Salary: £60,340 - £65,483

Closing date: 26/07/2026

Hours Per Week: 36.25

Term: 24 month Fixed Term Contract


Job Details

Strategic Transformation Lead Capital Programmes
Residing within Greater Manchester, and being able to regularly travel across GM sites, would be beneficial.

Grade 11 | Greater Manchester | Closing date: 26 July 2026

Transform Greater Manchester’s Fire Estate

This is a unique opportunity to lead a high-profile transformation programme that will reshape the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) estate.

As Strategic Transformation Lead Capital Programmes, you will take overall responsibility for delivering a major capital investment programme spanning new build fire stations, refurbishment schemes and decarbonisation initiatives. This role sits at the centre of GMCA’s ambitions to modernise infrastructure, improve operational capability and deliver long-term sustainability outcomes.

You will combine strategic leadership with hands-on programme deliveryensuring projects of varying scale and complexity are aligned, governed effectively and delivered to time, cost and quality expectations.

Why This Role Is Different

This is not a traditional programme role. You will:

  • Lead a complex, multi-million-pound capital programme across a live operational blue light emergency service estate
  • Hold portfolio-level accountability for both minor works programmes and major capital schemes
  • Shape and embed governance, assurance and delivery standards across the programme
  • Drive both strategic planning and hands-on delivery, from early design through to construction
  • Operate at the intersections of strategy, construction, operations and public service delivery

Your work will have a direct and visible impact on frontline services and the communities they support.

Your Role: Strategic Leadership and Programme Delivery

You will provide clear leadership across the entire capital programme, ensuring all projects contribute to a coherent, prioritised and deliverable investment plan.

Lead a Major Capital Transformation Programme

  • Take overall accountability for the GMFRS estate transformation programme, including new builds, refurbishments and lifecycle works
  • Develop and maintain a structured and prioritised capital programme, spanning:
  • Sub-£1m schemes (planned works, lifecycle and compliance activity)
  • £1m+ schemes (new builds and major refurbishments via RIBA stages)
  • Translate strategic objectives into phased, deliverable investment plans

Governance, Assurance and Performance

  • Define and lead the capital programme governance framework
  • Oversee cost, risk, schedule and benefits realisation at portfolio level
  • Ensure robust decision-making through gateway controls and audit trails
  • Provide clear and consistent reporting to senior leaders and governance boards

Deliver Complex Capital Projects

  • Lead delivery of projects from RIBA Stage 1 through to construction and completion
  • Oversee procurement and performance of design teams, contractors and consultants
  • Ensure delivery meets time, cost and quality expectations, alongside statutory and regulatory requirements
  • Drive development of a standardised design template for future fire stations

Financial and Commercial Leadership

  • Hold accountability for capital budgets, expenditure and forecasting
  • Shape procurement strategies aligned to risk, value and market conditions
  • Ensure value for money and strong commercial outcomes across all schemes

Lead People and Resources

  • Lead and manage a multi-disciplinary capital delivery team, including:
    • Senior Project Managers
    • Project Managers
    • Quantity Surveyors
    • Clerk of Works
  • Align team capacity and capability with programme demand
  • Act as the senior escalation point for delivery risks and performance issues

Work Across a Complex Stakeholder Environment

  • Collaborate closely with GMFRS, GMCA teams, operational users and external partners
  • Build strong relationships with senior leaders, consultants, contractors and stakeholders
  • Influence decisions, align priorities and ensure commitment to delivery outcomes

What You Bring

We are looking for an experienced programme leader with the ability to operate at scale in a complex, multi-stakeholder built environment.

Experience and Expertise

  • Significant experience leading capital programmes or portfolios across mixed-value schemes
  • Strong knowledge of capital governance, investment appraisal and risk management
  • Experience delivering both high-volume minor works and major capital projects
  • In-depth understanding of RIBA Plan of Work, procurement and construction delivery
  • Proven ability to manage multi-site construction programmes, ideally in public sector or emergency services environments

Leadership and Delivery

  • Strong track record of delivering complex programmes to measurable outcomes
  • Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and external consultants
  • Ability to manage risk, dependencies, budgets and competing priorities

Commercial and Financial Capability

  • Excellent financial planning and budget management skills
  • Experience with contracts, procurement and supply chain management
  • Strong commercial awareness and ability to drive value

Skills and Behaviours

  • Highly effective communicator with the ability to influence at senior levels
  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex information and drive decisions
  • Capable of building trusted relationships across organisations
  • Resilient, adaptable and comfortable operating in complex, fast-paced environments
  • Committed to public service, collaboration and continuous improvement

The Impact You’ll Have

This role is more than programme delivery role; it is an opportunity to build the foundations of a safer, stronger Greater Manchester. You will help build infrastructure that enables us to serve every community in Greater Manchester with confidence and professionalism. You will make a difference not only to the organisation but to the wider region it supports.

In this role, you will:

  • Deliver a modern, efficient and sustainable fire and rescue estate
  • Enable improved operational response and frontline service delivery
  • Ensure capital investment delivers measurable operational, financial and environmental benefits
  • Embed a consistent, high-performing approach to capital programme delivery across GMCA

This is a role where your work will directly influence public safety, service resilience and long-term regional outcomes.

Why Join GMCA and what sets us apart?

There has never been a more important moment for public estate transformation. We are building for the future. The organisation is undergoing significant positive change and this role will be integral to shaping new standards of performance, capability and delivery.

You will play a key role in delivering a transformed fire and rescue estate that strengthens operational capability, improves service resilience and ensures assets are fit for the future. Through the successful delivery of capital investment programmes, your leadership will directly enable frontline response, modernise infrastructure and support Greater Manchester’s wider priorities around sustainability, growth and public service reform.

You will join a team that is:

  • Delivering complex capital programmes that modernise critical emergency service infrastructure
  • Driving net zero and decarbonisation through the design and construction of new and refurbished assets
  • Working in partnership with operational services, technical specialists and delivery partners to achieve shared outcomes
  • Focused on disciplined programme delivery, strong governance and measurable impact

Ready to Lead at Scale?

If you are looking for challenge responsibility and a chance to build something meaningful this is the environment for you. If you are driven by purpose, complexity and delivery, and want to take on a role where you can genuinely shape outcomes across a major city region we’d like to hear from you.

Joining our Team offers a host of Exceptional Benefits

  • Hybrid Working Flexibility to blend office and remote work for optimal productivity and personal wellbeing
  • Invest in your professional development We have a range of Learning and Development opportunities to support our people to learn and grow.
  • Annual Leave Scheme enjoy 26 days of annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 31 days plus bank holidays after 5 years service.
  • Generous Pension Scheme We are part of the local government pension scheme, which offers a 19.2% employer contribution, as well as an AVC option
  • Corporate Transport & Green Commute Initiatives Including a Season Ticket Scheme, Cycle to Work programs and Electric Car Lease options to support eco-friendly commuting
  • Giving something back We also offer our teams the opportunity to give back to their local communities through volunteer days.
  • Employee Assistance Programme Confidential support available 24/7 for personal and professional matters
  • Occupational Health Access to our dedicated team for health advice and support

How to Apply

Applications close 26th July 2026.

Submit your CV to register your interest or request an initial confidential discussion.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Hamza.Butt@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Supporting Documents

↗ Strategic Transformation Lead RP

Ready to apply?

Location

Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU, United Kingdom

Job ID

1221

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