Programme Manager at Higher Digital

Role Purpose 

The Programme Manager will lead the definition and mobilisation of Wave 2 of the ServiceNow Next Generation Programme, building on delivery of Wave 1 and ensuring the programme is positioned for successful future delivery. 

Working as part of the programme leadership team, the role is responsible for shaping a clear, deliverable scope and approach for Wave 2, grounded in organisational priorities, operational needs and lessons learned from Wave 1. This includes establishing a credible delivery plan, resource model, and governance approach to support subsequent approval and mobilisation. 

The Programme Manager will drive stakeholder engagement at senior levels, ensuring alignment across business and iSolutions teams, and will coordinate cross-functional activity spanning technology, data, testing, business change, and supplier delivery. 

A key focus of the role is to translate learning from Wave 1 into improved delivery confidence for Wave 2, strengthening assumptions, reducing risk, and ensuring the programme is set up for scalable, sustainable delivery. 

The role will maintain clear oversight of risks, dependencies, finances, and delivery readiness, providing robust assurance and enabling informed decision-making at Digital Delivery Board and Digital Committee. 

Key Service Responsibilities 

Programme Leadership & Governance 

• Provide programme-level leadership to shape the design of Wave 2, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and organisational priorities 

• Lead early-stage programme definition, ensuring scope, objectives and foundational assumptions are clearly articulated and evidence based 

• Establish governance structures and decision-making processes suitable for the design phase, ensuring transparency, traceability and timely escalation. 

• Prepare and present programme updates, design decisions risks and financial papers to governance boards and senior stakeholders 

• Ensure RAID management with structured escalation. 

Programme Culture & Advocacy 

• Act as a visible champion for the Programme across the University, promoting its strategic purpose, and building confidence in the design of Wave 2 

• Communicate progress, risks, insights and design decisions to ensure stakeholders remain informed, engaged and aligned 

• Engage senior stakeholders and suppliers to maintain visibility and reinforce how the proposed Wave 2 design aligns with organisational needs and priorities 

• Provide motivating, visible and cohesive leadership across all programme resources  

• Foster a high‑performance culture, shared ownership of outcomes and clarity of purpose 

• Shape ways of working that encourage collaboration, momentum and discipline during discovery and design activities. 

• Promote an evidence-based, lessons learned driven culture by embedding insights from Wave 1 and encouraging openness, reflection and continuous improvement 

Delivery Stabilisation & Assurance 

• Assess delivery status across workstreams and identify sequencing risks and blockers that may impact programme design 

• Recommend and implement stabilisation actions to ensure that discovery and design activities progress in a controlled and disciplined manner 

• Drive delivery discipline, transparency and structured reporting to support evidence-based choices 

Financial & Commercial Oversight 

• Monitor budget performance during Wave 2, ensuring expenditure and forecast-to-complete remain aligned to programme assumptions. 

• Oversee supplier performance and commercial compliance. 

• Own business case development through clear financial articulation of options, costs, risks and benefits  

Stakeholder, Supplier & Cross-Functional Leadership 

• Build productive senior stakeholder relationships across Faculties and Professional Services to ensure programme design aligns with organisational needs 

• Lead integrated delivery across PMs, BAs, Test Leads, Technical and Change teams to ensure coherent and joined up design decisions. 

• Act as the senior interface with suppliers, ensuring clarity of scope, expectations and Wave 2 deliverables. 

Benefits, Readiness & Transition 

• Embed benefits management and transition planning into early design work, ensuring proposed scope and options align with expected outcomes and measurable value 

• Oversee transition planning approach, ensuring that initial service acceptance criteria and transition-to-BAU considerations are incorporated into Wave 2 design 

Required Skills, Knowledge & Experience – Essential 

Professional qualification or equivalent experience: 

• PRINCE2 or similar qualification. 

• Experience delivering major transformation programmes. 

• Managing Successful Programmes MSP experience 

• Strong programme governance and delivery skills. 

Leadership & Communication: 

• Influences senior stakeholders and presents complex information clearly. 

Planning & Analysis: 

• Ability to plan and manage major programmes. 

• Strong analytical and forecasting capability. 

Service Context 

• Services delivered under oversight of the Associate Director, Staff Hubs (ServiceNow Business Owner). 

• Onsite presence expected 1 day per week – this may need to flex to up to 3 as programme develops. 
• Candidate must live within commuting distance of Southampton

• Supplier determines how services are delivered and may provide a substitute. 

• No line management responsibility for university employees. 
• 3 - 6 months contract

This role profile is outcomes-based, allowing the supplier to determine delivery methods, supporting substitution and commercial independence.