Enterprising Futures Project Manager
| Posting date: | 16 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £35608-37694 per annum |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 04 January 2026 |
| Location: | Newcastle, NE1 7RU |
| Company: | Newcastle University |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | 28942-43847626 |
Summary
We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.
The Role
We are looking for a passionate, motivated professional to support Enterprising Futures an initiative founded by Newcastle University graduate, philanthropist and entrepreneur Rob Wood.
As part of a £1.25 million donation, Enterprising Futures is advancing the University’s enterprise and entrepreneurship offer to students and graduates as well as our outreach work in secondary education.
Reporting directly to the Senior Manager for Entrepreneurship and Start-up, the post holder will also work closely with colleagues in Student Recruitment, Advancement and Student Success and report to the Enterprising Futures Steering Group.
Your role will be to work across teams and third-party stakeholders to ensure we are delivering an outstanding set of experiences across Enterprising Futures.
We are currently working with a hybrid approach to some remote and some place-based working and are happy to support candidates who want to relocate from outside of the region.
The post is full time, fixed term until 31st July 2028.
About you
To be successful in this role you should have experience of the education sector (Higher Education or Secondary Education). You will need to demonstrate the ability to work on complex projects to challenging deadlines as well as excellent organisational, interpersonal and written skills.
An essential element of this role will be your ability to influence stakeholders to ensure they are fully engaged in the successful implementation of the projects and initiatives you are working on.
Next steps
For informal enquiries about the role please contact Claire Adamson e: claire.adamson@newcastle.ac.uk
To apply, please upload a copy of your CV and a letter of application which evidences how you meet the knowledge, skills and experience outlined in the person specification.
Key Accountabilities
- Coordinate and lead project teams comprising of internal staff and third-party suppliers to ensure a collaborative and focussed approach in the delivery of the project
- Maintain focus on the desired outcome of the project ensuring appropriate and continued engagement throughout
- Where appropriate manage any budgets associated with the project controlling the expenditures within agreed tolerance and monitoring the costs against project deliverables
- Create and maintain appropriate communication channels in order to ensure effective and timely communication with all stakeholders. This should include regular stakeholder meetings and updates to the Enterprising Futures Steering Group
- To prepare and present project reports, project documentation and data reports relating to the project
- Facilitate the definition of project scope, goals and deliverables and where appropriate develop business case details to enable selection of options. These should include a cost/benefit analysis for each option as appropriate including recommendations
- Define project products and tasks in order to develop appropriate project plans and resource requirements
- Lead the planning and initiation of projects and initiatives ensuring the correct governance is in place and appropriate stakeholders are involved
- Ensure that the benefits of the project are identified, owned and tracked in order to support the effective evaluation and where appropriate continued delivery or wider deployment of the work
- To lead on discussions regarding the student experience, digital student experience and the international student experience
- Organise and deliver events to engage stakeholders and raise awareness of the work of Enterprising Futures and the wider Student Recruitment and Careers Service teams
- Maintain a high level of awareness of relevant activities, benchmarking, good practice, policy matters and trends within Higher and Secondary Education
- Engage with sector wide developments and innovation with a view to developing best practice within the team
- To undertake any other duties reasonably requested in the delivery of Enterprising Futures and the University’s wider strategic objectives
The Person
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Experience of working in a Higher Education Institution or similar mutli-faceted organisation
- Experience of working with and managing the expectations of numerous stakeholders
- Proven track record in managing complex projects or workstreams with measurable impact
- Has the ability to see the “big picture”, to think strategically and to manage complex problems and issues
- Understanding of the importance of Risk Management
- Ability to develop a project plan and the ability to use various analytical and planning tools and techniques
- Demonstrable experience of adopting and/ or developing sector standard evaluation frameworks to track and measure impact
- Experience of conducting market research (primary and secondary)
- Able to demonstrate effective leadership and motivational skills
- Experience of developing and maintaining collaborative relationships and initiatives with a range of internal and external partners
- Ability to work on own initiative, taking decisions and actions to deliver project outcomes and the needs of all beneficiaries
- Ability to tailor communications to suit the audience and ability to influence decisions to maintain a focus on the delivery of a successful outcome
- Experience of providing regular and ad-hoc reporting to a range of audiences, both verbally and written as appropriate and to agreed quality standards
- Use of MS Office software (eg Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
- Use of collaboration tools (eg Sharepoint, Microsoft Groups/Teams, Yammer)
Attributes and Behaviour
- Ability to manage and prioritise a complex portfolio workload, solve problems and use own initiative appropriately.
- Ability to be highly flexible and adaptable in the workplace and manage ambiguity and change positively.
- Ability to work effectively alone as well as within different teams and groups, both internal and external to the organisation
- Is able to achieve change at individual and functional level
- Reviews and revises plans to meet with changing circumstances
- Develops and implements new ideas
- Willing to help others and share workloads
- Works in a planned and structured way
- A willingness to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends and intensive weeks when required, sometimes involving regional and national travel
Qualifications
- A degree and/or relevant professional qualification (e.g. PRINCE2) or relevant experience in project management
The Role
We are looking for a passionate, motivated professional to support Enterprising Futures an initiative founded by Newcastle University graduate, philanthropist and entrepreneur Rob Wood.
As part of a £1.25 million donation, Enterprising Futures is advancing the University’s enterprise and entrepreneurship offer to students and graduates as well as our outreach work in secondary education.
Reporting directly to the Senior Manager for Entrepreneurship and Start-up, the post holder will also work closely with colleagues in Student Recruitment, Advancement and Student Success and report to the Enterprising Futures Steering Group.
Your role will be to work across teams and third-party stakeholders to ensure we are delivering an outstanding set of experiences across Enterprising Futures.
We are currently working with a hybrid approach to some remote and some place-based working and are happy to support candidates who want to relocate from outside of the region.
The post is full time, fixed term until 31st July 2028.
About you
To be successful in this role you should have experience of the education sector (Higher Education or Secondary Education). You will need to demonstrate the ability to work on complex projects to challenging deadlines as well as excellent organisational, interpersonal and written skills.
An essential element of this role will be your ability to influence stakeholders to ensure they are fully engaged in the successful implementation of the projects and initiatives you are working on.
Next steps
For informal enquiries about the role please contact Claire Adamson e: claire.adamson@newcastle.ac.uk
To apply, please upload a copy of your CV and a letter of application which evidences how you meet the knowledge, skills and experience outlined in the person specification.
Key Accountabilities
- Coordinate and lead project teams comprising of internal staff and third-party suppliers to ensure a collaborative and focussed approach in the delivery of the project
- Maintain focus on the desired outcome of the project ensuring appropriate and continued engagement throughout
- Where appropriate manage any budgets associated with the project controlling the expenditures within agreed tolerance and monitoring the costs against project deliverables
- Create and maintain appropriate communication channels in order to ensure effective and timely communication with all stakeholders. This should include regular stakeholder meetings and updates to the Enterprising Futures Steering Group
- To prepare and present project reports, project documentation and data reports relating to the project
- Facilitate the definition of project scope, goals and deliverables and where appropriate develop business case details to enable selection of options. These should include a cost/benefit analysis for each option as appropriate including recommendations
- Define project products and tasks in order to develop appropriate project plans and resource requirements
- Lead the planning and initiation of projects and initiatives ensuring the correct governance is in place and appropriate stakeholders are involved
- Ensure that the benefits of the project are identified, owned and tracked in order to support the effective evaluation and where appropriate continued delivery or wider deployment of the work
- To lead on discussions regarding the student experience, digital student experience and the international student experience
- Organise and deliver events to engage stakeholders and raise awareness of the work of Enterprising Futures and the wider Student Recruitment and Careers Service teams
- Maintain a high level of awareness of relevant activities, benchmarking, good practice, policy matters and trends within Higher and Secondary Education
- Engage with sector wide developments and innovation with a view to developing best practice within the team
- To undertake any other duties reasonably requested in the delivery of Enterprising Futures and the University’s wider strategic objectives
The Person
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Experience of working in a Higher Education Institution or similar mutli-faceted organisation
- Experience of working with and managing the expectations of numerous stakeholders
- Proven track record in managing complex projects or workstreams with measurable impact
- Has the ability to see the “big picture”, to think strategically and to manage complex problems and issues
- Understanding of the importance of Risk Management
- Ability to develop a project plan and the ability to use various analytical and planning tools and techniques
- Demonstrable experience of adopting and/ or developing sector standard evaluation frameworks to track and measure impact
- Experience of conducting market research (primary and secondary)
- Able to demonstrate effective leadership and motivational skills
- Experience of developing and maintaining collaborative relationships and initiatives with a range of internal and external partners
- Ability to work on own initiative, taking decisions and actions to deliver project outcomes and the needs of all beneficiaries
- Ability to tailor communications to suit the audience and ability to influence decisions to maintain a focus on the delivery of a successful outcome
- Experience of providing regular and ad-hoc reporting to a range of audiences, both verbally and written as appropriate and to agreed quality standards
- Use of MS Office software (eg Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
- Use of collaboration tools (eg Sharepoint, Microsoft Groups/Teams, Yammer)
Attributes and Behaviour
- Ability to manage and prioritise a complex portfolio workload, solve problems and use own initiative appropriately.
- Ability to be highly flexible and adaptable in the workplace and manage ambiguity and change positively.
- Ability to work effectively alone as well as within different teams and groups, both internal and external to the organisation
- Is able to achieve change at individual and functional level
- Reviews and revises plans to meet with changing circumstances
- Develops and implements new ideas
- Willing to help others and share workloads
- Works in a planned and structured way
- A willingness to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends and intensive weeks when required, sometimes involving regional and national travel
Qualifications
- A degree and/or relevant professional qualification (e.g. PRINCE2) or relevant experience in project management