Project Manager – VPAG Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme

Company: Innovate UK
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Job Description:

Title

Project Manager – VPAG Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme

Band

UKRI Band E

Salary

£46,743 gross per annum

Reports to

Programme Manager, VPAG Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme

Location

UKRI sites: Swindon, London, Harwell, Daresbury, Keyworth, Cambridge

Contract

Fixed Term Until 31/03/2029

Hybrid working

Time at UKRI sites, time on the ground with businesses, partners and stakeholders and time working from home. 40-60% of working time typically spent either at a UKRI site or engaging with external businesses and stakeholders across the UK. Outside of this requirement, you can work from home. The role will be formally based at one of the following UKRI sites, but is externally facing and will require travel around the UK for 2/3 days each week on average.

Job purpose

The Project Manager will work with all members of the Life & Land Team and will contribute to the effective delivery of the VPAG Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme. They may also support other managed programmes in the Life & Land portfolio. Reporting to the Programme Manager – VPAG Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme, the Project Manager will manage the day-to-day delivery of the programme, working closely with project teams and the wider Innovation As A Service function to ensure timely delivery of key milestones and objectives. The Project Manager will also support the implementation of appropriate programme and project management functions, ensuring effective Risk Management, governance, assurance, impact management, etc. in line with Core PSO guidance and best practice.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

  • Provide project management support for the VPAG Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme activities, working with relevant delivery teams. Activities include but are not limited to: competitions launch, delivery of events, programme reviews, impact and evaluation frameworks and others as indicated.
  • Support the Programme Manager in the day-to-day delivery of Programme/Domain/IUK/UKRI Governance functions, setting up the appropriate project/programme assurance functions.
  • Support the development of governance papers and provide secretariat for governance meetings as required.
  • Support and deputise for more senior members of the delivery, such as the Programme Manager and Portfolio Manager as required.
  • Track and record timelines, finance, risks and impact metrics.
  • Generate and update management information and reports as required to support effective governance.
  • Support the embedding of monitoring, evaluation, and impact management across projects, ensuring impact metrics are identified, understood, measured, tracked, and owned.
  • Work with the Life & Land team and other teams across Innovate UK to support plans for independent programme evaluations as relevant for the programmes, engaging with external evaluation providers where necessary to ensure evaluations meet Innovate UK’s expectations.
  • Support the Programme Manager in the set up and maintenance of Programme management products and processes: RASCI matrix, plans, actions and decisions log, programme update reports, risk registers, communications plans, finance reports, impact dashboards, lessons learnt logs, amongst others.
  • Take part in project/programme management meetings and keep track of actions, decisions and communicate those to team members.
  • Ensure effective change management processes are in place to agree and document changes to deliverables as agreed with stakeholders.
  • Support the Programme Manager in the management of internal and external team’s stakeholders.
  • Support knowledge sharing and best practice across the Life & Land team and wider Innovation As A Service Directorate.
  • Support the Programme Manager in the set up and maintenance of programme management products and processes: RASCI matrix, plans, actions and decisions log, programme update reports.

Shortlisting criteria

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting; (I) – Assessed at interview; (S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview.

Person Specification

This focused and highly-effective individual will be an excellent project manager with a proven track‑record, used to working without close direction and able to manage multiple streams of work. They will be highly flexible, capable of identifying the right approach to the challenge in hand and translating that approach into effective delivery. They will have been exposed to many different project management approaches and be able to implement project management approaches to risk management, cost management, planning, benefits management and management reporting.

Experience & Qualifications (Essential)

  • A’ levels or relevant equivalent qualification or previous relevant experience (S).
  • Knowledge of the full project lifecycle with considerable experience of providing project management support for large public sector projects (S&I).
  • Experience of delivering projects within a programme structure (S).
  • Experience of monitoring risks and managing risk escalation processes (S&I).
  • Experience of creating governance papers and minutes (S).
  • Experience of effectively communicating to a range of internal and external stakeholders (S&I).
  • Experience of achieving results through influencing skills rather than direct control (I).
  • Experience of successfully managing multiple stakeholders with conflicting demands and priorities (I).

Competencies

  • Thinking and Problem Solving
  • Stakeholder management
  • Communication skills
  • Influencing
  • Self‑awareness / self‑management
  • Strategic awareness
  • Working with others
  • Project management

Travel Requirements

There will be a requirement to travel, mostly national, and there is some flexibility in this. Innovate UK staff make extensive use of telepresence tools for meetings to minimise unnecessary travel.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Innovate UK is a diverse workforce of people. We believe that encouraging these differences and drawing the best from them will build a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where talents are fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met. Underpinning this is a belief that it is a fundamental right for everyone to be treated equally, with fairness, respect and dignity. We will act directly and use our influence to ensure that this right is promoted and upheld; we encourage applications from all those who meet the criteria set‑out in our role profiles.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to employing any person who meets the criteria for our roles. When undertaking recruitment we may require applicants to undertake certain tests or assessments, some of which will be online and others may be in‑person. If you have a disability, heath condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia then you may be entitled to support with undertaking this type of assessment exercise. Where you feel that reasonable adjustments are required to support you, we ask that you advise your recruitment point of contact in a timely fashion, providing further information. In confidence, Innovate UK will then review your application for adjustments and provide support as required. COVID‑19 policy is available on the UKRI website.

Employee Benefits

  • 30 days’ annual leave
  • 10.5 public and privilege days
  • Flexible working hours
  • An exceptional defined benefit pension scheme
  • Access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes

Flexible Working

We understand the importance of work‑life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants.

Developing Talent

We are committed to developing employees in their roles throughout their career. Learning and development plans enable employees to continue their professional development through training and development opportunities such as e‑learning, classroom training and on‑the‑job experiences. We encourage our employees to share their learning across teams and organisations.

Parking

Limited parking subject to waiting list (Polaris House, Swindon only).

Contact

If you require any assistance or adjustments please contact Recruitment@ukri.org who will be happy to help.

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Posted: October 3rd, 2026