Project Manager; Modern Publishing

Job description contract type: 12-month fixed term

Start date:

Ideally asap and no later than 1 April 2026

Location:

London or Newcastle office with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office in line with our hybrid working policy. If Newcastle base regular and/or ad hoc travel required to our London office

Salary:
London: c.£54,000, Newcastle: c.£47,000 (higher base salaries may be available for exceptional candidates) + civil service pension

The Transforming VFM Reporting programme aims to update the NAO’s publishing approach and outputs by aligning with industry-standard tools and ways of working; enabling an efficient and digital-first approach to writing, producing, and sharing our publications.

This programme is split into two projects; ‘Modern Publishing’ (MP) and ‘Communicating Findings’. The MP project aims to provide a single-version solution for the collaborative writing, editing, and publishing of, initially, VFM reports. It will enable production of content in xml which is required for html publication. The MP project has completed the discovery phase, and is currently exploring potential solutions through proof of concept testing.

The project has a Director, change manager, business analyst and subject matter experts (SMEs). There are also programme-level roles that support.

We now need an experienced Project Manager with relevant expertise to lead the market testing (if required), procurement and implementation of a complex technology solution. This will support the delivery of the MP project, through the application of good technical, process, and digital project management practice.

Reporting to the Programme Director, the Project Manager will join the core programme team and will be responsible for:

• Finalising user requirements and lead the market testing (if required). Undertaking procurement and implementation of the Modern Publishing solution, ensuring that all relevant deliverables set out in the business case are on track to be met.
• Plan and implement the delivery and integration of the solution to become business as usual.
• Working cross-departmentally within the organisation to integrate existing and new systems and processes; developing and communicating clear guidance to encourage user buy-in and successful transition to business as usual.
• Integrating with this project’s sister project;
  Communicating Findings – aligning outcomes, managing implications and dependencies.
• Building effective relationships with key stakeholders, suppliers and users; working closely with those delivering and managing work streams and projects within the programme to ensure alignment and successful delivery to plan.

• Programme delivery team, Senior Responsible Owner, and board.
• Key stakeholders including authoring, design and publishing and communication teams.
• Internal relationships with staff at all levels, including:
  • Direct contact at user-level to ensure that technology systems and services are developed to meet user and wider business needs;
  • Close working relationships with Procurement, Change, Digital Services, Enterprise Architecture and Information Security colleagues to ensure we procure and implement an appropriate solution whilst mitigating and managing risks.
• Stakeholder management across the NAO audit and core strategic publishing and authoring teams to ensure they are fully engaged and informed about the work streams;
• Service owner management to ensure that they are fully engaged and informed about prioritisation of work and the effect of strategic priorities on resourcing their requests. Also, to keep up to date with their concerns or consideration regarding supporting the services.
• Communicating Findings project team
• External relationships with suppliers.

To be considered for this role, please submit the following by the deadline of Sunday 4 January:

• An up-to-date CV
• A covering letter setting out briefly how you meet the key skills and experience set out in the job description (max. 1000 words)

• Telephone interview - w/c 12 January
• Panel interview, including presentation - w/c 19 January and w/c 26 January

• U…