Programme Manager

Programme Manager

Home based | Interim assignment initially to 31 March 2027 | Day rate £500 - £650 per day | inside IR35

Sellick Partnership has been exclusively retained to recruit an experienced Programme Manager for a high-profile national public-sector programme focused on housing, regeneration, public assets and place-based delivery.

This is not a traditional programme management role. The successful candidate will need to combine strong programme and project understanding with excellent relationship management, political awareness and the credibility to influence senior stakeholders across local and central government.

The role

Working across councils, combined authorities, government departments and other public-sector partners, you will help identify opportunities, overcome barriers and progress complex housing, regeneration and property-related programmes.

A significant part of the role will involve building relationships with senior officers and elected Members, supporting and challenging partners and helping turn emerging opportunities into deliverable projects.

Responsibilities will include:

Developing and maintaining strategic relationships across local and central government.
Working with senior stakeholders including Directors, Chief Executives, elected Members and other public-sector partners.
Supporting councils and partnerships to identify and progress housing, regeneration, land and public-estate opportunities.
Providing constructive challenge and advice to help overcome barriers, manage risk and maintain delivery.
Monitoring programme performance and identifying issues or opportunities requiring intervention.
Helping partners navigate funding opportunities and develop credible project pipelines.
Bringing different organisations together around shared outcomes and brokering relationships where priorities or interests differ.
Contributing to wider programme priorities, policy development and continuous improvement.

About you

We are looking for someone who understands how to operate successfully within local government and a politically sensitive environment, rather than simply someone who can manage a programme plan. Ideally, you will bring:

Strong experience working within or alongside local and/or central government.
Experience across housing, regeneration, property, public estate, land or economic growth.
A track record of managing complex programmes or projects involving multiple organisations.
Significant senior stakeholder and partnership management experience.
Confidence engaging with both senior officers and elected political leadership, including Leaders, Cabinet Members and portfolio holders.
Strong influencing and negotiation skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively.
An understanding of the journey from identifying a housing, regeneration or property opportunity through to practical delivery.
Strong political awareness, judgement and sensitivity.
The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and operate effectively across a dispersed stakeholder network.A relevant professional background or qualification in areas such as housing, planning, regeneration, surveying or property would be advantageous, but technical property expertise alone isn't what will make someone successful in this role.

We are particularly interested in candidates who can combine sector knowledge with the ability to build trust, influence senior people and get complex things moving.

Why consider the opportunity?

This is an opportunity to join a nationally significant programme working at the intersection of local government, central government, housing, regeneration and public assets.

You'll have the chance to work with senior stakeholders across the public sector, support councils with complex place-based challenges and contribute to programmes designed to unlock land and opportunities for housing and regeneration.

The position is home based, with travel required where needed to work effectively with partners and projects.

Interested?

Sellick Partnership is managing this recruitment campaign on an exclusive basis.

If your background combines local government, housing/regeneration/property and senior stakeholder engagement, we'd be very interested in speaking with you.

Please apply with an up-to-date CV or contact Chrissie Howard or Ebony Simpson at Sellick Partnership for a confidential discussion.

Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed