Job overview
The successful candidate will aim to be in post from February/March 2026 with the duration of the secondment being 9 months.
Prides 2026 Project Manager
Band 6 | Secondment (9months)Hours: Up to full-time (37.5 hrs/week), with some evening/weekend working. Location: Hybrid. Travel across Trust sites & Sussex Pride locations
In 2026, UHSussex will again take part in a range of Prides across the county, working with LGBTQIA+ and Trans, Non-Binary & Intersex communities, Staff Networks, local partners and My UHSussex Charity.
We are seeking an outstanding Project Manager to lead this programme to:
1. Bring together Staff Networks, partners, sponsors and NHS organisations to deliver an authentic, inclusive Pride presence.
2. Ensure activities reflect Trust values and meet legal, ethical and equality commitments.
3. Plan and coordinate logistics, budgets, procurement, risk management and evaluation.
4. Build strong relationships across the Trust, community groups and Pride organisers.
5. Lead on-the-day delivery, coordinating staff and volunteers to ensure safe, well-run events.
6. Produce high-quality communications and reports for senior leaders and charity committees.
This is a visible, fast-paced and rewarding role requiring strong judgement, creativity and excellent relationship-building skills.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will hold a critical role in managing a number of high-profile Pride events that recognise and celebrate LGBTQI+ lives and identities and will be responsible for tracking data-led and evidence-based staff experiences at the events. They will manage the project and have budget oversight across the range of the activities planned throughout the programme. Projects will be diverse and involve digital platforms, celebration events and in-reach programmes so the project manager will need to be creative, data-informed, flexible and staff-focused.
You will enjoy this role if you excel at:
7. Coordinating complex programmes with multiple partners
8. Building relationships and influencing at all levels
9. Working in fast-paced, public-facing environments
10. Problem-solving with creativity and calm
11. Championing inclusion and community engagement
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Candidate Pack
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Communication
12. Supporting and leading on engagementactivities with staff on the Pride activities across the Trust geography so that they can play a key role in showcasing the Trust’s commitment to and involvement with Pride 2026.
13. Ensuring that insights from impact reporting data are reported and triangulated with key intelligence measures, including staff engagement and satisfaction.
14. Overseeing the communications plan for the Pride programme ensuring that key messages are delivered to a range of stakeholders.
15. Support on behalf of the Trust with qualitative research and engagement related activities.
16. Plan, design and deliver events that are inclusive and engaging in support of Pride across the Trust geography ensuring equity across sites.
17. Produce reports, requiring the collection, analysis and interpretation of a wide range of data including differing expert opinion/recommendations about the agreed programme.
18. Provide a consistent and knowledgeable contact point, answering queries, giving advice and providing information about the Trust’s Pride programme to a diverse range of audiences.
Project Delivery and Improvement
19. Driving staff-centred improvements and innovations in staff experience, underpinned by data and evidence.
20. To use own expertise and judgement to advise on the most impactfuluse of charitable donations for the Pride Programme which involvesanalysing complex bid applications from across the Trust and partner charitable organisations. The postholder will need to manage a range of competing demands (from both clinical and non-clinical divisions), provide analysis and interpretation of the merits of charity support.
21. Negotiate with external suppliers to obtain best value for money.
22. Procuring services in line with the Trust’s processes and SFIs.
23. To use expertise and knowledge of grant making to provide guidance to the rest of the organisation on the use of charitable funding throughout the Pride programme ensuring assurance and governance are met.
24. Preparation of bids and applications for external funding from charity partners.
25. Support with staff engagement across the geography of the Trust including dialogue with clinical and non-clinical teams.
26. Review processes and systems and develop solutions to expand staff engagement and celebration events.
27. Undertake research in agreed areas of recruitment and lived experiences.
28. Developing and implementing innovative methodologies to carry out, analyse and interpret qualitative and community engagement work and to advise colleagues in the use of a variety of methodologies and work closely with other colleagues to ensure that project design, commissioning and evaluation are informed by the available evidence-base.
29. Preparation of bids and applications for external funding from charity partners.
30. Acting as a champion and subject matter expert for the staff participation and engagement agendas, providing advice and guidance to the Charity team, the Board, Executive, staff and other internal and external stakeholders.
31. Ensuring the voices of staff from across the Trust’s diverse communities are heard, their voice and influence are encouraged through listening events and other in-reach programmes.
32. An understanding of and responsiveness to issues of inequality, recognising and acting on reducing inequalities that the workforce may experience – ensuring thestaff engagement approach taken is inclusive and overcomes barriers to engagement including through reasonable adjustments.
33. Production of regular, accurate and high-quality reports including best practice and implementation of staff engagement projects.
34. Be responsible for the generation of all requisitions relating to the project including leading on budget planning and project reconciliation at a granular level.
35. Be flexible and adaptable in supporting fulfilment of the ambitions of the Trust’s Patient First mission.
People Management and Development
36. Coaching, leading and influencing cultural and practice changes in leadership and linked to staff experience and staff listening programmes
37. Participation in and delivery of training, including development and delivering training / event management briefing materials and presentations through organised sessions to promote effective project delivery.
Learning and Development
38. Support training and education available across the organisation in relation tostaff engagement.
39. Attend mandatory training updates as required.
40. Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
41. Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
42. Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager.
This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.
Person specification
Essential
Essential criteria
43. Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working in event management.
44. A formal qualification, in project management or event management
45. Experience of delivering projects in a complex environment, working across organisations and sectors and with the public
46. Intermediate i-proc user or similar Procurement system
47. Experience of preparing reports
Desirable criteria
48. Datix training
49. Evotix training
50. Experience of staff engagement or journeys in a public or private sector environment
51. Skills in digital engagement
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Essential criteria
52. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
53. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications