Programme Management Office Lead

Programme Management Office Lead

Closing date: 14 May 2026.

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) is a highly digitised healthcare organisation, recognised as a HIMSS EMRAM Level 7 institution. CUH is committed to driving innovation and excellence in healthcare through its strategic plan.

Main duties of the job

• Oversee and ensure the application of an effective, standardised, risk-based governance framework for the productivity and efficiency programme.
• Support the identification of in-year productivity and cost-out improvements, including tracking of delivery and benefit realisation.
• Lead on communications and be the key liaison with corporate and clinical divisions and directorates on PMO processes, tools and templates to support the progression of initiatives from ideation and planning to delivery and reporting.
• Provide accurate and timely reports to senior meetings, executive and divisional, which clearly reflect progress, quality impact and delivery risks.
• Provide strong leadership, support and challenge across the programme management office agenda, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Co‑lead on the embedding of a cloud-based PMO application, ensuring consistency in high-quality data reporting whilst also working to improve integrity, speed and levels of automation for service users.

Benefits to you

We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on‑site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Reduced‑cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from the Cambridge University Hospital site, free Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites, and a free route to and from Cambridge train station are available. The cost of parking on site is subsidised for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24 / 7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. The first staff pod break space has been launched – a colleague‑only café with free tea and coffee, a break space and a private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work‑life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part‑time working, job‑share, term‑time working and flexible start and finish times.

We welcome applications from the armed forces.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or with demonstrable equivalent experience.
• CCAB qualified or demonstrable equivalent experience.
• Project Management qualification or equivalent experience (e.g. Prince2, Managing Successful Projects or similar).
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Educated to Masters or Postgraduate degree level or equivalent professional qualification.
• Improvement methodology qualification, with evidence of training in root cause analysis techniques.

Experience

• Significant experience of a programme management function within a public sector environment.
• Subject matter expert in project and programme management; analysis of complex project proposals and business case development; understanding of the necessary stages of implementation of innovative projects in a health and social care environment.
• Experience of developing and implementing programme governance structures and coordinating multiple complex projects with co‑dependencies, where demonstrable benefits were delivered.
• Experience in analysing and modelling financial and activity data, data for improvement and the use of statistical process control charts to illustrate performance over time.
• Have proven experience of leading on a quality and cost agenda and ensuring service accountability.
• Experience of leading and developing a specialist team in a challenging environment involving multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrable evidence and track record of achieving desired clinical and corporate outcomes through robust data analysis and stakeholder management.
• Have a demonstrable track record of managing change in a complex organisation.
• Have experience of managing improvement and/or assurance projects, particularly with a cost or activity related benefit.
• Experience of facilitating and supporting investigations into risk management issues.
• Proven track record of developing policies or procedures and providing high‑quality reports to senior level stakeholders.
• Experience of communicating complex information appropriately to varying levels of the organisation, including to Board and Executive.
• Experience of working with clinical and operational colleagues.
• Experience of working to tight deadlines.
• Previous experience of working in an Acute Healthcare environment.
• Experience of health and/or social care information systems.
• Knowledge of the main procurement legislation applicable to NHS and / or social care commissioned services.
• Experience of delivering teaching or training to colleagues of varying seniority.
• Experience of working with and rolling out cloud‑based project management applications.

Knowledge

• Working knowledge of clinical settings at a senior level in a large hospital organisation.
• Understanding of patient pathways and how clinical services are organised.
• A good understanding of the requirement placed on NHS hospitals to improve quality, safety and costs and of the regulatory and financial environment in which NHS providers operate, including a sound understanding of NHS financial funding mechanisms, and NHS income and expenditure.
• Working knowledge of health and social care roles, responsibilities, priorities and policy direction.
• Thorough understanding of governance and ability to articulate the importance of compliance and risks of non‑compliance.
• Knowledge of the Trust's strategy and aims.
• Familiarity with digital health initiatives and data governance.
• Knowledge of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System and East of England Region priorities on Productivity.
• Knowledge of NHS Performance Assessment Framework.

Skills

• Excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Significant skills in programme planning and can demonstrate a methodical and structured approach to work.
• Able to prepare clear, concise and version‑controlled reports and documents that are viewed at Executive and divisional levels, including quality assurance of reports and documents on behalf of the function.
• Able to make use of complex numerical data with ease.
• Able to provide examples of anticipating and mitigating challenges and risks, and of actions taken to assure delivery.
• Able to express subject matter expertise confidently and authoritatively and translate it for others so that it is neither jargon laden nor intimidating.
• Verbally confident and able to articulate the rationale for their position.
• Numerate, with proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint or equivalents.
• Able to demonstrate leadership attributes and competencies, including highly developed negotiating and influencing skills.
• Able to coach colleagues at all levels to improve organisational capability around programme management.
• Able to identify and resolve resistance and blockages at all levels of the organisation.
• Able to analyze complex business processes and procedural issues and to provide create solutions.
• Able to demonstrate a high level of self‑awareness and a commitment to self‑development.
• Ability to work flexibly and be adaptable to change. Comfortable with ambiguity and able to see through detail to get to the root cause of a problem.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work in a matrix structure and directly line manage staff, delegating effectively and holding others to account for delivery in both directly and matrix managed situations.
• Able to represent the Trust at regional and local forums.

Additional Requirements

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
• A strong commitment to the improvement of patient care and staff experience.
• A high level of personal integrity and the confidence to provide critical friend challenge when necessary.
• The capacity to be resilient, reliable and calm under pressure.
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable to change.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

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