Cathcart Technology
Program Lead
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Programme Lead
Required to join a purpose-led organisation in Edinburgh, working across a range of programmes and initiatives designed to create meaningful change across the UK.
This is a varied role that would suit someone who enjoys taking an emerging idea or complicated problem, bringing the right people around it and helping turn it into something practical and deliverable.
Rather than joining programmes where everything has already been defined, you’ll often be involved much earlier. The evidence might be incomplete, different stakeholders may have different perspectives and there could be several potential routes forward. You’ll help create clarity, develop the right relationships and work out what needs to happen next.
They are open-minded about where you have developed your experience. You could be an established Project or Programme Manager or have developed similar skills through consulting or another environment. More important is your energy, curiosity and genuine passion for tackling difficult systemic problems and contributing to meaningful change.
The Company
This is a purpose-led organisation focused on tackling complex, systemic problems faced by the UK.
Their work brings together people from different disciplines and organisations to understand problems, challenge existing thinking and develop new approaches. As a result, their programmes don't always begin with a predefined solution or traditional delivery plan. They might start with an emerging issue, an opportunity identified through research or a conversation with an external partner.
The culture reflects that approach. The organisation has a relatively flat structure, with people encouraged to contribute ideas, challenge thinking and have a voice regardless of job title or seniority. There is very little emphasis on hierarchy or ego and a strong focus on collaboration, curiosity and doing what is right for the work.
It's also an environment where people are expected to wear multiple hats. Responsibilities can evolve as a programme develops, so you'll need to enjoy variety and be comfortable moving between strategic conversations, relationship development, problem solving and practical delivery.
The Role
You’ll work across a number of programmes and emerging initiatives, helping take ideas from relatively early-stage conversations through to a clearer proposition, programme of work or practical test.
Often there won't be a neat brief or an established route forward. You'll need to understand the problem, bring together different perspectives, question assumptions and establish what needs to be understood before deciding what action to take.
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From there, you’ll help create enough structure to move things forward. This could involve developing external relationships, coordinating colleagues and partners, clarifying priorities and decisions, managing dependencies and risks, considering resources and budgets or preparing recommendations for leadership.
Relationship development is an important part of the role. You'll engage with external organisations and senior stakeholders, understand where there are shared interests and explore whether those conversations could develop into credible programmes, partnerships or new initiatives.
This isn't an environment that needs someone to introduce heavyweight programme management methodologies or lots of additional process. You'll need strong programme judgement and organisational skills, but the emphasis is on applying them pragmatically - introducing enough structure to create momentum without slowing things down.
You’ll also work alongside specialists from a range of disciplines. You aren't expected to have all the answers or be an expert in everything yourself; part of your role is recognising what expertise is needed, asking the right questions and bringing the right people together at the right time.
Key Responsibilities
- Take emerging ideas, opportunities and complex problems and help develop them into clear, credible programmes of work
- Build and develop relationships with external organisations and senior stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration and partnership
- Bring together colleagues, partners and specialists from different backgrounds to create clarity and move work forward
- Make sense of incomplete information and different perspectives, translating them into practical priorities, decisions and next steps
- Coordinate activity across multiple stakeholders while keeping objectives, responsibilities, dependencies and risks clear
- Introduce proportionate planning, governance and reporting without creating unnecessary process or bureaucracy
- Work with specialist colleagues to understand evidence, test assumptions and identify where further information or expertise is required
- Support the development of new initiatives, from early conversations and exploration through to practical testing and delivery
- Prepare discussions and recommendations for leadership and recognise when decisions, risks or issues need to be escalated
- Capture learning from programmes and use it to inform future decisions and direction
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About You
- Strong project or programme management experience, or experience within consulting or another environment where you have coordinated complex pieces of work
- Comfortable working with ambiguity and taking ownership when there isn't already a detailed process, plan or obvious answer
- Strong relationship-building skills, with the confidence to develop relationships with senior people inside and outside an organisation
- Able to take a complicated problem, understand different perspectives and turn conversations and ideas into practical action
- Proactive and comfortable creating your own momentum rather than waiting for work or direction to be handed to you
- Strong coordination and organisational skills, but pragmatic in how you apply structure and process
- Curious and willing to question assumptions, challenge thinking constructively and change direction as your understanding develops
- Comfortable working across organisational boundaries and bringing together people with different expertise, priorities and perspectives
- Commercially and strategically aware, with the judgement to assess which opportunities are worth developing further
- Adaptable and happy wearing multiple hats, moving between relationship development, problem solving, planning and delivery depending on what the work requires
- Passionate and energetic about tackling systemic problems and using your experience to contribute to meaningful change across the UK
Relevant project or programme management training or qualifications would be beneficial, although this isn't about finding someone who wants to impose a formal methodology. They are particularly interested in people who can bring clarity to uncertainty, build relationships around an idea and help turn it into something credible and actionable.
What’s on Offer
They have a competitive salary + benefits on offer, and the role is based in Edinburgh city centre (4 days per week onsite).
If you’re someone who enjoys taking complicated problems or early-stage ideas, bringing the right people together and turning them into meaningful action, please apply or reach out to Murray Simpson.
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