Project Manager (Modern Publishing)

National Audit Office; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 47,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector organization is seeking an experienced Project Manager to oversee the implementation of a complex technology solution as part of the Transforming VFM Reporting program. This role requires leading procurement, market testing, and managing stakeholder relationships while ensuring project delivery aligns with organizational goals. The position offers a salary of up to £54,000 for London and £47,000 for Newcastle, along with a civil service pension. The role supports a hybrid work model, necessitating some office presence.

Benefits

Civil service pension

Hybrid working policy

Qualifications

• Formal training in project management is essential.
• Experience in technical software implementations required.
• Proven leadership and management experience is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Lead market testing and procurement for the Modern Publishing solution.
• Finalize and implement detailed delivery and integration plans.
• Manage relationships with stakeholders and communicate project updates.

Skills

Project management methodology

Technical software implementation

Procurement and piloting experience

Leadership and management skills

Excellent communication skills

Workshop facilitation skills

Job description

Contract details

Job description: Contract type: 12-month fixed term
Start date: Ideally asap and no later than 1 April 2026
Location: London or Newcastle office with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office in line with our hybrid working policy. If Newcastle base regular and/or ad hoc travel required to our London office
Salary: London: c.£54,000, Newcastle: c.£47,000 (higher base salaries may be available for exceptional candidates) + civil service pension

About the role

The Transforming VFM Reporting programme aims to update the NAO’s publishing approach and outputs by aligning with industry-standard tools and ways of working; enabling an efficient and digital-first approach to writing, producing, and sharing our publications.

This programme is split into two projects; ‘Modern Publishing’ (MP) and ‘Communicating Findings’. The MP project aims to provide a single-version solution for the collaborative writing, editing, and publishing of, initially, VFM reports. It will enable production of content in xml which is required for html publication. The MP project has completed the discovery phase, and is currently exploring potential solutions through proof of concept testing. The project has a Director, change manager, business analyst and subject matter experts (SMEs). There are also programme-level roles that support.

We now need an experienced Project Manager with relevant expertise to lead the market testing (if required), procurement and implementation of a complex technology solution. This will support the delivery of the MP project, through the application of good technical, process, and digital project management practice.

Responsibilities

• Finalise user requirements and lead the market testing (if required). Undertake procurement and implementation of the Modern Publishing solution, ensuring that all relevant deliverables set out in the business case are on track to be met.
• Plan and implement the delivery and integration of the solution to become business as usual.
• Work cross‑departmentally within the organisation to integrate existing and new systems and processes; develop and communicate clear guidance to encourage user buy‑in and successful transition to business as usual.
• Integrate with this project’s sister project – Communicating Findings – aligning outcomes, managing implications and dependencies.
• Build effective relationships with key stakeholders, suppliers and users; work closely with those delivering and managing workstreams and projects within the programme to ensure alignment and successful delivery to plan.
• Manage the market testing, software procurement, and piloting and implementation of the Modern Publishing (MP) solution (software and processes) on a day‑to‑day basis on behalf of the Senior Responsible Owner / Programme Board in accordance with NAO guidance and standards.
• Ensure that the MP project’s user requirements are delivered against by way of a combination of bringing in new technology, utilising existing technology, and adjusting ways of working (as advised by the wider project team).
• Help define, document, and secure agreement to the workstream scope, goals and deliverables, and success criteria in collaboration with senior management and stakeholders – contributing to discussions on potential benefits.
• Work closely with the Transforming VFM Reporting programme team and other stakeholders to identify and manage inter‑project dependencies, critical path, and key workstreams; specifically ensure requirements of and implications for the Communicating Findings project are identified and managed throughout the project phase.
• Proactively manage changes to workstream scope; identify potential risks and devise contingency plans as well as providing the programme board with options for resolution.
• Coordinate testing of the new, in‑view, and existing systems and processes to draw out any errors, bugs and crashes. Recommend and implement improvements to solve any identified issues.
• Produce a list of user requirements which is finalised through market testing, including proof of concept testing, if required.
• Create a full procurement plan, including potential procurement routes and recommendations for programme board, a detailed tender document, and evaluation criteria.
• Work with the programme team to coordinate the Business Case.
• Contribute to new supplier contract terms including SLAs.
• Create project recommendation and proposal documents and presentations as required, for the workstreams you are responsible for.
• Produce and implement a pilot testing plan (if required) to enable validation of end‑to‑end user acceptance, delivery of functional requirements, and that the product generally functions as intended. Develop a post‑pilot evaluation and recommendations paper.
• Develop a detailed plan for full implementation of the solution.
• Execute the implementation plan, delivering the solution across all value‑for‑money teams.
• Contribute to communications and engagement plans and materials including guidance.
• Contribute to business‑as‑usual transition plans.
• Engage with procurement and project team members to understand requirements and processes relating to procuring and managing related services provided by third parties.
• Use project team expertise, user requirements, project scope and proof of concept findings to provide an options assessment and proposal for full procurement of third‑party services to support Modern Publishing, for Board and Executive Team sign off.
• Work with our Procurement team; run the procurement process end‑to‑end and ensure the contract has suitable terms and break clauses to support the NAO’s requirements.
• Balance cost versus value and consider the financial impact of user needs on the project.
• Ensure effective communication and relationship‑building with contracted supplier/s, working closely with the primary contract manager.
• Work towards the appropriate service standards and NAO Change Framework Governance for the relevant project stage. Recognise when to move from one stage of a product lifecycle to another.
• Apply best practice tools and techniques for project delivery execution and management, supporting the programme delivery team and others to develop change management plans, including communication and engagement plans.
• Contribute to progress, risk, dependency and issue reports for relevant senior staff within project governance structures, escalating as appropriate to ensure issues are handled promptly and effectively.
• Propose solutions to business problems with consideration of Information Security and Data Architecture.
• Work with the programme delivery team to ensure effective liaisons with project team members and stakeholders across the business to ensure that the procurement, pilot and implementation phases of the project are planned, initiated and delivered successfully, and set up to transition smoothly into business‑as‑usual.
• Work closely with the Change, Publishing and Authoring teams to ensure that project communications and engagement activity is clear, compelling and successful in encouraging behaviour change, and that we gather and use user feedback throughout the project.
• Contribute to post‑pilot/post‑project sessions and share lessons learned to identify successful and unsuccessful project elements.
• Knowledge transfer to NAO colleagues to ensure shared understanding and resilience throughout the project, and to ensure the core elements of implementation and transition are documented and good practice continues.

Skills required

• Formal training and experience in project management methodology – essential.
• Experience in implementation of technical software and associated process and workflow improvements – essential.
• Experience in procuring and piloting new technical software – essential.
• Experience of working in similar environments/projects in the public sector – desirable.
• Experience of working with mid‑large scale publishing organisations – desirable.
• Proven leadership and management skills.
• Ability to marshal and co‑ordinate resources to ensure project delivery.
• “Can do” attitude, with demonstrable delivery focus.
• Self‑aware with excellent interpersonal skills; ability to negotiate, manage conflict, influence outcomes and gain buy‑in for new initiatives and ways of working.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with users, key stakeholders and technical staff at all levels, including presentation skills.
• Ability to clearly articulate and communicate project concepts and issues to both technical and non‑technical staff.
• Experience of planning, monitoring and reporting on projects using relevant tools.
• Workshop facilitation skills.
• Ability to effectively prioritise and execute tasks in a complex and changing environment.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Applicants will not be discriminated against on the grounds of any protected characteristic or any other extraneous factor.

Disability and Reasonable Adjustments
Applicants with a disability who wish their application to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme should confirm this when submitting their application. Under this scheme we guarantee an interview to an applicant with a disability who meets the minimum requirements for the role. You should also let our HR team know if you wish us to consider any Reasonable Adjustments at any stage of the process (HR Service Desk ([e-mail] ).

How to apply

To be considered for this role, please submit the following by the deadline of Sunday 4 January:
• An up‑to‑date CV
• A covering letter setting out briefly how you meet the key skills and experience set out in the job description (max. 1000 words)

Selection process

• Telephone interview - w/c 12 January
• Panel interview, including presentation - w/c 19 January and w/c 26 January

Nationality requirements

• UK nationals
• Nationalities of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationalities from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

Please note, we are not able to sponsor work visas. Please contact us at [e-mail] should you have any questions on your nationality eligibility.