Project Manager, Early Years

Project Manager (Early Years)

£49,282

2 year FTC

Your role

GMCA is looking for an experienced Project Manager to join the programme team leading delivery of the Greater Manchester Early Years and School Readiness programme. The role will provide project management support across workstreams delivering transformation initiatives that aim to strengthen our support for babies, children and families from pregnancy to age 5. You will work with the wider programme team and a broad range of stakeholders to deliver our collective ambition that every child in GM has the best start in life and starts school ready to learn and thrive.

As Project Manager, you will:

• Lead the planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of projects spanning early years and family support.
• Work collaboratively with internal GMCA teams, local authorities, health partners, the voluntary and community sector, and wider stakeholders.
• Develop project plans, track progress and risks, and ensure governance requirements are met.
• Produce highquality project documentation to support project oversight and system engagement.
• Facilitate coproduction with families, practitioners and community partners to ensure the programme reflects lived experience and local insight.
• Champion innovation, evidence-informed practice and continuous improvement across the system.

About You

The role would suit candidates with experience of managing projects in a complex policy environment with a passion for improving outcomes for our youngest residents, and an interest in prevention and early intervention in relation to early years and child development.

You will be someone who brings:

• Strong project management experience, ideally within children’s services, early years or public/population health, from project scoping to evaluation and benefits realisation.
• Is confident managing projects with multiple stakeholders and interdependent workstreams.
• Can build positive, productive relationships across organisations and professional groups, with strong communication and engagement skills and a relational approach
• Communicates clearly, writes to a high standard and has confident ICT skills across a range of software products and engagement platforms
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment and works well as part of a wider team.
• Is reflective, curious and committed to learning.

The GM Early Years and School Readiness Programme

Improving early child development outcomes and narrowing the school readiness gap, between Greater Manchester and England is a priority in our 10 year Greater Manchester Strategy. The GM Early Years and School Readiness is a longstanding programme that supports the work of GM local authorities and partners in ensuring all children get the best start in life, with an emphasis on the added value to be gained from GM level collaboration, building innovative approaches that can support sustained system change. It is one of number of transformation programmes within the GM Children’s and Young People’s team and also works closely with other GMCA directorates on shared priorities.

The next phase of programme delivery, from April 2026, aims to deepen the maturity of our whole system approach to early years; strengthen support to families from pregnancy to age 5; reduce the pressures impacting on families and develop the enablers of high quality early years and family support. You can find out more about the programme on the GMCA website. Greater Manchester School Readiness - Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Mandatory Information:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.

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Hybrid working

This role is part of GMCA’s hybrid working scheme. As part of our commitment to ‘Build Back Fairer’ in Greater Manchester following the Covid-19 pandemic, we have evolved our management methods by trusting and empowering staff to deliver their work in the best way that suits the business and their individual needs, and supports health and wellbeing. Our hybrid working policy sets out a flexible approach, combining attendance at our on-site locations with remote working, typically from home; the location of work is primarily dictated by the needs of the business: ‘Do what is right for you and the business on that day’. If appointed to the role you will work with your manager to agree and regularly review the best working pattern for you, your team and your work.