Job Purpose

The University of Glasgow is seeking to appoint a talented and highly motivated Senior Programme Manager to join the £7.5m Policy Modelling for Health consortium, funded by UKRI’s Population Health Improvement UK (PHI UK). This is a senior managerial role with significant scope to influence the strategic and operational direction of an exciting national research initiative which develops computational models to assess how policies under consideration by our policy partners would likely impact economic wellbeing – via impacts on income, wealth, debt, work, and pensions – and in turn, affect health and health equity outcomes.

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The post holder will report to the Director, and work closely with the Executive Group to develop and deliver on the programme’s strategic objectives. You will be responsible for the operational, risk and administrative management of the Programme, supported by a Programme Administrator and a Communications Manager. A key part of the role is to promote and manage excellent working relationships within this highly interdisciplinary, cross-sector consortium and between the consortium, its sister consortia and UKRI. You will also seek to maximise opportunities for impactful engagement with policy makers and the public.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic and Operational Management

1.  As part of the Executive Management Group, develop, review and implement strategic plans.

2.  Lead, together with the Communications Manager, internal communications strategies that embed joined-up working within both programmes and promote inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary collaboration across the programmes of research.

3.  Monitor, track, and report on progress against plans, adopting proactive risk and issue management and resolution when necessary.

4.  Oversee all aspects of external communications to ensure a cohesive approach to engaging with programme partners, networks of other PHI UK and UKPRP funded programmes and wider stakeholders.

5.  Oversee progress reporting across programmes of work, co-ordinating notification of outputs to partners and funders in accordance with contractual obligations.

6.  Oversee the planning and organisation of in-person team meetings and other events.

Financial Planning and Evaluation

7.  In liaison with the Directors and relevant central support departments, take responsibility for the effective financial management of grant income and expenditure, including financial planning, forecasting, and financial reporting.

8.  Work with colleagues across the University to ensure that resources are managed in accordance with the needs of the programme, ensuring university and funder financial policies and procedures are followed.

9.  Provide guidance to the Academic Leads and Finance Managers in the member institutions to ensure regular monitoring of each institution’s expenditure and forecasting to facilitate planning and decision-making.

10. Develop performance monitoring systems to track outputs and impact (where possible) in areas including: scientific evidence, partnership working, data acquisition, training and capacity building, financial sustainability, communications and impact.

External Impact

11.  Direct and evaluate plans for communications and impact, working closely with the Impact Lead and Communications Manager on outputs and external engagement.

12.  Proactively seek opportunities to collaborate with other relevant funded programmes and create new partnerships and opportunities to raise our profile and highlight its systems science public health research.

13.  Represent the programme in meetings with stakeholders, the public and other academic institutions, accurately conveying its objectives and activities.

Training, Impact and Knowledge Transfer

14.  Work closely with the Impact Lead to implement the programme’s impact strategy, ensuring that opportunities to develop real-world impact are realised.

15.  Report on training and capacity-building activities to the Directorate, Universities, and funders.

Internal Communication

16.  Liaise and collaborate across institutions, overseeing effective information flow between members and ensuring a ‘joined up’ programme-wide approach to all activities.

17.  Develop/maintain processes to ensure issues are identified early and to keep the consortium work plan on track.

18.  Develop/review processes and guidelines (e.g., conflict of interest, publications) suitable for individuals, groups and networks operating at all levels within the consortium.

19.  Maintain regular contact with team members, including face-to-face meetings at partner institutions, to offer advice and support as required.

People Management

20.  Effectively manage relationships to influence senior colleagues and external stakeholders.

21.  Co-ordinate the work of professional services staff supporting the programme across member organisations.

Other Responsibilities

22.  Be proactive in maintaining personal knowledge of the research area.

23.  Any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience   

Knowledge/Qualifications   

Essential 

A1. Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 10 (Honours Degree), or equivalent, with a broad range of professional experience in a management role(s).

Or: Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary professional knowledge and management skills in a similar or number of different specialist roles.

A2. Formal programme management qualification, e.g. PRINCE2 (or working towards this), or ability to demonstrate equivalent experience.

Desirable:

B1. Postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject (e.g. MBA).

Skills:

Essential:

C1. Excellent knowledge of a range of project management tools and approaches that can be used to support major projects

C2. Advanced IT Skills including generation of high-quality reports, presentation material (e.g. infographics) and web content.

C3. Ability to proactively lead and contribute to the development and implementation of strategy.

C4. Excellent operational, risk management and organisational skills.

C5. Ability to organise resources, and plan and progress work activities across a large and diverse number of areas.

C6. Excellent analytical skills and the ability to develop creative approaches to problem solving, with an appreciation of long-term implications.

C7. Ability to work collaboratively and motivate and support teams to achieve objectives.

C8. Ability to interpret and present complex financial and non-financial information in a non-technical and easy to understand format

C9. Ability to negotiate and influence to balance competing agendas and priorities to reach an effective outcome.

C10. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience of communicating to scientific and lay audiences

C11. Ability to use own judgement and initiative within broad parameters set for the role.

C12. Ability to focus on priorities and to work flexibly as needs change, whilst providing efficient project management over several areas.

C13. Ability and willingness to travel UK-wide, including overnight.

Desirable:

D1. In-depth knowledge of the scientific research infrastructure and processes in the UK Higher Education Sector, including supporting grant writing and publications.

D2. Knowledge and experience working in a health or social science research environment.

Experience:

Essential:

E1. Significant, demonstrable experience of managing large research programmes in higher education, private sector, central or local government, or NHS.

E2. Experience and demonstrated competence in financial management including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, scenario planning and other financial processes.

E3. Experience of and ability to build and proactively manage excellent relationships within research teams and with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

E4. Experience of innovating, implementing, monitoring and reviewing processes and systems.

E5. Experience of developing and maintaining a network of contacts.

Desirable:

F1. Experience of planning and carrying out process evaluations of large (research) programmes.

F2. Experience in web editing, social media communications, and communicating to stakeholders via web-based media

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 8, £50,253 - £58,225 per annum.

This post is full time, and open ended with funding available up until 31st March 2028.

Informal enquiries about this post are encouraged, please contact: Professor Petra Meier at petra.meier@glasgow.ac.uk

The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.  If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.

3 A flexible approach to working.

4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University  https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.

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Closing date: 23:45 on Tuesday 17th February 2026

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