Overview

Programme Manager (maternity cover)
£40,000 per year
Full-time, 35 hours per week
Maternity cover contract for up to one year
Based in London or north of England

What you'll be doing

Our client empowers people with the skills they need to succeed in life. They are helping people change their stories by supporting school libraries. This role focuses on managing the development, delivery, and scaling up of the school libraries programme, including library space transformation, provision of books (physical, eBooks and audiobooks), training and resources for teachers, and parental engagement strategies. Two Programme Managers are being recruited to provide maternity cover in the school libraries team: one based in the north of England (home working) to cover specific programme delivery responsibilities there; the other based at their London office with flexibility to work from home.

You will be responsible for managing delivery, overseeing operational delivery (including line management of project managers where necessary), and working closely with schools, partners, and suppliers to ensure smooth delivery of school-facing activity. You will also manage relationships with a range of high-profile partners, including funders and stakeholders. Regardless of location, you will be in London at least six times per year for team and organisational days; travel to project locations around the country is required and covered by expenses. If based in London, travel costs may not be reimbursed by the client.

What our client is looking for

You will need to be an experienced programme manager who can lead delivery, manage and motivate a team, oversee budgets, and manage complex relationships with funders and partners. You should have experience marketing and promoting programmes, resources, or training to the education sector. Experience of working with corporates and volunteers would be an advantage, as would knowledge of research methodologies and impact measurement for large-scale programmes.

Why our client's work is so vital

Reading and writing change everything. They provide tools to get the most out of life and the power to shape futures, contributing to better results at school and in work. They aim to address gaps where children lack the tools to communicate, access to books, or opportunities to write. Their work helps people overcome these challenges and improve life chances through reading, writing, speaking and listening—from early words to education, training, jobs and beyond.

They work collaboratively in local communities, focus on areas facing the biggest challenges, support schools with effective tools and resources, campaign to prioritise reading and writing to policymakers, and support vulnerable adults and those in the criminal justice system to build skills.

What our client offers you

They have a strong mission-driven culture with flexible working options and a workplace where you can be yourself. In addition to a competitive salary, benefits include a generous leave allowance totaling 39 days (including bank holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year), pension contributions of 8% of salary, a cycle-to-work scheme, an employee assistance programme, and other health and wellbeing benefits.

Application details

Our client values diversity and welcomes applications from Black and Asian backgrounds, candidates with disabilities, and those from the communities in which they work, to increase representation and impact. To apply, please select the apply button shown. Closing date: 10am, Monday 15 September 2025. Please note, our client does not accept CVs. No agencies or recruitment sites.