About The Role

Suffolk County Council
Address: Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2BX – Hybrid
Salary: £60,135 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
Contract: Permanent

As a modern, flexible and effective organisation, we’re driven to make a positive difference to the environment, the communities we serve and the careers of our people. That’s why, when you join us as a Programme Manager, you’ll be encouraged to share your fresh thinking and empowered to explore new ideas that will shape and improve our services as well as your career.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

As a Programme Manager, you will lead the delivery of complex transformation and improvement programmes across Children and Young People's Services. You will provide strategic oversight, ensure robust governance and work collaboratively with senior leaders, partners and stakeholders to deliver meaningful and lasting change.

Working as part of a wider Programmes Team, you will also contribute to service-wide improvement initiatives, sharing expertise and supporting colleagues across a broad portfolio of programmes.

What you will be doing

Leading the planning, governance, delivery and evaluation of large-scale transformation and improvement programmes.
Managing programme risks, issues, dependencies and benefits to ensure successful outcomes.
Providing strategic oversight and coordination across multiple projects and workstreams.
Building and maintaining positive relationships with senior leaders, service teams and external partners.
Supporting service redesign and embedding sustainable change across Children and Young People's Services.
Monitoring programme performance and providing clear, accurate reporting on progress and outcomes.
Developing business cases, supporting financial planning and identifying opportunities for efficiencies and service improvement.
Working closely with other Programme Managers to ensure alignment across wider CYPS priorities and transformation activity.
Supporting organisational priorities and deputising for the Assistant Director of Transformation and Change where required.

You will need

Experience of leading complex change, transformation or improvement programmes.
Strong programme and project management skills, including governance, risk and benefits management.
The ability to build effective relationships and influence a range of stakeholders.
Excellent communication skills and confidence working with senior leaders and partners.
Strong organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
The ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
A collaborative and adaptable approach, with a commitment to improving outcomes for children, young people and families.
Experience within children's services, education, social care or the public sector would be beneficial.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

The Children and Young People's (CYP) Programmes Team is a highly collaborative and forward-thinking team dedicated to delivering meaningful improvement across Children's Services. The team leads and supports a wide range of transformation programmes that help ensure children, young people and families receive the best possible support and opportunities to thrive.

Working at the forefront of service improvement, the team responds proactively to local priorities and national reforms, bringing together expertise, innovation and strong partnerships to deliver lasting change. It is a supportive environment where creativity is encouraged, professional development is valued and every team member has the opportunity to make a tangible impact on the lives of children and young people across Suffolk.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report .

For more information

Please contact Danielle Lexton (she/her) for a casual conversation. You can reach them by emailing [email hidden]

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word) .

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word) .

Describe a time you led governance - including risk management and benefits realisation - across a large, multi-project improvement or transformation programme, ideally within children's or public services.
Give an example of building and sustaining relationships with senior stakeholders or external partners (e.g. NHS, schools, local authorities, or elected members) to progress a complex change agenda. How did you manage competing priorities across those relationships?
Tell us about a time you contributed to financial oversight of a programme - for example developing a business case or cost-benefit analysis - to secure funding, demonstrate efficiencies, or justify a change in direction.

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page .

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at [email hidden] or 03456 014412 . You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages .

Closing date: 11.30pm, 3 September 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid