Your newpany
You will be joining a respected and ambitious education organisation that is entering a high‑growth phase, with multiple new schools opening across the North West. The trust is implementing a new Projects Strategy and establishing a dedicated Projects Unit to drive delivery, strengthenernance, and ensure consistency across all programmes.
This interim role will play a critical part in leading this new function and ensuring the successful delivery of several priority school openings and trust‑wide strategic projects.
Your new role
As Interim Head of Programme and Projects, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across the trust’s entire projects' portfolio. You will:
1. Lead the delivery of the organisation’s new Projects Strategy.
2. Oversee the opening of new schools, including free schools and sponsored academies across the North West.
3. Take responsibility for major corporate and trust‑wide programmes.
4. Guide and develop the Projects Unit, ensuring high‑quality projecternance, reporting and delivery frameworks.
5. Engage, influence and support senior stakeholders across the trust and external partners.
6. Balance strategic oversight with hands‑on delivery, stepping in to drive progress where necessary.
7. Ensurepliance, budget alignment, risk management and operational readiness across all project phases.
You will be supporting high‑profile new school developments including sites across Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Lancashire, working closely with the capital, estates, and project teams.
This contract runs until the end of May initially, covering an essential delivery period.
What you'll need to succeed
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
8. Proven experience leadingplex, multi‑site projects — ideally within education or a similarly regulated environment.
9. Strong strategic capability paired with the ability to roll your sleeves up and drive operational delivery.
10. Experience leading or contributing to a PMO or project delivery function.
11. Excellentmunication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to work with senior leaders.
12. Ability to deliver at a pace, managepeting priorities and remain calm under pressure.
13. Strong organisational, planning and reporting skills, with a solutions‑focused mindset.
14. Flexibility to travel across the North West (Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Lancashire).
15. A full UK driving licence.
16. Ability to work 3 days a week onsite at head office (North West), with 2 days from home.
17. Education sector experience
18. Enhanced DBS – We can apply for one if you are successful in the interview
What you'll get in return
19. The daily rate is £260 - £290 per day and weekly pay.
20. A dedicated consultant to support withpliance, payments and future opportunities
21. A pivotal interim leadership opportunity driving high‑impact education projects.
22. The chance to shape and embed a new Projects Unit and trust‑wide project strategy.
23. A varied role spanning strategic leadership and hands‑on delivery.
24. Hybrid working: 3 days onsite / 2 days from home.
25. 37‑hour working week.
26. The opportunity to directly influence the successful launch of multiple new schools across the region.