Project Manager

Job Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic and motivated individual to join the Business and Transformation Team at CNWL in Milton Keynes as a Project Manager working with Community Health Services.

Milton Keynes Community Health Services provide a range of health services for both children and adults across Milton Keynes in community and inpatient settings. The NHS is currently in the midst of delivering a large-scale transformation programme in the NHS Long Term Plan which includes significant growth for Community Health Services. This role is key to the delivery of the ambitious and extensive transformation agenda in Community Health Services.

The role is based at Milton Keynes Trust HQ, which is located on the campus of Milton Keynes University Hospital. Whilst we’re unable to offer this as a remote role and the post holder will be required to work on site for part of their working week, we are happy to discuss what flexible working looks like for you.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to deliver a wide range of projects across the Community Health Services transformation agenda in Milton Keynes.

The successful candidate will require excellent communication, analytical and organisational skills, experience of project management and strategic service development in a complex environment and the ability to produce and deliver robust, realistic and collaborative plans in a fast paced environment.

Working for our organisation

We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.

Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.

We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• Be responsible for the day to day management of identified projects across the Community Health Services transformation agenda and will be a single point of contact, ensuring delivery against timelines; escalating issues and reporting highlights within the governance process as appropriate
• Agree tasks and resources required to meet project objectives and manage the project within and according to the agreed budget and timescales
• Produce robust and realistic project plans for driving forward transformation initiatives, using appropriate methodology and leading to the implementation of actions and outcomes required to deliver the projects in line with locally agreed timescales
• Maintain a full and accurate audit trail of key decisions, actions and outputs, including but not limited to risk and issue logs, project/milestone plans, update/highlight reports, and action plans, and make adjustments if targets/deadlines are not met
• Produce documents, reports and presentations on a regular basis for meetings, Committees and Boards in accordance with the agreed governance arrangements.
• Use appropriate software to create and maintain appropriate project documentation including project initiation documents, business cases, project plans, project briefs, risk and issue logs and communication plans
• Ensure that the clinical perspective and clinical staff are central to the work of the projects, working with clinical teams, managers and existing Business & Transformation Managers and Service Improvement Managers to develop new ways of working
• Ensure the patient voice is at the heart of transformation planning and delivery from initial scoping discussions all the way through to agreeing evaluation and the desired outcomes of change
• Make audience-appropriate presentations, be open to challenge and opposition, raise awareness, provide training on own project etc.
• Provide support and relevant updates to project/programme boards as required
• Chair project and or workstream meetings as appropriate
• Attend programme meetings to provide updates and facilitate discussions to seek key decisions
• Manage internal and external barriers to change
• Ensure deadlines are met and delivered to a high standard
• Interpret and analyse complex information and make decisions on a range of programme issues where there may be more than one course of action
• Support the Programme Lead in coordinating and facilitating relationships between the programme and other local and other oversight and strategic group
• Work with service colleagues to champion digital innovation
• Investigate use of automation and AI to improve processes and scheduling
• Use service improvements projects as opportunities to digitise further parts of the care pathway
• Investigate use of AI (e.g chat GPT/ Google Gemini) in the production of reports, bearing in mind the need to maintain confidentiality.
• Work collaboratively across the Transformation landscape when other programmes or projects are in a resource intensive period, providing flexible support and project management as required. This may be outside of the community health portfolio.
• Deputise for the Business & Transformation Manager when required.
  
  

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Good standard of education (Degree level or equivalent appropriate experience)
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Formal project management qualification or experience to equivalent level (e.g. PRINCE2)
  
  

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of project management and strategic service development in a complex organisation.
• Track record of meeting deadlines
• Experience of managing projects in complex organisational environments
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Good working knowledge of the wider NHS agenda including sound understanding of NHS targets and national initiatives
  
  

Skills

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable leadership experience with evidence of affecting change, process redesign and establishing monitoring/evaluation mechanisms
• Ability to exercise judgement when presented with complex problems ensuring that the implications of any decisions are thoroughly considered
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of the existing NHS landscape, in particular across Community Health Services
• Understanding of applying digital innovation in a healthcare setting