Lead Programme Manager

Two‑year fixed term (with potential to extend or become permanent)

Reporting to:
Head of People & Transformation

Make your mark on a once-in-a-generation change.

We’re creating a brand‑new Lead Programme Manager role to stand up our new Programme Management Office (PMO) and to coordinate our part in Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you’re a seasoned programme manager who blends delivery discipline with people‑centred approach, this is your chance to shape how our council plans, decides, and delivers at pace.

Over the next two years, we’ll plan and navigate transition while protecting services and outcomes for residents. You will provide oversight for LGR planning and transition, aligning our work with the Joint Councils PMO and Joint Councils Programme Director. You’ll also provide portfolio visibility across our legacy programmes and projects, helping leaders prioritise and create the headroom we need to deliver the future.

• Stand up and run a fit‑for‑purpose PMO – define standards, governance and controls aligned to MSP/PRINCE2, using Agile pragmatically where it helps.
• Plan and coordinate LGR delivery – keep our Council‑wide plan aligned to joint milestones and governance, managing risks, issues, dependencies and resources.
• Work with the Corporate Performance Management Team to support and strengthen a proportionate portfolio management approach to enable effective prioritisation and decisions.
• Enable great decisions – implement reporting rhythms, dashboards and RAID logs, and operate stage gates/change control proportionate to risk.
• Lead people, not just process – recruit and develop a small PMO team, coach project leads, and role‑model calm, collaborative delivery in a high‑change environment.
• Be our strategic connector – act as a key liaison with the Joint Councils PMO, Programme Director, and internal services, translating complexity into clear, actionable insight.

• A strong track record leading complex programmes in local government or a comparable public/regulated setting.
• Hands‑on PMO leadership experience (governance, reporting, assurance, controls) and the credibility to advise senior leaders.
• Methodology fluency: MSP/PRINCE2 (practitioner‑level ideal) and experience blending Agile delivery where appropriate.
• Outstanding stakeholder management and communication, able to brief, challenge and influence at pace.
• Data confidence, comfortable turning numbers into insightful dashboards and recommendations (e.g., Excel/Power BI).

We offer a generous employee benefits package, including 35 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme with an employer contribution of 20.3%, a healthcare cash‑back scheme, flexible working arrangements, and a strong commitment to learning and development through a wide range of professional and personal development opportunities.

You can read about all our employee benefits here.

Please contact Joanne Jackson, Head of People and Transformation at Joa or (01909) 533 533.

Follow the links below to review the Job Description and Person Specification, and to discover more about what it’s like to work for the council. Please note that if you are reviewing this advert on an external site, some links may not be available. For full details and to submit your application, please visit our official website.

Job Description

Person Specification

To apply please visit Jobs and careers | Bassetlaw District Council to upload your CV and covering letter, highlighting your relevant experience, qualifications, skills and achievements.

Please note that the application process will require you to upload your CV. If you don't have one to upload, you can download a CV template we've created to help you get started.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our recruitment processes are fair, transparent, and designed to ensure that everyone is treated equally at every stage.

If you need any help with your application, contact us at Huma or call  we are here to support you.

Closing date: 16 February 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early when we receive sufficient and suitable applications. Therefore, please ensure that you submit your CV as soon as possible so that you can be considered for this role.

Interview date:
To Be Confirmed