Programme manager jobs in Liverpool, merseyside

Job Purpose: Lead delivery of a national climate action programme (BELIEVE in Climate Action), managing cross-sector partnerships, stakeholder engagement and programme operations. Oversee youth-led initiatives and knowledge exchange, while also supporting university teams to deliver the ParliaMentors programme and strengthen student leadership and civic engagement.

• Salary: £40,204 (Band D, Point 3, including London weighting) / £36,501 (Band D, Point 3, elsewhere in the UK)
• Contract: 4.2 years (this is a fixed term contract, linked to the BELIEVE project, ending in September 2030)
• Location: primarily hybrid/remote, open to candidates anywhere in the UK. The project is based in England, so the role will involve regular travel to locations across England, including London.
• Hours: 1 FTE (0.8 FTE can be considered)
• Reporting to: Senior Programme Manager, Youth & Universities
• Start date: 3rd August 2026

About the role

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Programme Manager to lead delivery of Believe in Climate Action (BELIEVE), an ambitious national initiative at the intersection of climate action, youth leadership and community engagement (3 days per week). This role will also support the delivery of the UN Award winning ParliaMentors project, providing mentoring, training and leadership development opportunities to students across the country, and maintaining strong relationships with University partners (2 days per week).

This is a unique opportunity to lead a complex, high-impact programme that connects schools, communities, young people, researchers and policymakers, shaping a more inclusive and effective model of climate action across England. You would be joining a team that has been running impactful projects for 19 years, which centres the voices, needs and potential of young people to bring about change.

The BELIEVE project

BELIEVE in Climate Action (BELIEVE) is an ambitious and innovative national programme led by the Faith & Belief Forum in partnership with the Cambridge Interfaith Programme. Together, we are building a bold new model for climate action, one that connects grassroots communities, young leaders, researchers and policymakers through collaboration, co-learning and shared purpose.

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced Project Manager to lead a pioneering, cross-sector initiative that is reshaping how climate action happens in England. BELIEVE operates at the intersection of community engagement, youth leadership and policy influence, requiring strategic oversight, strong partnership management and the ability to navigate complexity across local, regional and national contexts.

BELIEVE is also a platform for sector leadership. It offers the opportunity to influence how climate engagement is understood and delivered, particularly by centring voices often excluded from mainstream climate discourse, including young people and those from diverse faith and belief backgrounds.

About the Faith & Belief Forum

For nearly 30 years, the Faith & Belief Forum has worked to build connected communities, a society that celebrates diversity, and to tackle faith and belief based hate, discrimination, division and polarisation.

We are a dynamic organisation, who puts the voices of our beneficiaries at the forefront. We work in schools to build connection, understanding and empathy, in universities to build confidence, skills and connection in the next generation of interfaith leaders, and in communities to celebrate the role that faith plays in society, and pilot new, innovative approaches to tackling hate and division at the local level.

Our team is diverse, talented, sensitive, and creative. We value building meaningful connection amongst ourselves, and with our partners and stakeholders.  We believe that a central solution to tackling division, polarisation and hate is connection, that is both expertly facilitated and heartfelt. In our projects this takes place through education, dialogue, social action projects, mentoring, training and development, public engagement events, and community led responses to local issues.

Key Responsibilities

Programme leadership & delivery

· Lead the strategic and operational delivery of BELIEVE across its three interlinked workstreams

· Ensure effective planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a multi-year national programme

· Manage programme timelines, budgets, reporting and risk

Stakeholder engagement & partnerships

· Build and maintain strong relationships with cross-sector stakeholders, including schools, community organisations, funders, academic partners and policymakers

· Act as a senior point of contact for programme partners, ensuring alignment, accountability and collaboration

· Convene and facilitate high-level stakeholder spaces, including national workshops and knowledge-exchange forums

Team & youth leadership oversight

· Line manage the BELIEVE project Coordinator, ensuring timely and high quality delivery of workplans, supporting their development and training, managing any performance issues, and helping them to grow and thrive.

· Oversee delivery of the youth leadership strand, including internship programmes and youth-led climate action projects

Strategy, learning & influence

· Design internal evaluation frameworks and processes, in collaboration with University of Cambridge academics

· Translate research, learning and evaluation into programme development, communications and external influence

· Contribute to shaping national conversations on inclusive climate action

· Responsible for delivery, and ensuring programme outputs (reports, toolkits, events, digital platforms) are high-quality and impactful

Manage 2 teams of ParliaMentors students

· Support with delivery of the ParliaMentors programme, including facilitating workshops, having meetings with students, organising the logistics for various events throughout the year

· Mentor and support two teams of students at two universities as they work together to deliver a social action project

· Contributing to communications for the programme on social media, LinkedIn, and newsletters

· Support with delivering trainings for university staff

Person Specification

Essential Experience

· Significant experience managing complex, multi-partner programmes (ideally national or multi-regional)

· Demonstrable expertise in stakeholder engagement at a senior level, including building and maintaining strong partnerships across sectors

· Strong track record of delivering complex programmes on time and within budget

· Confidence and proven experience in line management (this role will line manage 1 Project Coordinator, and oversee an internship programme of up to 8 paid interns per year)

· Strong financial management skills, and experience managing large budgets (this role will be responsible for financial management of the BELIEVE project, and reporting to funders)

· Strong experience and understanding of Safeguarding, in charities and/ or school settings

Skills & Competencies

· Excellent project management skills, experienced in using project management tools

· Excellent relationship management and influencing skills

· Strategic thinking combined with strong operational delivery

· Ability to navigate complexity and work across different sectors and perspectives

· Strong written and verbal communication skills

Desirable

· Experience in climate action, sustainability or environmental programmes

· Understanding of faith, belief and/or intercultural engagement

· Experience working with research partners or translating evidence into practice

· Project management qualification

· CRM development experience

How to Apply

Please submit:

· Your CV (Max 2 pages)

· A cover letter detailing what motivated you to apply for the role, and how you meet the person specification.

Application deadline:

6th May 2026, 9:00 AM

Benefits include:

· Opportunity to work mainly remotely from home, with occasional travel to London and other locations across England required for schools, events, and activities.

· Generous annual leave from 25 days (pro rata) plus UK bank holidays, increasing with length of service and including a birthday day off after three years.

· 2 days paid volunteer leave (pro rata)

· Generous pension scheme to help you save for the future.

· Interfaith and intercultural learning opportunities

· Access to internal learning sessions on topics relevant to our sector

· Team events / away days / annual retreat

· Supportive and inclusive work environment with a focus on staff wellbeing 

Who we encourage to apply

We value sensitivity to the issues at the heart of our work and a strong commitment to The Faith & Belief Forum’s goals. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities, as well as from faith or belief communities currently underrepresented in our organisation, including Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Zoroastrian communities. We warmly welcome applicants of all ages and experiences who share our vision and values, and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace, regardless of protected or unprotected characteristics, including but not limited to gender, disability, sexual orientation, and religion or belief.

We recognise that valuable experience can be gained through work, study, volunteering, or community involvement.

Unfortunately, we can only consider applications from individuals who have the unrestricted right to work in the UK, as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship. Applicants must also already be resident and based in the UK at the time of application.

The Programme Manager role is suited to someone with experience delivering youth development programmes, ideally focused on employability, and who is passionate about supporting young people to succeed in the world of work. As a key frontline member of LTSB’s team, the postholder will work closely with colleagues across the organisation, including the Programmes and Employment teams and employer partners, to support young people throughout their journey.

Programme Managers are responsible for delivery across specific LTSB hub cities and regions and are required to travel to support delivery in those areas.

Please note that in-person interviews will be held on Wednesday 13th May.

LTSB is a social mobility charity. The Senior Programme Manager will lead our programme delivery to support young people from some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities to realise their potential and build meaningful careers.

This will be a pivotal role in shaping and delivering LTSB’s national and regional programmes, leading delivery across the South to ensure high quality outcomes for young people and employer partners.

Working closely with the Director of Programmes, Head of Programmes, and regionally based Employment & Opportunities (E&O) team members, the role is responsible for driving performance against regional targets, strengthening employer partnerships and ensuring consistent, high quality programme delivery.

The postholder will lead and develop a team of Programme Managers, drive continuous improvement through data and insight and contribute to the ongoing evolution and scaling of LTSB’s programme model.

What you'll bring

• Strong project management experience, and managing multiple programmes simultaneously.
• In-depth knowledge of youth development, social mobility, and barriers faced by underrepresented young people.
• Experience managing budgets and delivering agreed outcomes within budget.
• Understanding of recruitment, eligibility checking, and participant onboarding processes.
• Experience of line management and developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent strategic thinking, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret data and drive improvement.
• Highly organised, adaptable, and confident leading through change.
• Confidence working with corporate employers, funders, and senior external stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding principles and application of health and safety procedures.
• Ability to step into programme delivery when required.
• Good IT skills, including databases and standard office systems.
• Willingness and ability to travel regionally and nationally.

Please note that first-round interviews will take place online on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th May.

Second-round interviews will take place in-person on Tuesday 12th May.

Job Purpose

The Research Programme Manager will have a strong grounding in scientific research, expertise in grant management, and report to the Director of Research. 

The role’s core responsibility will be to lead on the implementation and delivery of large-scale collaborative programmes and funding schemes. The post holder will have a visible presence within the research community acting as an important point of contact between partner organisations, researchers, committee members, peer reviewers and the charity. They will be expected to keep updated with the latest research developments in order to use strategic scientific expertise and judgement in the ongoing development and improvement of the Foundation’s grant funding schemes.

They will be responsible for the successful delivery of a large portfolio of active projects by working closely with others in the team to ensure all awards are expertly administered, monitored, evaluated and reported against, ensuring the outputs are of the highest quality and supporting the charities activities. The post-holder will identify opportunities to communicate the progress or impact of the work we fund and work with the communications team to develop compelling communications for our supporters.

Key responsibilities:

Grant Funding Programme

● Lead on the setup of large-scale collaborative research programmes ensuring robust peer review, effective contracting and close collaboration with funding partners;

● Lead on the management of multiple grant funding schemes, as well as ad-hoc applications that come to the Foundation;

● Oversee the smooth running of application rounds, peer review and ensure that funding committees function in line with AMRC guidance;

● Be the main point of contact for the AMRC with regards to research management;

● Support the ongoing implementation and development of the Foundation’s Grant Management Software, ensuring the research team are using the platform effectively;

● Manage project set-up including contracting, the development of detailed project plans, including go/no-go milestones and budgets;

● Work with the other Research Programme Managers to oversee the research programme budget including planning, monitoring and forecasting; work with the Directors of Research and Finance to ensure that accurate research finance information is available for organisational budgeting and planning;

● Seek opportunities to improve the Foundation’s grant funding schemes to increase the number and quality of applications received year on year, ensuring funding projects support the delivery of the Foundation’s research strategy;

● Monitor any developments or innovations across the sector and implement changes to maintain a high-quality impactful research funding programme.

Project Portfolio and Impact

● Oversee the delivery of large-scale collaborative research programmes including:

• Leading on management on behalf of funding partnerships

● Manage and oversee project delivery of the Foundation’s active project portfolio by:

• Building and managing relationships with award holders and attending site visits;
• Approving grant payments and managing the change process for any project amendments;
• Ensuring project progress is effectively monitored and reported against;
• Identifying opportunities for and approving any project communications.

● Lead on the development and implementation of an Impact Evaluation Framework, to monitor and evaluate the impact of the research we fund.

● Lead on the development of an annual impact report to demonstrate the impact of the research we fund.

Line Management

● Provide line management responsibilities to the Research Officer, supporting their performance and ongoing development.

General Responsibilities

● Support the Director of Research to deliver the Foundation’s research strategy;

● Support more junior members of the team through training and mentoring;

● Contribute to the team being proactive and supportive, and working effectively and efficiently to achieve agreed objectives;

● Support the development of research communications activities, working closely with our communications team.

● Contribute to the development and maintenance of strong internal relationships across the charity, working specifically with the Fundraising Team to support income generation;

● Support the Director of Research in the development of updates for the Board of Trustees and other groups such as our Scientific Advisors;

● Keep updated with the latest scientific developments in the field, attend conferences and build strong relationships with MND experts and other relevant stakeholders;

● Represent the Foundation at external scientific meetings and conferences;

● Undertake other work as required by the Director of Research.

Skills and experience required:

● Educated to PhD level or with equivalent experience in a science subject relevant to MND;

● Experience of research management, including the management of grant schemes, preferably with experience of using Flexi-Grant;

● Experience of research communications, including the ability to disseminate complex scientific information and present it to non-technical audiences;

● Experience of liaising with senior individuals in a variety of organisations with an ability to create favourable working relationships;

● Proven project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects at the same time;

● A great communicator, with excellent written and oral skills and the ability to maintain relationships with a wide variety of individuals, including those within the Foundation, researchers and clinicians, relevant organisations and industry bodies, MND patients, and other MND charities;

● Self-motivated, proactive and able to work using own initiative;

● Organised, with a proven ability to successfully manage a broad spectrum of tasks, deadlines and individuals;

● Motivated to make a real difference for those living with MND and future generations.

Working Pattern: Full time, permanent, home-based with regular travel across the UK

Salary: Circa £45,000 dependent on experience

Direct reports: Research Officer, 1 FTE

Closing date: Friday 8th May

Interviews: Week commencing 11th May

Role Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to shape Shine’s strategic direction while managing the operational delivery of our services for children, young people, and families aged 0–25. Building on the success of our Little Stars/Ser Bach programme for members aged 0–12 and the development and extension of the FIRE (Friendship, Independence, Resilience, Empowerment) programme for those aged 13–25, you will play a key role in shaping the future of our support for children, young people and their families.

Working across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you will lead the delivery of an established, evidence-based programme that improves health, social, and emotional outcomes for those living with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, and associated conditions.

You’ll lead a passionate team and work closely with Shine’s Adult Services Team (25+), Health Team, Wales and Northern Ireland Managers and wider colleagues across the organisation to ensure work is coordinated, complementary, and beneficial to members. At the same time, you’ll forge strong partnerships with NHS professionals, statutory services, and voluntary organisations—driving collaboration that will support our vision of providing consistent, high-quality support for children, young people and families nationwide.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership & Team Management
• Programme Development & Delivery
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
• Member Support & Engagement

Please see the full Job Description & Person Specification below and on our website. 

Benefits to working at Shine:

• Competitive salary: Review due April 2027
• Regular working hours, and no shift work (some very occasional weekends or evenings)  
• 3% pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with additional discretionary leave between Christmas and New Year
• Additional annual leave awarded for ‘long service’
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
• Broadband allowance for home-based roles
• Life insurance after 12 months’ employment  
• Access to our Employee Support Programme and Mental Health First Aiders 
• Support to learn and develop 

How to apply 

Shine is a Disability Confident employer and will offer guaranteed interviews if a disabled applicant meets the minimum criteria for the job. 

If you would like to discuss the role with our Deputy CEO, Gill Valentine, please contact Shine to arrange a convenient time for a call. 

To apply please submit your CV and supporting statement, which should outline your interest and explain how you meet the role criteria. 

We understand that you may wish to use AI tools to help you with some aspects of your application but we do expect tailored applications which are personalised to your experiences and not generic applications which are completely AI generated. We encourage candidates to be transparent about AI usage in their applications. 

*Please note applications without a supporting statement will not be accepted* 

Closing date: Thursday 16th April 2026 at 11pm 

Interviews:  Monday 27th April 2026  

Please note: we reserve the right to interview suitable candidates before the closing date, therefore we encourage applications as soon as possible.