Job summary
Transformation Programme Manager
Department Transformation Team
Band 8a £55,690 - £62,682 per annum
Hours 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
We are seeking a Transformation Programme Manager with a real enthusiasm for improving healthcare services. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in driving efficiencies through developing and implementing change initiatives that will enhance patient care and staff experience.
What You'll Do
o Lead on one or more major initiatives or programme areas that drive efficiency, improve service delivery and enhance patient experience.
o Work closely with clinical, operational and corporate teams both within and outside the Trust to identify and implement best practices.
o Use data and insights to inform decision-making and ensure positive, measurable outcomes.
o Engage stakeholders at all levels, ensuring collaboration and commitment to change.
Who You Are
o An autonomous and skilled Programme Manager with experience in change management, service reviews and delivering efficiency schemes.
o Caring about the NHS, with a drive to make local healthcare services the best they can be.
o An excellent communicator and collaborator, able to influence and engage diverse teams.
o Analytical and solution-focused, with the ability to turn challenges into opportunities for improvement in patient outcomes.
Join Us and Be the Change
Interviews 13 August 2025
Main duties of the job
'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'
If you're looking for a role where your contribution makes a real impact, where you can lead transformation and help shape the future of NHS services, we would love to hear from you.
The Transformation Programme Manager will lead on one or more major initiatives or programme areas, planning, delivering and monitoring complex change portfolios aligned to the Trust Strategy 2024-2029. This role is pivotal in achieving elective recovery, digital maturity, integrated care delivery and sustainability goals.
The role will require close collaboration across MKUH, the BLMK ICS, and other strategic partners. The postholder will be expected to apply advanced transformation, project and change management techniques to deliver measurable improvements.
The Transformation Programme Manager will lead on one or more major initiatives or programme areas which have a range of projects within by planning, supporting, facilitating and monitoring progress.
The role will be based in the Transformation Team and will work collaboratively with other colleagues in the Transformation Team, corporate and divisional management teams and stakeholders across the Trust and wider health economy to ensure a cohesive, consistent, and multi-professional approach to transformation and cost improvement.
About us
'Administrative and Clerical staff feel supported with flexible working at MKUH, reporting 6.82 out of 10, and a 76% feel strongly about approaching their managers regarding flexible working.' (NHS Staff Survey 2024).
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Free on-site parking
- Free refreshments
- Great flexible workingopportunities
- Discounted gym membership
- Lease car scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- On site nursery (chargeable)
- Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Programme Manager will be responsible for persuading board members and senior managers of the importance of the initiative/programme, for helping to develop long term strategic plans for performance and service improvement, develop associated policies, hold budget allocated to the initiative/programme, manage a team, design and develop training programmes and act as a line manager.
To ensure programmes are designed and delivered in such a way that the benefits to service users are delivered. This should also align with the Trusts strategic objectives.
Communication and relationship skills
To build relationships with senior managers across the Trust and programme sponsors to develop a clear understanding of the needs and challenges and to support and develop programme plans to solve these issues to develop a clear understanding of the needs and challenges and to support and develop programme plans to solve these issues To ensure meaningful involvement of patients and service users and carers at all appropriate points
Programme Management
To deliver a programme management function covering multiple, simultaneous projects with a level of complexity and excellent decision-making skills Develop programme documentation which provides the governance and assurance in the support of change/ service improvements in the Trust; and is also in alignment with the Trust strategic objectives. This will require presenting complex information and persuading senior teams of the options to progress.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details.
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Programme Manager will be responsible for persuading board members and senior managers of the importance of the initiative/programme, for helping to develop long term strategic plans for performance and service improvement, develop associated policies, hold budget allocated to the initiative/programme, manage a team, design and develop training programmes and act as a line manager.
To ensure programmes are designed and delivered in such a way that the benefits to service users are delivered. This should also align with the Trusts strategic objectives.
Communication and relationship skills
To build relationships with senior managers across the Trust and programme sponsors to develop a clear understanding of the needs and challenges and to support and develop programme plans to solve these issues to develop a clear understanding of the needs and challenges and to support and develop programme plans to solve these issues To ensure meaningful involvement of patients and service users and carers at all appropriate points
Programme Management
To deliver a programme management function covering multiple, simultaneous projects with a level of complexity and excellent decision-making skills Develop programme documentation which provides the governance and assurance in the support of change/ service improvements in the Trust; and is also in alignment with the Trust strategic objectives. This will require presenting complex information and persuading senior teams of the options to progress.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details.
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Masters' level or equivalent experience to include health service management or change management
- Programme management qualification or knowledge and experience of programme management or delivering complex changes in a multi-agency environment
Experience
Essential
- Experience of Health service management, change management and workforce redesign
- Experience of delivery of successful programmes and projects to include planning, implementing and managing programmes with a high degree of autonomy across Directorates and organisations
- Management experience, including delivering through others outside of own management control
- Experience of service user and carer involvement in the design and delivery of services
- Knowledge of the performance management and governance functions within the NHS or local government
- Experience of contributing to major reforms in line with service development needs
- Experience of working with senior clinical staff
- Experience of supervising the day-to-day management of staff
- Demonstrable experience of effectively engaging with key stakeholders to achieve results and to required deadlines
- Experience of writing and/ or monitoring delivery of business case plans and of supporting the business planning process
- Demonstrable experience of producing accurate plans and performance reports which inform and influence the target audience
- Experience of working with complex data
- Experience of working under pressure to tight deadlines
- Able to provide evidence of continued professional development to work across professional and organizational boundaries
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of a range of programme and project management techniques and skills
- Receive and interpret highly complex, sensitive information and present this to large groups
- Analytical skills to interpret complex data, national guidance and make decisions or recommendations arising from this
- Decision making skills on a range of complex project and programme issues, where there may be more than one course of action
- Plan and organise a range of complex activities. Develop a range of plans/ long term strategic plans for service / performance improvement in various areas across the organization
- Assist service users / patients and carers during incidental contact
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience of managing a team of staff and developing them
- Excellent skills in motivating and leading / role modelling for staff
- Experience of setting stretching targets for line reports
Communication
Essential
- Excellent communication skills with small groups and larger groups
- Ability to develop effective communication plans to support objectives of the Programme to overcome barriers to understanding
- Able to lead discussions with multiple stakeholders - Trust, ICB, Region in relation to projects identified, negotiating to achieve shared aims and objectives, and resolve conflict
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Masters' level or equivalent experience to include health service management or change management
- Programme management qualification or knowledge and experience of programme management or delivering complex changes in a multi-agency environment
Experience
Essential
- Experience of Health service management, change management and workforce redesign
- Experience of delivery of successful programmes and projects to include planning, implementing and managing programmes with a high degree of autonomy across Directorates and organisations
- Management experience, including delivering through others outside of own management control
- Experience of service user and carer involvement in the design and delivery of services
- Knowledge of the performance management and governance functions within the NHS or local government
- Experience of contributing to major reforms in line with service development needs
- Experience of working with senior clinical staff
- Experience of supervising the day-to-day management of staff
- Demonstrable experience of effectively engaging with key stakeholders to achieve results and to required deadlines
- Experience of writing and/ or monitoring delivery of business case plans and of supporting the business planning process
- Demonstrable experience of producing accurate plans and performance reports which inform and influence the target audience
- Experience of working with complex data
- Experience of working under pressure to tight deadlines
- Able to provide evidence of continued professional development to work across professional and organizational boundaries
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of a range of programme and project management techniques and skills
- Receive and interpret highly complex, sensitive information and present this to large groups
- Analytical skills to interpret complex data, national guidance and make decisions or recommendations arising from this
- Decision making skills on a range of complex project and programme issues, where there may be more than one course of action
- Plan and organise a range of complex activities. Develop a range of plans/ long term strategic plans for service / performance improvement in various areas across the organization
- Assist service users / patients and carers during incidental contact
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience of managing a team of staff and developing them
- Excellent skills in motivating and leading / role modelling for staff
- Experience of setting stretching targets for line reports
Communication
Essential
- Excellent communication skills with small groups and larger groups
- Ability to develop effective communication plans to support objectives of the Programme to overcome barriers to understanding
- Able to lead discussions with multiple stakeholders - Trust, ICB, Region in relation to projects identified, negotiating to achieve shared aims and objectives, and resolve conflict
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
