Our office is in central Reading. We offer flexibility in where you work and we’ll expect you to attend the office a minimum of two days a month. When you join us, we expect you to be in the office more frequently to settle into the TRA. This policy may be subject to change.
Job Summary
The Digital Programme Manager will lead the delivery of Trade Remedies Authority’s (TRA) strategic digital, data and technology initiatives, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and the wider government digital strategy. This role is pivotal in coordinating cross-functional teams, managing programme governance, and delivering high-quality digital outcomes that support TRA’s vision and mission.
Responsibilities:
Job description
* Programme Leadership: Oversee the end-to-end delivery of the Digital, Data and Technology Programme, including projects to develop our data systems, our cyber roadmap, digital transformation of our investigations processes and supporting functions and technology improvements.
* Governance & Assurance: Develop and maintain programme governance frameworks, including RAID logs, board reporting, and risk registers.
* Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary liaison between TRA’s digital team, senior leadership, suppliers, and external partners (e.g. DBT, GIAA).
* Resource, Commercials & Financial Planning: Forecast and manage programme budgets, resource allocation, and procurements in line with government commercial standards.
* Delivery Oversight: Ensure timely and effective delivery of digital projects, working closely with Product Owners, Delivery Managers, and external suppliers.
* Continuous Improvement: Promote agile ways of working, lessons learned, and iterative improvements across the programme lifecycle.
Responsibilities:
* Programme Leadership: Oversee the end-to-end delivery of the Digital, Data and Technology Programme, including projects to develop our data systems, our cyber roadmap, digital transformation of our investigations processes and supporting functions and technology improvements.
* Governance & Assurance: Develop and maintain programme governance frameworks, including RAID logs, board reporting, and risk registers.
* Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary liaison between TRA’s digital team, senior leadership, suppliers, and external partners (e.g. DBT, GIAA).
* Resource, Commercials & Financial Planning: Forecast and manage programme budgets, resource allocation, and procurements in line with government commercial standards.
* Delivery Oversight: Ensure timely and effective delivery of digital projects, working closely with Product Owners, Delivery Managers, and external suppliers.
* Continuous Improvement: Promote agile ways of working, lessons learned, and iterative improvements across the programme lifecycle.
Person specification
Personal Skills & Attributes:
* Strategic Thinker: Able to see the bigger picture and align digital initiatives with organisational goals and wider government standards.
* Collaborative Leader: Builds strong relationships across teams, departments, and external partners. Encourages open dialogue and shared ownership of outcomes.
* Resilient and Adaptable: Comfortable navigating ambiguity and change, with the ability to remain focused and composed under pressure.
* Delivery-Focused: Maintains a strong commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes on time and within budget, while balancing competing priorities.
* Analytical and Insightful: Uses data and evidence to inform decisions, identify risks, and drive continuous improvement.
* Effective Communicator: Able to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Essential Experience:
* Proven experience of successfully leading complex programmes, with evidence of having made a measurable difference to delivery, and an understanding of programme and digital delivery methodologies (MSP, APM, Agile, Scrum, GDS standards).
* Demonstrated ability to manage governance processes, including risk, issue, and dependency management.
* Proven experience of commercial (procurement and contract management) and financial management within a programme setting.
Desirable Experience:
* Relevant certifications (e.g. MSP, PRINCE2, AgilePM, ITIL).
* Understanding of cyber security, data governance, and service management principles.
Alongside your salary of £57,353, Trade Remedies Authority contributes £16,615 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Please refer to the candidate pack attached for further information.
Useful Information for Existing Civil Servants
Existing Civil Servants should note that working for the TRA, you will be employed as a public servant. This means:
This vacancy is for a position in the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). TRA employees are not Civil Servants. Individuals applying for this role from the Civil Service are advised to review terms prior to accepting the offer. Key terms are outlined in the benefits section of this advert (these are not exhaustive). Individuals can also discuss with hiring managers and the TRA People Team on resourcing.enquiries@traderemedies.gov.uk.
Your continuity of service for employment protection will start on the day you join us. We are not an employer of the Crown and therefore cannot recognise previous employment with the Civil Service for the purpose of qualifying for Employment Rights. An employee must have 2 years’ length of service with TRA before Employment Rights are recognised.
If you are a member of the Civil Service Pension scheme, your membership and reckonable service will continue with us, providing there is no break between your Civil Service employment and your employment as a public servant with TRA.
We will recognise the annual leave you have built up, up to a maximum of 30 days, and the sick pay entitlement taking account of your length of service in the Civil Service.
If you choose to re-join the Civil Service at any point in the future, this will be according to the policies of the department you are joining following your resignation from TRA. You may also wish to be aware that under Exception 5 of the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles, the re-employment of a former Civil Servant is possible within a maximum of five years of leaving the Civil Service, subject to qualifying criteria being met and depending on the policies of the department you are joining.
Selection process details
Application:
How to Apply
Please provide a one page CV outlining your previous roles, responsibilities and achievements, and a personal statement of no more than 500 words demonstrating how you meet the first essential criteria: Proven experience of successfully leading complex programmes, with evidence of having made a measurable difference to delivery, and an understanding of programme and digital delivery methodologies (MSP, APM, Agile, Scrum, GDS standards).
If a high number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on personal statements, and a full sift may follow.
Interview:
The interview will seek to assess candidates' experience against the person specification (personal skills, attributes and experience).
Expected Timeline:
Application Closing Date: 29th June 2025.
Shortlist: W/C 30th June 2025.
Interviews: W/C 21st July 2025.
Please note the above dates are subject to change.
Drop In Session:
The hiring manager is running a drop in session on 26th June from 10am - 10:30am. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions, including about the recruitment process from application to interview through to offer. You can join the session at any point throughout the half hour by clicking on the below link:
Join the meeting now
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to TRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
We are Inclusive
We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request adjustments.
Our AI Usage Guidelines:
We welcome the use of AI tools during your application process, as they can assist you in crafting your CV and personal statement. However, it is crucial that all submitted information is factually accurate and genuinely represents your own ideas and experiences.
Your application may be rejected, and you could face disciplinary measures if plagiarism is detected. Plagiarism includes presenting others’ ideas and experiences, or content generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own. The information in your CV and personal statement will be verified during both the sift stage and your interview.
Near Miss
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via TRArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
* UK nationals
* nationals of the Republic of Ireland
* nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
* individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
* Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
* Name : Alex Ashcroft
* Email : Alex.Ashcroft@traderemedies.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : TRArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment is on merit based on fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles, which can be found at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/02a_RECRUITMENT-PRINCIPLES-April-2018-FINAL-.pdf. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, please contact: resourcing.enquiries@traderemedies.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission (at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/). #J-18808-Ljbffr