Programme Manager

The Programme Manager leads programme-level planning, coordination and governance across a defined regional portfolio of projects, workstreams and related business activities. The role provides the regional leadership team with a clear, current and reliable view of programme progress, key decisions, risks, dependencies, governance status and delivery performance.

The role works across development, commercial, pre-construction, delivery, operations and, where relevant, joint venture or concession administration. It acts as a central point of coordination across multiple projects and activities, ensuring that individual project plans align to regional priorities, stakeholder requirements, commercial commitments and approved governance.

The role is intended to be broad enough to apply across all Heat UK regions. Local emphasis may vary by region and should be managed through personal objectives rather than by creating substantially different job descriptions. In some regions, the role may primarily coordinate a portfolio of projects and provide the single source of truth for programme information. In others, the role may also double hat and retain direct project management responsibility for selected projects or work packages where this is appropriate to the regional structure.

The role does not replace the accountability of Project Managers for their assigned projects. Project Managers remain responsible for managing projects through the approved tollgate and project governance process. The (Senior) Programme Manager ensures that the wider programme is coordinated, governed and reported consistently, and that project-level information is translated into an integrated regional view.

The title may be applied as Programme Manager or Senior Programme Manager depending on the regional structure, scale and complexity of the portfolio, and the level at which the postholder is expected to operate. Use of “Senior” reflects the level of autonomy, judgement, stakeholder influence and programme complexity, not the existence of a subordinate Programme Manager role.

Key Responsibilities / Duties

Programme and Portfolio Coordination

• Maintain the regional programme view across projects, workstreams and related business activities.
• Coordinate programme-level planning, dependencies, priorities, milestones and resource visibility.
• Provide a clear and reliable source of truth for programme status, progress, decisions, risks and issues.
• Ensure project information is consolidated into meaningful reporting for regional and senior leadership.
• Identify conflicts, gaps or dependencies between projects and ensure they are escalated or resolved.
• Support the development of future heat network opportunities in collaboration with Business Development, Commercial, Engineering and Operations.
• Where required by the regional structure, manage selected projects or work packages directly.

Governance and Decision Support

• Lead or coordinate the regional governance rhythm for the assigned programme or portfolio.
• Ensure tollgate submissions, governance papers, investment updates, risk reviews and decision materials are prepared to an appropriate standard.
• Work with Project Managers to ensure governance requirements are understood, proportionate and completed on time.
• Track actions, decisions, assumptions and approvals so that there is a clear record of programme direction.
• Support senior leaders by providing clear, evidence-based recommendations where decisions are required.
• Ensure project and programme information remains aligned with approved governance and reporting requirements.

Commercial and Business Case Awareness

• Maintain visibility of the commercial position across the programme, including budget movement, forecast changes, cost pressures, risks, opportunities and key assumptions.
• Work with Commercial and Finance to understand the business case position and ensure material changes are identified and escalated.
• Challenge project decisions where they may affect approved scope, cost, programme, risk, commercial assumptions or regional priorities.
• Support Project Managers in understanding the commercial boundaries within which their projects are being delivered.
• Ensure programme reporting highlights the impact of project movement on cost, timing, risk, commitments and overall regional delivery confidence.
• Identify opportunities to improve value, reduce risk or strengthen the delivery position across the portfolio.

Project Delivery Interface

• Work closely with Project Managers, Senior Project Managers and functional leads to ensure projects are properly planned, governed and coordinated.
• Support project setup, project execution planning, reporting, risk management, change control and stakeholder coordination.
• Provide constructive challenge to ensure project plans are realistic, deliverable and aligned to wider programme requirements.
• Coordinate inputs from Engineering, Commercial, Finance, Operations, Business Development and external stakeholders where needed.
• Support escalation where project issues require senior attention, commercial review, governance approval or cross-functional intervention.
• Where directly assigned to a project, manage delivery in accordance with the same expectations as a Project Manager.

Stakeholder and Interface Management

• Act as a key coordination point for regional stakeholders, project teams and relevant external partners.
• Support clear communication with clients, joint venture partners, local authorities, developers, contractors, utilities and internal functions where required.
• Ensure stakeholders understand programme status, upcoming decisions, dependencies and risks.
• Maintain effective working relationships across functions while preserving appropriate challenge and governance discipline.
• Support joined-up communication where multiple projects, partners or workstreams affect the same regional outcomes.

Risk, Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Maintain visibility of programme-level risks, issues, opportunities and dependencies.
• Ensure that risks are considered in terms of delivery, commercial, operational, stakeholder and governance impact.
• Produce clear, concise and decision-focused programme reports.
• Support lessons learned, improvement of project controls, reporting quality and regional ways of working.
• Promote consistent programme discipline while allowing flexibility for local project and regional needs.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Experience in programme management, project management, portfolio coordination, project controls, commercial management or governance within infrastructure, energy, utilities, construction or a related sector.
• Strong understanding of project governance, reporting, risk management, change control and investment decision processes.
• Commercial awareness and ability to understand budgets, forecasts, business case assumptions, cost pressures and delivery trade-offs.
• Ability to coordinate multiple projects, workstreams and stakeholders without duplicating Project Manager accountability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear reports and decision materials.
• Ability to challenge constructively, influence without direct authority and operate effectively across functions.
• Strong organisational skills, analytical capability and attention to detail.

Desirable

• Experience in district heating, low-carbon energy, major infrastructure, urban development, joint ventures or concession environments.
• Experience supporting business case development, investment committees, project review boards or equivalent governance forums.
• Familiarity with construction delivery, commissioning, operational handover and asset lifecycle considerations.
• Experience with project controls, reporting, scheduling, cost management or portfolio management tools.

Behavioural Competencies

• Structured, commercially aware and delivery-focused.
• Able to provide clarity across multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Collaborative, pragmatic and confident in challenging assumptions where needed.
• Calm under pressure and able to escalate risks or decisions at the right time.
• Comfortable operating with some ambiguity while maintaining clear records and disciplined reporting.
• Committed to safe, reliable and commercially sustainable heat network delivery.

• Degree, HND or equivalent experience in Project Management, Engineering, Construction Management, Commercial Management, Business, Finance or a related discipline.
• Demonstrable experience managing or coordinating complex projects, programmes or portfolios.
• Project or programme management qualification such as APM, PRINCE2, PMI or MSP is desirable.
• Evidence of working in cross-functional environments with delivery, commercial, technical, operational and stakeholder complexity.

Our offer 
Good remuneration, a challenging and international work environment, and the possibility to work with some of the best in the field. You will be working in interdisciplinary teams and you can always count on support from committed colleagues. We offer attractive employment conditions and opportunities for personal and professional development. 

More Information 
We welcome your application in English, no later than 12/07/2026. We kindly request that you do not send applications by any means other than via our website as we cannot guarantee that we will be able to process applications that are not made via our website. 
 
For more information about the recruitment process you are welcome to contact our recruiter Adam Hammond via adam.hammond@vattenfall.com 

Commitment to Diversity

Vattenfall is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums and services to support all our employees.

We are convinced that diversity contributes to build a more profitable and attractive company and we strive to be good role model regarding diversity. Vattenfall works actively for all employees to have the same opportunities and rights regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, transgender identity or expression, religion or other belief, disability or sexual orientation. 
 
We look forward to receiving your application!

Vattenfall is one of Europe’s largest producers and retailers of electricity and heat. Our main markets are Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the UK. The Vattenfall Group has approximately 21 000 employees. We have been electrifying industries, powering homes and transforming life through innovation for more than 100 years.