Job Title: Programme and Portfolio Manager (8b)
Job Summary
Embark on a transformative journey with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) as a Programme and Portfolio Manager. In this permanent role, you will be at the forefront of our transformation within Blood Supply, ultimately saving and improving lives. Join our dedicated team and contribute to the strategic planning, delivery, and benefits realisation of large-scale digital initiatives that will have a profound impact on patients’ lives.
Join our dedicated team in NHSBT Blood Supply. Within Blood Supply we are growing our Plasma business area, and we have two permanent roles available needing driven, experienced and capable senior programme individuals to be part of a mission-driven team managing critical programmes aimed at Blood, Platelet and Plasma services. The two programme focus areas are: Logistics, Donor Centres & Estates, and the other is Plasma Growth.
Collaborating closely with the Accountable Executive, Programme Board and Delivery Teams you will ensure successful execution. You will have a proven track record in managing large-scale programmes, preferably in healthcare or a related field. You will have an innovative, problem-solving approach, with strong stakeholder management skills and experience in implementing risk management and governance processes. By being part of a passionate, enthusiastic, supportive, and high performing team, you will build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders. You will contribute to life-saving work, where every day promises diversity and excitement.
Main duties of the job
In this role you will be responsible for delivery of large-scale change programmes within NHSBT. You will join an enthusiastic team with ambitious plans to deliver an exciting transformation programmes/projects across the organisation. Your responsibilities will include:
* Engaging stakeholders within and across directorates to gather requirements and provide effective tools to plan the portfolio across the directorate.
* Defining and implementing long term strategic plans which need to align with the wider NSHBT strategies and context which impact across the organisation
* Working closely with other programme and portfolio managers / leads in the directorate and across the organisation to ensure alignment on assumptions of cross-directorate resourcing and interdependencies for delivery within agreed time, cost and quality standards, and within risk limits.
* Managing the interfaces and communications with the senior stakeholders, including the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO), the Business Change Lead, the Business Leads and Operational Leads.
* Preparing and maintaining portfolio and programme plans and publishing these to the SRO and project, programme and portfolio boards as required, responding to challenge and questions about progress on delivery.
* The line management of their team of project management staff, including setting and monitoring objectives and personal development plans ensuring that they are highly motivated, operate to the highest professional standards, and comply with all relevant internal and external standards.
* The development and ongoing management of partnerships with external suppliers.
* Undertaking healthchecks for projects, programmes and the portfolio as a whole, liaising with the central team for assurance input.
About You
Experience and Knowledge
* Proven ability to manage multi-million-pound projects and their associated budgets
* Experience of reporting to Executive and Board level.
* First-hand experience of the application of Risk Assessment and Risk Management techniques appropriate to business needs.
* Extensive knowledge and experience of Microsoft Office products, particularly Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Specialist knowledge of Microsoft Project and Accelarator.
* Extensive experience of working with a variety of project methodologies.
* Extensive experience of creating business cases, capturing business requirements and business benefits management and realisation.
* Proven experience of conducting post implementation reviews.
Proven resource management and allocation experience, including those not under direct line management control.
Qualifications and Training
* Educated to degree level plus highly developed, in-depth experience, specialist knowledge, expertise and qualifications as specified above..
* Practitioner Certificate in Prince 2
* Practitioner or Advanced Practitioner certification for the OGC’s ‘Managing Successful Programmes.’ With specialist knowledge of the OGC ‘Successful Delivery Toolkit’.
Please view the attached recruitment profile which is a summary of the detailed Job Description and Person Specification for the full personal attributes we require for the role. You will need to demonstrate these throughout the recruitment process.
About Us
It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.
Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.
You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
What we offer:
* NHSBT promotes flexible working opportunities where the role will allow.
* 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
* NHS pension scheme. The NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns) Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pensions
* We’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.
This vacancy may close sooner than the advertised deadline if we receive a high volume of applications, so we recommend applying early
This vacancy will close at 23:59 on February 17th 2026
Interviews are anticipated to be held week commencing 2nd March 2026 subject to confirmation
For informal enquiries please contact Geoff.bowyer@nhsbt.nhs.uk
Name: Geoff Bowyer
Job Title: Head of Portfolio