3 Programme manager jobs in Liverpool, Merseyside

EASST is an international NGO promoting road safety and sustainable mobility across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

We believe local voices are essential to saving lives and bringing lasting change so we form long term partnerships with local civil society organisations, uniting their on-the-ground knowledge with national and international expertise to deliver evidence-based solutions that are grounded in the local reality.

Across our region, fatality rates are more than twice the European average and can cost up to 4% GDP, yet road safety still doesn't get the priority or investment it needs.

Today, rapidly escalating vehicle numbers are straining urban infrastructure, challenging existing road safety frameworks, and contributing to poor air quality and higher carbon emissions.

Our projects are focused on long-term change, connecting the dots between road safety and sustainable mobility and supporting communities in the transition toward safer, more inclusive transport networks that reduce casualties, strengthen climate resilience, and support sustainable economic growth.

EASST also operates EASST Expertise Ltd, an international road safety consultancy and wholly owned trading subsidiary. EASST Expertise draws on a wide network of specialists to support, advise and manage road safety projects across the world, with all surplus revenues returned to support EASST's charitable work.

Why join EASST?

EASST is a small organisation, and this is a varied role with significant responsibility. You will have the opportunity to work across the full project cycle, from developing new ideas and proposals through to delivery, evaluation and learning. You will work directly with our partners across the region, international experts and major funders, and have real scope to influence how our programmes develop.

Working in a small team means being prepared to get involved across different areas of our work and to take responsibility when needed. In return, the role offers considerable autonomy and variety, and the opportunity to see the direct impact of your work.

Role overview

As Programmes Manager, you will play a central role in EASST’s small team, managing a varied portfolio of road safety and sustainable mobility projects across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Reporting to the Director General, you will take responsibility for projects across their full lifecycle – from project development and planning through to delivery, monitoring, reporting and evaluation.

Working closely with our network of local civil society partners, you will ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget and to a high technical standard. You will build strong, trusted relationships with our local civil society partners, support their organisational and technical development, and combine their on-the-ground knowledge with international technical expertise to influence policy and practice.

This is a hands-on role in a small organisation. Alongside managing programmes, you will contribute to new business development, organisational strategy and wider EASST activities as needed.

Key responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of road safety and sustainable mobility projects across EASST's partner countries, ensuring high-quality delivery against agreed objectives, timelines and budgets.
• Oversee project planning, work plans and budgets, monitoring progress and flagging risks or delays early, with proposed solutions.
• Ensure projects are technically sound, evidence-based and aligned with international road safety good practice.
• Support the development of new project proposals and concept notes, including budgeting, log frames/theories of change, and donor-specific requirements.
• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with partner organisations, supporting them to strengthen organisational and technical capacity, including through monitoring visits and technical support missions.
• Develop and maintain project monitoring frameworks, tracking outputs, outcomes and impact, and capturing lessons learned to inform future programme design.
• Prepare high-quality narrative and financial reports for donors, ensuring accuracy and compliance with requirements and deadlines.
• Manage project budgets and financial compliance, working with the Director of Operations and Finance to monitor spend and forecast against donor rules.
• Identify and manage programmatic, financial, reputational and safeguarding risks, ensuring compliance with EASST's policies throughout.
• Collaborate with colleagues across EASST and represent EASST with donors, partners and other stakeholders, contributing to organisational strategy, business development, and communications outputs as needed.

Person specification

Essential

• Proven experience managing international development or NGO programmes.
• Experience managing project budgets and donor reporting, with a good understanding of donor compliance requirements (e.g. development banks, trusts, foundations or bilateral donors).
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation frameworks and tools.
• Experience working with and supporting local civil society or partner organisations.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, monitoring and risk management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience producing high-quality reports and proposals.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously, working independently and as part of a small team and taking responsibility when needed.
• Cultural sensitivity and experience working across diverse international contexts.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally.

Highly desirable

• Experience of road safety programmes and a strong understanding of road safety principles, data and evidence-based interventions.
• Experience of sustainable mobility programmes, including areas such as active travel, inclusive mobility, public transport or low-carbon transport.
• Experience working in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, or a comparable region.
• Experience of new business development or proposal writing for institutional donors.

Desirable

• Russian and/or another regional language.
• Degree or professional qualification in a relevant field (e.g. transport, development, public health).

Terms and Conditions

• Location: Based in the United Kingdom, with the right to work in the UK. The team currently works remotely with no office base.
• Travel: Travel may be required within the UK to Team meetings as well as within the region served by EASST and to conferences and other events.
• Hours: This is a full-time post. Some flexibility will be required to accommodate international travel and occasional meetings with partners and funders across different time zones.
• Salary: The salary offered for this post is £40–50K (depending on experience) plus 10% pension contribution and 30 days holiday per year.

We recognise that excellent candidates may not meet every aspect of the person specification. If you have strong international programme management experience and believe your skills and experience could transfer well to EASST's road safety and sustainable mobility work, we would encourage you to apply.