Job Details

IT Programme Manager

Location: Lewisham, London
Organisation: Lewisham Council
Contract: Temporary / Contract
Department: Digital, IT and Transformation

About the Role

We are currently seeking an experienced IT Programme Manager to join Lewisham Council to lead and deliver a portfolio of complex IT, digital transformation and organisational change programmes.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced programme management professional to play a key role in delivering technology-enabled improvements across the council. You will be responsible for overseeing programmes from initial planning and development through to implementation, ensuring projects are delivered effectively, benefits are realised and services are improved.

Working closely with senior council leaders, service managers, technical teams and external partners, you will provide strategic direction, leadership and control across multiple projects. You will ensure that programmes align with organisational priorities, remain within agreed budgets and timescales, and deliver measurable improvements to council services.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in managing large-scale IT programmes, digital transformation and organisational change, ideally within local government or a complex public-sector environment.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Leadership and Delivery

• Lead the planning, development and delivery of complex IT and digital transformation programmes across the organisation.
• Take overall responsibility for programme delivery, ensuring projects are coordinated and aligned with wider organisational objectives.
• Develop detailed programme plans, delivery milestones, project schedules and implementation strategies.
• Manage multiple projects and workstreams simultaneously, ensuring dependencies are identified and effectively coordinated.
• Monitor programme progress, identify potential delays and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Ensure programmes are delivered to agreed timescales, budgets, quality standards and expected outcomes.
• Oversee the transition of completed projects into business-as-usual operations, ensuring services are fully prepared for implementation.

Digital Transformation and Service Improvement

• Lead technology-enabled transformation initiatives designed to improve council services, processes and operational efficiency.
• Work with service areas to identify opportunities for digital improvement, automation and more effective ways of working.
• Support the redesign of existing services and business processes through the effective use of technology.
• Ensure digital programmes deliver tangible improvements for service users, employees and the wider organisation.
• Encourage innovation and the adoption of new technologies and digital solutions.
• Ensure proposed technology changes are aligned with the council’s strategic priorities and long-term transformation plans.

Budget and Resource Management

• Manage programme budgets, ensuring expenditure is monitored and controlled effectively.
• Oversee financial planning, forecasting, resource allocation and cost management across programme workstreams.
• Manage programme resources, ensuring the appropriate skills and capacity are available to deliver agreed objectives.
• Identify financial risks and take appropriate action to manage potential overspending.
• Monitor programme performance against agreed financial targets and provide regular updates to senior management.
• Oversee programme budgets ranging from approximately £100,000 to £1 million.

Stakeholder and Team Management

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with senior council officers, directors, service managers, technical specialists and external suppliers.
• Engage with stakeholders to understand business requirements, programme priorities and expected outcomes.
• Provide clear programme updates, progress reports and recommendations to senior management and governance boards.
• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams, ensuring responsibilities, objectives and delivery expectations are clearly understood.
• Manage stakeholder expectations and resolve issues that may affect programme delivery.
• Communicate complex technical and programme information in a clear and accessible way.

Governance, Risk and Performance Management

• Establish and maintain effective programme governance arrangements, ensuring appropriate oversight and accountability.
• Manage programme risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies (RAID).
• Identify potential delivery challenges and develop mitigation plans.
• Ensure appropriate programme documentation, reporting and controls are maintained.
• Monitor programme performance against agreed objectives, milestones and key performance indicators.
• Ensure programme benefits are clearly defined, tracked and successfully realised.
• Escalate significant risks and issues to senior management where necessary.

Procurement and Supplier Management

• Work alongside procurement, commercial and technical teams to support programme-related purchasing and supplier arrangements.
• Manage relationships with external technology providers, consultants and delivery partners.
• Monitor supplier performance and ensure agreed contractual obligations and service standards are met.
• Support the evaluation and implementation of technology solutions.
• Ensure external suppliers and partners contribute effectively to programme objectives.

Essential Skills and Experience

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Significant experience working as an IT Programme Manager, Senior Project Manager or within a similar programme leadership position.
• Proven experience delivering complex IT, technology and digital transformation programmes.
• Experience managing multiple projects and workstreams within a large and complex organisation.
• Strong knowledge of programme planning, governance, reporting and delivery methodologies.
• Experience managing budgets, financial forecasts, resources and programme expenditure.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage confidently with senior leaders and technical teams.
• Experience managing programme risks, issues, dependencies and delivery challenges.
• A strong understanding of organisational change, business process improvement and service redesign.
• Experience managing external suppliers, consultants and commercial relationships.
• The ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and drive successful programme outcomes.
• Excellent communication, organisation, problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Qualifications and Professional Development

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• PRINCE2, MSP, APM or another recognised programme/project management qualification would be advantageous.
• Experience of Agile, Waterfall or hybrid programme delivery methodologies.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience working within local government, a local authority or the wider public sector.
• Experience delivering council-wide digital transformation or technology improvement programmes.
• Understanding of public-sector governance, procurement and financial management processes.
• Experience delivering programmes involving multiple departments and service areas.
• Knowledge of digital service delivery and technology modernisation.

Why Apply?

This is an excellent opportunity to take ownership of significant technology and transformation programmes within a local authority environment. You will work with senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams, helping to shape how digital services are delivered and supporting improvements across the organisation.

If you have a strong background in IT programme management, digital transformation and delivering complex organisational change, we would welcome your application.