Program Manager
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About the job
Programme Manager
Permanent
Based in The Book Hub, Burton Upon Trent
We are looking for a Programme Manager to join our friendly and dynamic team here at the Waterstones Book Hub in Burton Upon Trent. You will provide the overarching coordination needed when multiple, inter‑dependent projects are running at once. Ensure all projects align to the same strategic goals, manage complex dependencies, and maintain a high‑level view of progress, risks, and priorities. To oversee shared timelines, resources, and decision‑making structures, prevent duplication, minimise delays, and ensure issues in one area don’t derail the wider programme.
You will be able to create consistent governance, reporting, and communication across all projects, giving leaders clear, consolidated insight. The programme manager keeps the entire set of projects moving in sync and focused on delivering the intended business outcomes, not just individual outputs.
What you will be doing
Strategic Alignment
- Ensure all projects within the programme align to overarching business goals and desired outcomes.
- Maintain focus on benefits realisation rather than just project delivery.
Dependency & Risk Management
- Identify, map, and actively manage inter‑dependencies across projects.
- Anticipate risks that could impact multiple workstreams and coordinate mitigations.
Governance & Decision‑Making
- Establish and run governance forums (e.g., Steering Committees, working groups).
- Escalate issues appropriately and ensure timely decision‑making.
Integrated Planning & Roadmapping
- Build and maintain the overall programme plan, ensuring that timelines across projects align.
- Adjust sequencing to accommodate changes or delays without impacting critical outcomes.
Resource Coordination
- Oversee shared resourcing across teams, resolving conflicts or bottlenecks.
- Ensure capacity planning is accurate and sustainable.
Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Act as the central communication point across all projects and leadership levels.
- Provide clear, consolidated reporting so stakeholders have full visibility of progress and risks.
Standards, Processes & Quality Assurance
- Drive consistency in reporting, RAID logs, change control, and delivery approaches across projects.
- Ensure each project follows agreed governance and quality standards.
Benefits Tracking & Value Delivery
- Monitor whether the combined programme is delivering its intended commercial, operational, or transformational benefits.
- Adjust course where necessary to maximise value.
What we need from you
Proven Programme Management Background
- Demonstrable experience leading complex, multi‑workstream programmes with inter‑dependent timelines.
- Strong track record of delivering business transformation, operational change, or technology‑enabled programmes.
Cross‑Functional Leadership
- Experience coordinating across multiple departments (e.g., Operations, Tech, Commercial, Finance).
- Skilled at influencing senior stakeholders and managing governance forums such as Steering Committees.
Dependency, Risk & Issue Management
- Extensive experience identifying, managing, and mitigating cross‑project risks, dependencies, and resource conflicts.
Resource & Budget Oversight
- Background in managing programme budgets, resource planning, and capacity management across concurrent projects.
Strategic Planning & Benefits Realisation
- Experience developing end‑to‑end programme roadmaps.
Change Management Exposure
- Experience working with change teams to ensure smooth adoption, communication, and stakeholder engagement.
Strong Reporting & Communication Skills
- Ability to consolidate complex programme information into clear, executive‑level reporting and summaries.
Desirable:
Professional Certifications
- MSP (Managing Successful Programmes)
- PRINCE2 Practitioner
- APM PMQ/PPQ
- PMP (Project Management Professional)
- Agile or SAFe certifications
Person Profile
- Strategic, composed, and highly organised leader who thrives in complex, fast‑moving environments.
- Proactive and calm under pressure, able to spot risks early, connect the dots quickly, and bring clarity where there is ambiguity.
- Strong communicator and influencer, capable of engaging with stakeholders at every level-from hands‑on project teams to senior executives.
- Pragmatic yet detail‑aware, balance long‑term strategic thinking with the ability to get into operational detail when needed.
- Solutions‑focused, delivery‑driven mentality, with the confidence to challenge constructively, make tough prioritisation calls, and guide teams through uncertainty or change.
Demonstrate high emotional intelligence, resilience, and a collaborative approach, brings people together, fosters accountability, and maintains momentum across multiple workstreams.
Why work for Waterstones
Waterstones is the cornerstone of bookselling across the UK and Ireland. Joining Waterstones means being an active part in a success story that began in 1982, and books are as popular now as the day we started.
Trading across the UK, Ireland and Europe, we are present in over 300 shopping locations, where Waterstones continues to thrive, each year actively pursuing a programme of new bookshop openings. Online at Waterstones.com, we meanwhile mirror the essence of our bookshops, further showcasing the unique enthusiasm and knowledge of our booksellers.
If you have the relevant essential experience and you are interested, we would love to hear from you.
Waterstones is committed to encouraging equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and is dedicated toward eliminating unlawful discrimination.
Our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel fully respected and to be able to give their best.
Diversity Statement
At Waterstones, we are committed to creating a workplace that is fair and inclusive to people from all backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we strive to promote an inclusive work culture.
We are working hard to ensure our recruitment processes are free from bias, and our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel fully respected and able to give their best.
Reasonable Adjustments
We understand that some disabled applicants may, due to the nature of their disability, find some parts of the recruitment process challenging. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the interview process, please make these known either to your interviewer or the person you liaise with when setting up your interview.