“I previously started working for the council in 2011 as an apprentice, since then I have worked in multiple areas including business support, recruitment, payroll and then moved into projects and programmes in 2014. I have been able to complete a degree in Leadership and Management whilst working which has really supported me to progress within my career. Initially I was a projects and change officer, I was promoted to become a project manager and am now a programme manager. I have always really enjoyed the variation of work which the team gets involved with, I have worked in all areas of the council as well as with external partners such as Health, voluntary and community organisations, the Department for Education and other local authorities. I am currently working on the customer programme which is a mixture of work with customer services and with the rest of the organisation to ensure the customer is put at the heart of all our services. In addition to this I get involved in recruitment, team development and process improvement as part of the management team within the service as well as line-managing other project managers.”
We are now in the second year of the unified North Yorkshire Council and are seeing the benefits of our integrated services across the region. We are investing in and developing our project management service, and we invite you to join us and make a difference.
The formation of the new North Yorkshire Council in April 2023 gave us a unique opportunity to transform services, drive innovation, and improve outcomes for the people of North Yorkshire. This is your chance to join the team that successfully delivered this major change and is now shaping the future of our council. If you want to make a difference, consider a career in project and programme management at North Yorkshire Council.
North Yorkshire is a special place with people who are proud to live and work here. We are passionate about our work and the communities we serve. We are proud of our achievements, confident in the services we provide, and ambitious for the future as we navigate the challenges facing local authorities nationwide.
About our service
Our Project and Programme Management team is large and unique, offering a diverse and interesting career. We are a high-performing and well-respected professional team, committed to supporting services to unlock the long-term benefits of Local Government Reorganisation. When we asked the team what’s great about working with us, they told us they valued the people they work with, flexibility in working arrangements and the diversity and impact of their projects.
North Yorkshire Council's scale provides opportunities to transform a wide range of services. Our team works on projects across corporate functions and vital front-line services such as Children and Adults Social Care, Finance, HR, Technology, Education, Environment, Leisure, and Housing. Your work will be crucial to their success, allowing you to build meaningful relationships and grow both personally and professionally. Our Project Managers have been part of award-winning teams within the council and nationally, recognized for their impactful contributions, for example, the online care assessment for adults and the knowledge-mining project in children's social care. Learn more about our knowledge-mining project and award on the iNetwork website.
We offer opportunities for those who show potential and are interested in broadening their scope of work. Our commitment to ongoing learning and development, diverse workload, and the chance to work with industry experts help our teams excel. We care about our people and want them to thrive, providing the support needed to flourish. We have established career pathways with real development opportunities.
Our leadership is dedicated to ensuring the best training, development, and career opportunities for their teams. We share best practices and ideas, continuously growing and improving within a positive learning culture.
Our local transformation hubs in Northallerton, Harrogate, Scarborough, and Selby enable collaboration with local services while maintaining work-life balance through our hybrid working model. This model blends home-working for focus time, local hub collaboration, and county-wide workshops and events, something which our team tell us they really value. In North Yorkshire, we are extremely well connected, with great road and rail links across the country. We are also within easy reach of some of the UK’s leading cities including Newcastle, Leeds and York.
Hear from our team
Alice - Programme manager
Kieran - Programme manager
"Working at North Yorkshire Council as a Programme Manager is incredibly rewarding. The focus on collaboration and support within the Transformation team and across the entire council is fantastic. It's an exciting time as we work towards becoming a single unitary authority, driving forward an ambitious change programme. I get to work with a diverse range of people and projects, and we make a conscious effort to balance leveraging people's strengths while also providing development opportunities. But the best thing of all is knowing and seeing that the work I do makes a difference to the community I live in.”
Emma - Senior project manager
“Working in the Projects and Programmes team at the council is hugely rewarding. Getting to work with a range of services, from Libraries to Public Transport, means no two days are ever the same and I am continually able to develop my skills and knowledge – all in a really supportive environment as part of the wider Transformation team. It’s a wonderful feeling to deliver projects that you can actually see making a difference to people living in North Yorkshire. Recently, one of my projects was recognised at the Council’s Health and Adult Services awards, which highlights how our projects deliver meaningful change and are valued across service areas at the council.”
Mark - Senior project manager
“Working within the Projects and Programmes Team at North Yorkshire Council will gain you exposure and insight into a wide range of public sector services that really make a difference to the people of beautiful North Yorkshire. No two projects are the same and you will be joining a friendly and supportive team, where help and advice is always available via the many peer support groups that are in place for new entrants and long servers alike. I joined the council as an experienced project manager from another sector a year after local government reorganisation, and I’m currently working on the overall Service Convergence programme, converging all the many teams from the previous 8 councils into single fully aligned and consistent services across the whole county. This work has made me realise what an impact all the services have on the daily lives of our residents, and I feel that I am undertaking a meaningful and rewarding project role.”
Nicola - Project manager
“Working as a Project Manager in the Projects and Programmes service gives me opportunities to work with a wide range of colleagues across the council, helping them deliver projects to improve their services and become more effective and efficient. The work is varied and interesting, has helped me further my understanding of how different services within the council work and has allowed me to improve my project management skills and knowledge.”
The roles
As we invest in our Project Management team we are currently recruiting to the following opportunities:
Project Manager
Grade: JK-L
Salary:
- entry level: from £37,035 up to £41,511
- higher level: from £41,511 up to £45,718
Contract: Permanent, full-time or part-time contracts available
Location: Hybrid working - a combination of home working together with an office base at one of our newly formed local transformation hubs at Northallerton, Harrogate, Scarborough and Selby
The role
As part of the team, you will manage the planning and delivery of key projects for North Yorkshire Council’s vital local services which may include Children’s or Adult’s Social Care, Housing and Leisure or our corporate services such as HR, Finance and Technology. You will work with diverse stakeholders, including employees, customers, and third parties, to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality. This is a career-graded role, allowing for growth and progression through salary bands based on experience and achievement. The role offers exciting opportunities to manage a wide variety of projects while contributing to the council’s strategic goals and working within a supportive and ambitious team.
What you will bring
To be successful in this role you will need to have a good knowledge of project management processes and experience of applying these in practice. You will have strong transferrable skills in areas such as planning, organising, communications, problem-solving and working with a wide range of stakeholders. A recognised professional qualification and/or equivalent experience of using project management methodologies is preferred but not essential. At the higher level of this post you will have leadership skills and the ability to resolve issues in collaboration with others. For a detailed outline of the role please see attached the job specification.
Programme Manager
Grade: N
Salary: from £49,764 up to £53,817
Contract: permanent
Hours: full time and part time hours available
Location: hybrid working – a combination of home working together with an office base at one of our newly formed local transformation hubs at Northallerton, Harrogate, Scarborough and Selby
The role
We are looking for Programme Managers to manage strategic cross-cutting programmes throughout the transformation lifecycle. These may include for example programmes to deliver the new council-wide Target Operating Model for customer, transport or the way we work; or transform services in Housing, Children’s Services or Adult Social Care. You will have strong leadership skills and an ability to resolve challenging issues as you work closely with a wide range of senior internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful programme definition and delivery. You will offer direct line/matrix management to project managers, providing leadership and ensuring high performance and professional service delivery. You will be integral to the Projects and Programmes Service Management Team, working closely with the Head of Service and deputising where required.
What you will bring
To be successful in this role you will need to have knowledge and experience of programme management methodologies and strong leadership qualities. You will have recognised professional qualifications and/or equivalent experience appropriate to the role. You will have experience of successfully managing complex stakeholders and resources to deliver high profile organisational change. For a detailed outline of the role please see attached the job specification.
Contact us and apply
If you feel you have the skills, passion, and drive that we are seeking, we want to hear from you!
For an informal discussion about these roles, please contact Naomi Smith, Head of Projects and Programmes by emailing naomi.smith@northyorks.gov.uk.
To apply please submit your application via our jobs and careers site.
Want to hear from some of our current Project and Programme Managers about what it's like to work at North Yorkshire Council and find out more about these vacancies? Join us for a candidate information session via Teams on Tuesday 7 January at 5pm.
These roles are advertised in Selby, Harrogate, Scarborough and Northallerton to reflect the local hubs you will be able to work from, please only apply once stating which location suits you the most.
We will not accept applications from agencies.
Key dates:
Closing date: 12 January 2025
Shortlisting: 13/14 January 2025
Interviews: Week commencing 20 January 2025
What can we offer you?
Modern work practices, enabling colleagues to balance work from home with their chosen council base, with offices across the geography of North Yorkshire to choose from. We regularly come together as a team for development, connection and collaboration, otherwise we work where it’s most productive to do so. You will be provided with technology to enable efficient and effective work, ensuring that you are connected and well supported. You are provided with a comprehensive benefits package with an excellent employer defined pension scheme, enhanced holidays, flexible working to help you thrive at home and well as work.
Why work for us
We are a strong performing authority, with supportive political leadership and talented teams providing the platform to have a fulfilling, challenging and successful career in a truly stunning place.
A recent peer challenge found that the council is a good place to work, with strong leadership and a loyal and committed workforce who have access to well-regarded training and development.
We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice, offering a range of training and development opportunities and career progression allowing you to manage your own development journey and empowering you to control your career. Your career can change with your life here in North Yorkshire.
We positively encourage flexible working and we provide you with the technology you need to work from a wide variety of locations.
We believe in the importance of inclusion, which is why we are always working towards being a more diverse, equitable and inclusive employer. Find out more about our equality, diversity and inclusion work on our working for us page. You can bring your whole self to work, and we will support you to be the best that you can be.
Our values, behaviours and ambitions underpin everything we do.
In addition to your salary, we offer a range of great benefits to help you financially make life a bit easier. These include:
- a local government, career average employer contribution pension scheme
- family friendly leave
- salary sacrifice schemes
- modern flexible working practices
- learning and development packages
- career advancement opportunities
- employee discount benefits including shopping and gym discounts
- green car and cycle schemes
- travel loans
You can find more information on the range of benefits we offer on our total rewards page.
Watch this video to find out about our employee networks.
Living and working in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a thriving county that adapts to a changing world and remains a special place to live and work.
North Yorkshire's natural beauty is captured in its three areas of outstanding natural parks, national nature reserves, stunning coastlines, scenic rural villages, vibrant cities and market towns. North Yorkshire really is a beautiful, thriving and special place to live and work, rich in heritage and culture.
North Yorkshire features significantly in the ten best places to live in the UK in Halifax Quality of Life Survey. The Quality-of-Life index aims to quantify where living standards are highest in the UK by ranking local performance across a range of indicators. Local areas featured in the top ten included Richmond, Selby and Malton.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics bulletin positions North Yorkshire as the safest place in England with extremely low crime rates.
In addition, the county benefits from excellent road and rail links, with easy access via the east coast mainline, the A1(M) and A19. Leeds, York, Newcastle, Durham and Teesside are all easily commutable, and London and Edinburgh are just two hours away by train.
From its lively cities to pretty villages, rolling countryside and grand coastline, Yorkshire has so much to offer including great employment opportunities for your family members, along with a higher proportion of schools which are good or outstanding compared to national figures.
You can find out more about what North Yorkshire has to offer on the No place like North Yorkshire website and by watching our North Yorkshire video on YouTube.