and Leisure. You will be able to translate strategic priorities into deliverable plans, maintain momentum across multiple workstreams, and ensure that outcomes, benefits, budgets and resources are managed effectively.

You will be a confident leader of people and programmes, able to motivate and coordinate multi-disciplinary teams across service boundaries. You will be comfortable operating in a matrix structure, managing direct and indirect resources effectively, working independently where required, and driving pace while maintaining quality. You will have sound financial acumen including the ability to manage budgets, track costs against benefits, support funding requirements, and ensure resources are deployed to maximise impact. You will bring a proactive approach to risk management, identifying, assessing and mitigating risks early, while putting in place robust controls to keep delivery on track and resolve issues quickly. You should also be a strong communicator, highly organised, and able to think critically and innovatively.

This is a hybrid role combining remote working with regular working across both Tooley Street and Copeland Road office sites. This reflects the need to work closely with colleagues and partners across the programme.

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Thomas James .uk

Additional Information

Closing Date: 20/09/2026

Interview Date: 28/09/2026

Hours of Work: Monday to Friday (36hrs per week) Hybrid

Location: 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH & Copeland Road Depot., Blackpool Road, London, SE15 3SN

Type of Contract: Secondment/Fixed Term Contract

DBS: No DBS is required for this role.

IMPORTANT: If you choose to apply, please complete your Supporting Statement in the ‘Re levant Knowledge, Experience & Skills’ section of the application form</strong