Senior Project and Change Manager (1899)
Senior Project and Change Manager
Full Time (37 hrs per week) – Permanent Contract – High Wycombe Campus
Salary - £44,746 to £56,535
We’re not trying to fit in with the higher education status quo. We’re challenging it. We’re doing things differently – because our students, our people, and our communities need us to.
So this is an exciting moment to join us. With a new leadership team in place, we’re boldly reimagining what a university can be: a place rooted in social mobility, a community where difference is celebrated, and an institution that empowers people to become more than they thought possible.
We’re looking for a Senior Project and Change Manager leader who shares our drive and ambition. Someone who can lead and manage complex, high-impact strategic initiatives, ensuring large scale programmes of change are not only delivered but embraced.
Naturally, that means you’ll:
- Lead the planning, execution, and delivery of strategic initiatives and programmes across the university
- Define scope, timelines, budgets, and resource plans, ensuring alignment with the Universities strategic framework.
- Monitor and evaluate project performance, manage risks, and resolve issues to maintain momentum and quality.
- Oversee the annual business planning cycle and ensure alignment to strategy and vision
- Provide regular reporting and insights to senior stakeholders and appropriate governance boards.
- Develop and implement change that support adoption and minimise resistance.
- Design and deliver communications, training, and support materials to enable organisational adoption.
- Champion a culture of agility, resilience, and continuous improvement
- Develop trusted relationships with senior leaders, sponsors, and cross-functional teams.
- Act as a visible advocate for change, inspiring confidence and clarity throughout the organisation.
- Lead the Transformation team, provide coaching and mentorship.
- Contribute to the development of project and change management frameworks, tools, and best practices.
- Identify inefficiencies and contribute to the evolution of project management methodologies and tools.
- Support resource planning and allocation across concurrent projects.
- Manage with tenacity and curiosity.
So, if you’re ready to lead positive change, stand for something bigger than yourself, and help build a university where everyone belongs and everyone thrives – this might just be your moment.
What we offer:
- a generous holiday entitlement (30 days per annum, plus bank holidays & closure days)
- hybrid working (dependent on business needs)
- Employees Assistance Program including access to a free online GP service
- full contractual family leave and pay from day one
- training & development support opportunities
- contributory pension scheme
- discounted gym membership for our on-site gym
- a range of staff discounts with major retailers.
If you have the qualities and attributes representative of the University’s values and ambition, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Please click here to see our wide range of benefits available for employees.
Please click here for our behavioural based interview question bank.
Please click here to view our employee handbook.
For further information about this role, please contact Ashley Church, by emailing ashley.church@bnu.ac.uk
All applications are to be made in full and online.
BNU is proud to have a diverse community and a strong track record of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace and aim to continue building an environment where everyone thrives and can be themselves. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in BNU’s workforce. These include people from global majority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ people, particularly in more senior roles.
Please let us know if you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process. We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that would enable you to perform to the best of your abilities in your role. Please reach out to people@bnu.ac.uk if you have any specific needs or if you would like more information on how we can support you
We ensure that our interview/shortlisting Chairs complete the relevant e-learning and/or inclusive recruitment training.
Closing Date: Thursday 20th November 2025
Interview Date: Monday 1st December 2025
If you are successful in securing an interview for the role, you will be required to provide proof of eligibility to work in the UK.
BNU is a Disability Confident employer and as such you will be given the opportunity to declare a disability as part of the application process.
Job Description
JOB DESCRIPTION
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Job Title: Senior Project and Change Manager
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College/Directorate: Strategy & Transformation |
Grade: H |
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Location: High Wycombe
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Hours: 37 |
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Responsible to: Director of Strategy, Transformation and Futures
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Responsible for: 1. Project Manager and 2. Senior Business Planning Officer
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Job Purpose:
The purpose of the Senior Project and Change Manager is to lead and manage complex, high-impact strategic initiatives. This role sits at the intersection of execution and transformation and combines rigorous project management with people-focused change leadership. This role is instrumental in shaping how the organisation evolves, ensuring that initiatives are not only delivered but embraced. The role is also responsible for overseeing the annual business planning cycle, the capture and evaluation of institutional KPI’s and risk management process.
The postholder will practice an inclusive approach and support building an inclusive university community where people can be themselves.
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Main Duties & Responsibilities of the role:
Project Leadership
- Lead the planning, execution, and delivery of strategic initiatives and programmes across the University.
- Define scope, timelines, budgets, and resource plans, ensuring alignment with the Universities strategic framework.
- Monitor and evaluate project performance, manage risks, and resolve issues to maintain momentum and quality.
- Provide regular reporting and insights to senior stakeholders and governance boards.
Change Management
- Develop and implement change strategies that support adoption and minimise resistance.
- Design and deliver communications, training, and support materials to enable smooth transitions.
- Champion a culture of agility, resilience, and continuous improvement.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Develop trusted relationships with senior leaders, sponsors, and cross-functional teams.
- Facilitate workshops, steering groups, and feedback loops to ensure alignment and buy-in.
- Act as a visible advocate for change, inspiring confidence and clarity throughout the organisation.
Leadership & Mentorship
- Lead the Transformation team, provide coaching and mentorship.
- Contribute to the development of project and change management frameworks, tools, and best practices.
- Support the Director of Strategy, Transformation and Futures in strategic planning and programme. oversight.
- Line management responsibilities including recruitment and selection, performance management, professional development, motivation, health & safety and wellbeing.
- Supervisory duties including motivating and supporting team members, giving direction and feedback and ensuring adequate staffing cover.
Business Planning
- Oversee the annual business planning cycle and ensure alignment to strategy and vision.
- Work collaboratively with the Senior Business Planning Officer to ensure organisational and local KPI’s are captured and evaluated.
- In close collaboration with the Senior Business Planning Officer ensure risk registers are coordinated, guidance is provided to risk owners and reports are prepared and presented to the University Council and Executive.
Resource Coordination:
- Support resource planning and allocation across concurrent projects.
Additional Responsibilities
- Comply with relevant legislative and other requirements (e.g., the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR; Health and Safety; UKVI; and Equality and Diversity) in all working practice.
- Such other duties temporarily or on a continuing basis, as may reasonably be required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION – Essential Criteria Only
A = Application T = Test I = Interview
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Education, Qualifications & Training |
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Educated to degree level or equivalent experience |
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PRINCE 2 practitioner or equivalent |
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Knowledge & Experience |
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Proven approach to managing, implementing, facilitating, and monitoring change, including successful stakeholder involvement and extensive experience of working in collaboration with senior managers and strategic partners |
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Proven experience of initiating and managing change in large and complex organisations, including in the public sector, with successful outcomes, including efficiencies in processes and delivery and large-scale cost savings |
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Proven experience in creating and leading a multi-disciplinary programme team, with a detailed understanding of how to motivate individuals to maximise their performance and make the best use of limited human resources through effective work planning. |
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Significant experience of managing programmes involving evaluating risk, planning, reporting and configuration management |
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Works well under pressure and with complexity and ambiguity and can flex to changes in business priorities |
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Skills |
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Good understanding of the nature of professional services and academic operations |
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Ability to consult and communicate clearly and effectively and develop positive working relationships across service boundaries and hierarchies, internally and externally. |
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Ability to write programme and project documentation that is clear and appropriate to audience. |
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Ability to take a lead in development, to plan, organise and manage priorities, projects, resources and workloads. |
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Ability to identify, analyse and manage programme issues and risks |
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Understanding of relevant planning and budgeting processes and the ability to develop and control budgets and contracts for goods and services. |
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Knowledge of relevant issues in Higher Education. |
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Ability to design, develop and deliver different aspects of work from inception to completion (e.g. relating to strategy and policy, and University-wide/external projects). |
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Ability to analyse and solve problems of a complex nature. |
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Ability to think strategically, e.g. when making decisions. |
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Ability to present concepts and complex material to a range of audiences. |
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Professional approach to work and work colleagues and an ability to work independently and show initiative. |
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Good organisational, oral communication, interpersonal, networking skills and time management skills. |
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Ability to define problems and evaluate new concepts and ideas and produce recommendations |
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Behavioural INDICATORS
The BNU Behaviours Framework (BBF) is a framework for all University staff that sets out the key behaviours that exemplify the DRIVE values and ethos of the University. The nine categories provide a clear steer on behavioural expectations that will help support a step change in the performance and culture of the University. The three key behavioural indicators for this post are as follows:
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Embracing change Being open to and engaging with new ideas and ways of working. Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, shifting demands and changing roles.
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Developing self and others Showing commitment to own ongoing professional development. Supporting and encouraging others to develop their professional knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable them to reach their full potential.
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Achieving results Consistently meeting agreed objectives and success criteria. Taking personal responsibility for getting things done.
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