Programme Director, Greater Manchester Baccalaureate

Salary: £66,727 - £72,554 (Subject to JE)

Your role:

This is an opportunity to lead something genuinely new.

As Programme Director for the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc), you will play a prominent role in transforming technical education across the city region. The MBacc, building on the vision set out by the Mayor, aims to guarantee that every young person growing up in our city-region has a clear path and line of sight to good jobs and training opportunities right here in Greater Manchester.

You will be responsible for driving the programme forward, embedding it at all levels to ensure the system demonstrably values technical education as a prestigious route. That means working closely with local authorities, education providers, employers and national partners as well as with colleagues across GMCA. You will operate at senior level, helping to shape policy, guide investment and navigate a highprofile and politically visible area of work.

This role is well suited to someone who wants to make a lasting difference, enjoys working across boundaries and is motivated by improving outcomes for young people at scale. It offers influence, responsibility and the chance to help position Greater Manchester as a leader in technical education.

About you:

You are someone who leads with purpose and understands the realities of working in complex public sector environments.

You bring experience of leading significant programmes or services and are comfortable working with a wide range of partners, including senior leaders and elected members. You are thoughtful in how you approach challenge, able to balance different perspectives and confident in offering clear advice when it matters.

You care about inclusion and fairness and actively create space for different voices, particularly those of young people. You work collaboratively and value strong relationships, knowing that lasting change depends on trust and shared ownership.

You communicate clearly and honestly, whether you are explaining complex issues, engaging partners or supporting colleagues through change. You take responsibility seriously, work with integrity and hold yourself and others to high professional standards.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. Flexible working is supported, and we are committed to creating an environment where people feel respected, supported and able to do their best work.

About us:

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) brings together the cityregion’s ten councils and key partners including Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) - to deliver the Greater Manchester Strategy. Our shared vision is to create a thriving city region where everyone can live a good life. We work to grow an inclusive economy and ensure people have what they need to live happy, healthy lives, tackling inequalities. Our policy department include Digital, Economy, Education, Work & Skills, Environment, Place Making, Public Service Reform, and Safer & Stronger Communities - who are supported by our essential corporate functions like Finance, Legal & Governance, People Services, Procurement and Communications.

We value the diversity of our employees, and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects our diverse communities across Greater Manchester. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified individuals, irrespective of people's age, disability, Trans status and Non-binary identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We have guidance in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

To find out more about working for us please click here: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/

Our offer:

In return for your hard work, we offer our employees a competitive package as part of our offer that you can find out more about here:

Greater Manchester Combined Authority - Home | greater.jobs