Programme Manager - Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) - 6 months - Home Counties at Allen Lane Ltd., Home Counties, £649 per day

Programme Manager - Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) - Outside IR35 - Home Counties (Hybrid) - 6-Month Contract

A Home Counties local authority is undertaking a once-in-a-generation Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programme. This is not incremental change - it is a fundamental re-imagining of how services are structured, governed and delivered across the county. We are seeking an experienced Programme Manager with prior LGR delivery experience to lead a highly complex, high-profile and politically sensitive programme. You will be responsible for shaping and delivering cross-cutting transformation at scale, operating in a fast-moving and evolving landscape with significant stakeholder scrutiny. This role requires exceptional programme leadership, strong strategic and operational thinking, political awareness and the resilience to drive clarity, pace and results.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and deliver a Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programme, spanning multiple interdependent workstreams and projects
• Shape, mobilise and deliver a complex, cross-cutting programme aligned to strategic, financial and organisational objectives
• Develop compelling business cases to drive transformational change and evidence benefit realisation
• Establish and maintain robust programme governance, assurance and reporting frameworks
• Design, manage and maintain integrated programme plans, dependencies, risks and issues
• Own benefits realisation planning, ensuring outcomes are quantified, measurable and delivered
• Engage and influence senior stakeholders, partners and elected Members
• Navigate political and organisational complexity, managing resistance to change where required
• Provide strong leadership across line-managed and Matrix-managed teams
• Manage programme resources and budgets, ensuring value for money and delivery against agreed outcomes
• Act as a senior escalation point for programme risks, issues and interdependencies

Essential Experience & Skills:

• Proven experience delivering Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programmes
• Demonstrable experience working as a Programme Manager within a local government environment
• Track record of successfully delivering large-scale, complex transformation programmes
• Experience working closely with Members, senior leaders and politically sensitive stakeholders
• Strong understanding of public sector governance, assurance and decision-making processes
• Experience working across complex, multi-agency and partnership environments
• Expert knowledge of programme management best practice (APM/MSP), ideally with:Strong financial acumen, including benefits realisation and programme budget management
  • APM Practitioner or MSP Practitioner accreditation
  • Exemplary leadership capability with a proven ability to build high-performing delivery teams
• Confident, credible communicator with strong presence in high-pressure and high-visibility environments

TL;DR

• Role: Programme Manager - Local Government Reorganisation
• Sector: Local Government (Home Counties)
• Contract Length: Up to 6 months
• Daily Rate: £649
• IR35: Outside IR35
• Location: Home Counties (hybrid)
• Start: ASAP