Join us in reshaping support for children, young people and families across Greater Manchester.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager to join the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's Public Service Reform Directorate, The role will play a pivotal role in designing, commissioning, delivering and learning from our aligned programmes of work focused on early intervention and prevention. Working across health, local government and the voluntary sector, you the role will help shape how services collaborate at neighbourhood level to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.

Across Greater Manchester, partners are working together to redesign how support is organised around children and families. We are bringing together NHS organisations, local authorities, voluntary and community organisations and wider public services to create more joined-up, preventative and person-centred support delivered closer to home. This work forms part of Greater Manchester's wider neighbourhood model and Live Well approach, helping ensure children, young people and families can access the right support at the right time, while reducing inequalities and improving outcomes.

As Senior Project Manager, you will provide play a pivotal role in delivering Greater Manchester's programme of neighbourhood reform for children and young people with a focus on the development of integrated models for multidisciplinary neighborhood teams and family support. The role will coordinate project planning and delivery to align major transformation programmes, including Best Start in Life and Family Hubs, multidisciplinary neighbourhood health teams, and Families First, helping partners to develop a coherent approach to neighbourhood delivery across the city-region. Working with senior leaders from NHS organisations, local authorities, GMCA and voluntary sector partners, you will help shape policy, influence system-wide decision making and ensure reform programmes are aligned behind a common vision for improving outcomes for children and families.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys working across organisational boundaries, building partnerships and bringing together people from different backgrounds to achieve a common purpose. You will help shape the future direction of Greater Manchester's neighbourhood model for children and young people, influencing how health, local government and community partners work together to deliver earlier intervention, reduce inequalities and improve outcomes for families across the city-region.

Key areas of responsibility will include:

• Leading project management across high profile workstreams and partnership projects, leading end to delivery and ensuring agreed milestones are achieved

• Identifying opportunities to align health, local authority and community-led reform programmes

• Oversee programme reporting and assurance, including risk and issue management.

• Use data, insight and learning to inform programme design, improvement and system change.

• Support collaborative working and shared ownership across partners, embedding coproduction where appropriate.

• Prepare highquality briefings, reports and updates for senior leaders, boards and elected member

;; You will work closely with senior stakeholders to develop shared priorities, governance arrangements and delivery frameworks, while identifying risks, resolving barriers and ensuring that activity across the system contributes to a coherent neighbourhood model. The work you do will influence how services are designed and delivered across Greater Manchester for years to come.

Greater Manchester is at the forefront of public policy innovation and new thinking about how to transform the lives of local citizens. Our vision is to make Greater Manchester one of the best places in the world to grow up, get on, and grow old. We will do this by nurturing a world class, competitive, caring and economically sustainable place to live. This is an exciting time to be working in the city region for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Applicants need to be flexible to changing circumstances our work changes daily, and candidates should be willing and confident in turning their hands to a wide variety of tasks. In return, the successful candidate will get to work in one of the most exciting areas of the country, with people who have a real passion for Greater Manchester and the work we do.

Please apply by completing the application form. You will also be asked to supply a brief covering letter explaining how your knowledge and experience equip you for the role by 12/10/2026 at 23:59.

About you:

We are looking for someone who is motivated by improving outcomes for children, young people and families, and who thrives in partnership environments.

You might currently be working in local government, the NHS, a public body, the voluntary sector, consultancy or another relevant field. What matters most is your ability to bring people together and help complex programmes succeed.

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate that they have:

• Significant experience leading complex programmes within a public service, health or partnership environment.
• Experience influencing senior decision-makers across multiple organisations.
• Strong understanding of system leadership and partnership working.
• Experience operating within politically and organisationally complex environments.
• Ability to translate strategic vision into deliverable programmes of work.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships and competing priorities.
• Ability to identify opportunities for system improvement and lead change across organisational boundaries.
• Strong analytical, communication and leadership skills.
• Knowledge of children's services, early years, family support, health services or related policy areas would be advantageous but is not essential.

Think you meet some, but not all, of the criteria above? We would still encourage you to apply. We recognise that great candidates develop their skills through a range of professional, academic and lived experiences, and we are keen to hear what you could bring to the role.

In return, you will have the opportunity to work on programmes that make a real difference to the lives of children, young people and families across Greater Manchester. You will work alongside passionate colleagues and partners from across the public and voluntary sectors, contributing to some of the most ambitious public service reform programmes in the country.

About us:

As an employer, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is made up of a number of key Greater Manchester strategic functions and service providers including; Public Sector Reform; Police, Crime and Criminal Justice; Work and Skills; Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS); Waste and Resources; Environment; and Strategy and Research.

We value the diversity of our employees, and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects our diverse communities across Greater Manchester. We welcome 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/what-we-do/children-and-young-people/

Our offer:

In return for your hard work, we offer our employees a competitive package as part of our offer, which includes:

• Flexible working conditions with the ability to accrue 2 flexi days every 4 weeks (up to grade 11)
• Commitment to diversity and inclusivity with 5 active staff networks including:
  • Rainbow Staff Network for employees who identify as: Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer and Questioning, Intersex. Ace+.
  • RISE Staff Network for employees supporting race and faith equality in the workplace.
  • GM Women’s Success and Support staff network for all Women and Allies in the workplace.
  • Dis-Ability employee staff network for employees supporting equal access in the workplace for physical and hidden Dis-abilities.
  • EDI Single Point of Contact (SPOC’s) for members who are active allies, shaping equality across the service.
• Family friendly policies including parental leave (maternity, shared parental, adoption, maternity support)
• Generous Annual leave scheme - 25 days + Bank Holidays per annum upon starting, after 5 years’ service increase to 30 days + BH and after 10 years’ service increase to 32 days +BH.
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Employer investment in training and development, and professional sponsorship including CPD
• Corporate travel loans
• Cycle scheme
• Discount scheme (MiRewards) on local and national high street brands
• Health and wellbeing offer - Occupational Health and Employee Assistance programme
• Modern city centre offices (role specific)
• Sports and welfare club

Please note, we expect interviews to be held (online) w/c 02/11/2026

Mandatory information:

Privacy Notice

Employees on the redeployment register will be given priority for any vacancies in the first instance. If employees are identified as a match from the register then the vacancy may be withdrawn or put on hold pending an outcome.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.

Hybrid working

This role is part of GMCA’s hybrid working scheme. As part of our commitment to ‘Build Back Fairer’ in Greater Manchester following the Covid-19 pandemic, we have evolved our management methods by trusting and empowering staff to deliver their work in the best way that suits the business and their individual needs, and supports health and wellbeing. Our hybrid working policy sets out a flexible approach, combining attendance at our on-site locations with remote working, typically from home; the location of work is primarily dictated by the needs of the business: ‘Do what is right for you and the business on that day’. If appointed to the role you will work with your manager to agree and regularly review the best working pattern for you, your team and your work.

Privacy Notice (Click here)

Employees on the redeployment register will be given priority for any vacancies in the first instance. If employees are identified as a match from the register then the vacancy may be withdrawn or put on hold pending an outcome.

For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note we are not a licenced sponsor.