Lead Project Manager (Contract) – Inside IR35
💼 Duration: Initial 3-6 months
📍 Location: Hybrid
📅 Start Date: ASAP
💷 Day Rate: £550 per day inside IR35
Overview:
We are seeking an experienced Lead Project Manager to drive delivery across a series of efficiency-focused initiatives, including Health Information Share, Text-to-Speech, and Intelligent Audit.
This role will play a critical part in ensuring successful end-to-end delivery of complex, data-driven and technology-enabled programmes, working closely with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, regulated environment.
The successful candidate will combine strong delivery leadership with technical awareness, enabling teams to meet tight deadlines, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality outcomes within budget.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the delivery of multiple concurrent initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives, timelines, and budget constraints
* Collaborate with business and technical stakeholders to define scope, priorities, and delivery plans across complex workstreams
* Drive delivery using a blend of Agile, Waterfall, and Lean methodologies, adapting approaches to suit programme needs
* Facilitate Agile ceremonies, governance forums, workshops, and stakeholder engagement sessions
* Proactively identify, manage, and mitigate risks, issues, and dependencies through structured approaches such as RAID logs
* Act as the key interface between technical teams and business stakeholders, managing expectations and resolving conflicts
* Develop and maintain delivery roadmaps, milestones, and performance metrics to ensure operational efficiency
* Provide clear and consistent reporting on progress, financials, risks, and outcomes to senior stakeholders
* Support technical teams by understanding system architecture, APIs, and SDLC processes to identify blockers and enable progress
* Ensure delivery meets quality standards, using data-driven insights and performance metrics to guide decision-making
* Manage budgets, forecasts, and vendor relationships, ensuring commercial efficiency and return on investment
* Lead, mentor, and motivate cross-functional teams, fostering a high-performance and continuous improvement culture
* Challenge existing ways of working and make informed decisions in situations with limited information
Key Skills & Experience
✔ Proven experience as a Lead Project Manager delivering complex technology and data-driven programmes
✔ Strong experience working across Agile, Waterfall, and Lean delivery methodologies (e.g. Scrum, Kanban, PRINCE2, SAFe)
✔ Demonstrated ability to manage risks, dependencies, and delivery across multiple workstreams
✔ Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, including conflict resolution at senior levels
✔ Strong technical understanding of software development lifecycles (SDLC), APIs, and architecture
✔ Experience managing budgets, financial forecasts, and ensuring ROI on project delivery
✔ Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and deliver against tight deadlines
✔ Proven leadership capability, including mentoring teams and driving high-performance delivery cultures
✔ Experience working in Government organisations
Desirable Skills
* Experience delivering initiatives such as Health Information Share, Text-to-Speech, or Intelligent Audit solutions
* Exposure to data and analytics platforms or cloud-based technologies
* Experience working in environments where tooling, processes, or governance models are evolving
* Strong focus on continuous improvement, including lessons learned and delivery optimisation