Duration: Fixed Term for 12 months.  

Salary: Circa £55,000 per annum 

Job Level: 3 

Hours: 35 hours per week  

Disclosure Level: Basic. This role involves no direct or indirect work with children. 

Reports to: Head of PMO 

Location: Minimum requirement of 2 days in the office at 1 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ. 

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we work alongside partners and communities to help realise children’s rights and build a better world for every child. We are committed to an inclusive workplace where people feel valued, supported, and able to thrive – connected by shared values, a sense of purpose and a collective commitment to making childhood unstoppable.  

Our work is guided by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recognise the universality of children’s rights. 

ABOUT THE TEAM  

The Strategic Portfolio Management Office (PMO) sits within the Strategy Department and exists to help UNICEF UK deliver its strategic objectives through stronger portfolio oversight, strategic delivery, governance, financial oversight, audit and assurance, and standardisation.  

The PMO is the organisational centre of excellence for strategic portfolio management and delivery discipline, working across directorates to improve prioritisation, visibility, governance, sequencing and accountability across strategic portfolio initiatives.       

The project delivery function sits within the PMO supporting commissioning, prioritisation, planning, dependency management, risk management, reporting and portfolio visibility. It works closely with stakeholders across the organisation to support evidence-based decisions and coordinated delivery. 

ABOUT THE ROLE 

The Senior Project Manager is a senior delivery leader responsible for successfully leading and delivering complex, high-value strategic projects, programmes and transformational change initiatives that are critical to achieving UNICEF UK's strategic objectives. Reporting to the Head of PMO, the role provides end-to-end leadership across the full project and change lifecycle, ensuring initiatives are delivered on time, within budget, to the required quality standards and with sustainable business outcomes. 

Combining strong project delivery expertise with proven organisational change management capability, the postholder leads multidisciplinary teams, influences senior stakeholders and drives the successful adoption of new ways of working. They ensure that change is not only delivered but fully embedded, with measurable benefits realised and lasting improvements achieved across the organisation. 

Working as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, the Senior Project and Change Manager provides strategic leadership in navigating complexity, resolving delivery challenges and balancing competing priorities while maintaining a relentless focus on value, governance and organisational outcomes. 

Alongside leading strategic initiatives, the role plays a key leadership role within the PMO by championing delivery excellence, strengthening project governance, promoting best practice and supporting the continuous improvement of project and change management capability across the organisation. This includes coaching delivery teams, embedding consistent delivery standards, and contributing to the ongoing evolution of project methodologies, tools, and frameworks. 

The role is also responsible for leading and supporting project assurance, audit and governance activities, providing independent challenge and objective assessment of project health, delivery confidence and governance effectiveness. The postholder plans and undertakes assurance reviews, health checks and stage-gate assessments, validating that projects remain aligned to strategic objectives, are effectively managed and are operating within agreed governance and control frameworks. 

Working closely with PMO colleagues, the Senior Project and Change Manager identifies delivery risks, control weaknesses and emerging issues, ensuring findings are translated into practical recommendations and measurable improvements. They oversee the implementation of assurance actions, monitor progress through to completion and provide confidence to senior leadership that projects are resilient, well governed and capable of withstanding internal and external scrutiny. 

Through visible leadership, collaborative engagement and evidence-based decision-making, the Senior Project and Change Manager builds organisational confidence in the successful delivery of change, ensuring strategic investments realise their intended benefits while continuously improving delivery capability across UNICEF UK. 

WHAT WE WILL EXPECT YOU TO ACHIEVE 

• Lead the successful end-to-end delivery of complex, high-value strategic projects, programmes and transformational change initiatives within the Strategic Portfolio, ensuring they deliver agreed outcomes, benefits and organisational value while meeting quality, time and budget expectations. 

• Provide visible leadership throughout the project lifecycle, establishing clear direction, maintaining delivery momentum and creating a collaborative, high-performing environment that enables multidisciplinary teams to succeed. 

• Partner with Executive Sponsors, Directors and senior stakeholders to define strategic objectives, scope, success measures, governance arrangements, benefits and investment requirements, providing expert advice and constructive challenge to support informed decision-making. 

• Develop and maintain integrated delivery plans, governance documentation and management controls, including project plans, budgets, resource plans, RAID logs, dependency maps, benefits plans and executive reporting, ensuring information is accurate, evidence-based and decision-ready. 

• Anticipate, manage and resolve complex risks, issues, dependencies and organisational barriers, taking timely action to maintain delivery confidence and escalating strategic risks where appropriate. 

• Lead the people aspects of change by developing and implementing effective change management, communication, engagement, readiness and adoption strategies that ensure new ways of working are successfully embedded and sustainable benefits are realised. 

• Establish and maintain effective project governance, ensuring delivery remains aligned with organisational priorities, complies with agreed standards and applies proportionate controls that enable successful delivery rather than unnecessary bureaucracy. 

• Lead and support project assurance and audit activities, undertaking project health checks, assurance reviews and stage-gate assessments to provide independent confidence in project performance, governance and delivery capability. Ensure assurance findings are translated into measurable improvements and that agreed actions are implemented and tracked through to completion. 

• Take ownership of financial management across assigned initiatives, including budget management, forecasting, cost control and benefits realisation, ensuring investment decisions are supported by accurate financial and performance information. 

• Produce high-quality reporting, analysis and recommendations for Project Boards, governance forums and Executive stakeholders, providing clear insight into delivery performance, strategic risks, emerging issues and opportunities to support timely decision-making. 

• Build strong, trusted relationships with business leaders, delivery teams and external partners, influencing without direct authority to achieve alignment, resolve complex challenges and deliver shared organisational objectives. 

• Champion excellence in project and change management by coaching colleagues, sharing best practice and contributing to the continuous improvement of PMO frameworks, governance, methodologies, delivery standards and organisational capability. 

• Select and apply the most appropriate delivery methodology—including Agile, Waterfall or Hybrid approaches—tailoring governance and delivery practices to the complexity, risk and needs of each initiative while maintaining a strong focus on outcomes, value and benefits realisation. 

• Promote a culture of continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned, measuring delivery performance and identifying opportunities to strengthen project delivery, governance and organisational change capability across UNICEF UK. 

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS 

This section contains the essential behaviours, experience, knowledge and skills needed in order to be effective and successful in this role. 

Effective behaviours  

All criteria within this section are essential for success in the role. 

Mission Driven & Values Led 

• Demonstrates a genuine commitment to UNICEF UK's mission and the rights of every child, ensuring all decisions, projects and change initiatives contribute to delivering sustainable organisational impact. 

• Acts with integrity, professionalism and accountability, consistently demonstrating the organisation's values and promoting ethical decision-making, inclusion and respect. 

Leadership & Collaboration 

• Provides confident and collaborative leadership, building high-performing relationships across functions and creating an environment where teams are empowered to deliver successful outcomes. 

• Establishes trusted partnerships with Executive Sponsors, senior leaders, colleagues and external stakeholders, influencing without direct authority to achieve shared objectives. 

• Values diversity of thought, experience and perspective, fostering an inclusive culture where collaboration strengthens innovation, decision-making and delivery. 

Communication & Influencing 

• Communicates complex information, strategic risks and delivery insight clearly, confidently and with credibility, adapting style and content for Executive, Board and operational audiences. 

• Builds commitment to change through effective engagement, active listening and constructive challenge, enabling informed decisions and successful adoption of new ways of working. 

• Presents clear recommendations supported by evidence, balancing strategic insight with practical solutions to support confident decision-making. 

Delivering Excellence 

• Demonstrates a strong focus on outcomes, ensuring projects and change initiatives are delivered to a high standard and achieve agreed benefits, quality, timescales and value. 

• Effectively manages competing priorities, complex stakeholder environments and organisational challenges, applying sound judgement and maintaining delivery momentum. 

• Continuously seeks opportunities to improve delivery, governance and organisational capability, embedding lessons learned and promoting best practice. 

Governance, Risk & Assurance 

• Champions proportionate governance, ensuring appropriate controls, assurance and compliance are embedded throughout the project lifecycle while enabling effective delivery. 

• Demonstrates confidence in identifying, assessing and managing risks, issues and dependencies, providing constructive challenge and taking timely action to protect delivery outcomes. 

• Promotes a culture of accountability, transparency and continuous improvement, ensuring decisions are evidence-based and capable of withstanding internal and external scrutiny. 

Resilience & Adaptability 

• Remains calm, resilient and solutions-focused when leading complex projects and organisational change within dynamic and evolving environments. 

• Responds positively to ambiguity and changing priorities, adapting plans and approaches while maintaining focus on strategic outcomes and organisational objectives. 

• Demonstrates emotional intelligence, professionalism and personal resilience, supporting colleagues through change and fostering confidence during periods of uncertainty. 

Relevant Experience  

• Significant experience leading the successful delivery of complex, high-value projects, programmes and transformational change initiatives within a PMO, portfolio or enterprise change environment. 

• Proven track record of delivering strategic change from initiation through to implementation and benefits realisation, ensuring delivery aligns with organisational objectives, governance requirements and business priorities. 

• Extensive experience working in complex, matrix organisations, successfully engaging and influencing Executive Sponsors, senior leaders, multidisciplinary teams and external partners to achieve successful outcomes. 

• Demonstrable experience applying structured project, programme and organisational change management methodologies, selecting and tailoring delivery approaches to meet the complexity and needs of each initiative. 

• Experience establishing and operating effective governance arrangements, providing delivery assurance, managing risk and ensuring compliance with organisational standards and recognised best practice. 

• Experience undertaking or contributing to project assurance, health checks, audit reviews or stage-gate assessments, providing objective challenge and driving improvements to delivery confidence, governance and organisational capability. 

• Proven experience managing project budgets, financial forecasting, resource planning, dependency management and benefits realisation within complex programmes or strategic initiatives. 

• Experience leading organisational change activities, including stakeholder engagement, communication, business readiness, implementation and embedding sustainable change. 

Specific Knowledge & Skills    

• Comprehensive knowledge of project, programme and change management methodologies, including PRINCE2, MSP, Agile, Waterfall and Hybrid delivery approaches, with the ability to apply them pragmatically. 

• Strong understanding of organisational change management principles, including change impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, communications, business readiness, adoption and benefits realisation. 

• Excellent knowledge of governance, risk management, assurance and internal control frameworks, with the ability to apply proportionate governance that supports effective delivery while maintaining organisational compliance. 

• Strong commercial and financial management skills, including business case development, budget management, forecasting, cost control and benefits tracking. 

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex information, identify trends, evaluate risks and provide evidence-based recommendations to senior decision-makers. 

• Outstanding written, verbal and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate confidently and influence effectively at Executive and operational levels. 

• Strong stakeholder management, facilitation and negotiation skills, capable of building trusted relationships and achieving consensus across diverse stakeholder groups. 

• High level of proficiency in project and portfolio management technologies, including Asana or equivalent platforms, with experience of using dashboards, workflow automation and management information to support delivery, governance and decision-making. 

• Demonstrates strategic thinking, sound judgement and a continuous improvement mindset, using lessons learned and performance insight to strengthen delivery capability, governance and organisational outcomes.