Job Description // Senior Programme Manager Location: Hybrid / Client Site (UK Public Sector), Liverpool & London
Company: Empyrean Digital
Salary: £85,000 pa
About Empyrean Digital Empyrean Digital partners with public and private sector organisations to design and deliver impactful, user-centred digital services. We combine strategy, service design, governance and delivery expertise to help clients solve complex problems and improve outcomes for citizens. We work at the heart of major transformation programmes, supporting organisations to design services that are inclusive, sustainable and aligned to Government Digital Service (GDS) standards.
The Role We are seeking an experienced Senior Programme Manager to lead complex, multi-million- pound service transformation programmes within the UK public sector. The successful candidate will be responsible for end-to-end programme leadership — from mobilisation and governance design through to delivery oversight and benefits realisation — ensuring alignment with GDS standards and best practice digital delivery approaches. This role requires a confident, credible leader who can operate at Board level while driving pace and performance across multidisciplinary delivery teams, designing transformed services to UK citizens.
Key Responsibilities Programme Leadership & Delivery
• Lead large-scale, multi-million-pound transformation programmes across digital and service environments.
• Establish and mobilise programme governance structures aligned to public sector best practice.
• Oversee delivery across discovery, alpha, beta and live phases in line with GDS service standards.
• Ensure clear scope, outcomes, milestones, dependencies and benefits tracking. • Drive programme performance, pace and accountability across multiple workstreams.
Governance, Risk & Assurance • Design and implement proportionate governance, risk and reporting frameworks. • Provide accurate, impactful reporting to SROs, Boards and governance forums. • Manage programme risk, interdependencies and critical path activities. • Support and prepare teams for GDS service assessments and other assurance
gateways.
Stakeholder & Executive Engagement • Build strong relationships with Senior Responsible Owners (SROs), Executive Directors
and policy leads.
• Provide strategic advice and challenge at senior levels. • Align digital delivery with organisational strategy, policy intent and operational readiness. • Navigate complex political and organisational environments.
Financial & Commercial Oversight • Manage multi-million-pound budgets, forecasts and financial controls. • Oversee commercial arrangements and supplier performance where applicable. • Ensure value for money and benefits realisation across the programme lifecycle.
` • Lead and mentor delivery managers and multidisciplinary teams.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency and continuous improvement. • Support clients in building sustainable internal programme capability.
• Contribute to Empyrean Digital’s internal growth, thought leadership and delivery standards.
Essential Experience
• Proven experience designing and delivering complex, multi-million-pound service transformation programmes within the public sector.
• Strong understanding of GDS Service Standard and digital delivery lifecycle (Discovery, Alpha, Beta, Live).
• Experience establishing programme governance and delivery frameworks. • Experience leading programmes through GDS service assessments. • Background in consultancy or client-side advisory roles. • Experience in local or central government transformation.
• Demonstrable experience managing senior stakeholders at Board and Executive level. • Strong financial and commercial acumen. • Excellent leadership, communication and influencing skills.
What We Offer
• Opportunity to shape high-impact public services. • Exposure to major government transformation programmes. • Collaborative and values-driven culture. • Professional development and leadership opportunities.
At Empyrean Digital, we are committed to designing services that genuinely improve citizens’ lives. If you are passionate about service design, systems thinking and public sector transformation, we would love to hear from you
Appendix // About Us Coming together in 2017, the Empyrean Digital team combines years of experience in bringing value to mutual clients and responding to a clear market need for pragmatic, agile and experienced digital support. As our client’s digital partner, our blend of strategic, technical, commercial, and product expertise will transform their services in a ground-breaking way. We are dedicated and demand quality, knowing we win or lose on the strength of our feedback. Team Culture At empyrean digital, our ambition is to attract, develop and retain a diverse and talented team by: • supporting a broad range of amazing clients • undertaking interesting and ambitious projects • building our own suite of products that add real value • creating a real sense of team Our team culture is at the heart of what we do and who we are at empyrean digital. We want to grow a team which embodies the following values and pulls together to deliver a world-class service for clients. • Curious // You are inquisitive and dig a little deeper to win. • Driven // You are dedicated and demand quality, with an infectious hunger for excellence
that inspires others.
• Collaborative // You are honest and transparent, admit mistakes and proactively seek different perspectives.
• Brave // You trust your instincts, are open to possible failure and are prepared to make the right call for customers, every time.