The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

Your principal aim will be to lead strategic initiatives, ensuring people are put at the heart of change, that we involve our staff and stakeholders in our plans, assess any likely impact on them and the wider University and engage them in the change process in a way that helps us make sure that projects are successful and change sticks. This role is about embedding change and project management excellence, both through the projects that you will directly manage and those of the team more indirectly. You will need to be confident in your change and project management capability, work well with people, and have the skills to engage, influence and support your colleagues and senior managers, such that the University can realise its vision. 

Main duties and responsibilities

Supporting change

●      Work closely with the Head of Strategic Change and your peers to develop excellent business cases for projects, creating the case for change and carrying out business readiness assessments. Ensure an appropriate benefits realisation strategy is put in place and monitor the longer-term delivery of benefits against the agreed business case.

●      Support the strategic planning of projects and change initiatives to ensure that there is a coherent, co-ordinated portfolio of projects and change that will deliver the University’s vision. Identifying and managing dependencies and the interfaces between initiatives and managing the collective impact of change on our staff and students.

●      Play a critical role in embedding an agreed change management approach and toolkit and promote its use.

●      Act as a subject matter expert for project and change management, developing people, processes and the culture necessary to increase the University’s change maturity.

●      Carry out change impact assessments (and liaise with colleagues to complete equality impact assessments), identifying and implementing strategies to manage resistance and develop transition plans to successfully embed changes into business-as-usual operations.

●      Lead stakeholder mapping and engagement to ensure that stakeholder interests are identified and addressed. Develop and implement excellent change communication strategies and plans, deliver presentations and workshops to key stakeholders.

●      Work to develop a release communication strategy aligned to area of work/project and the UoS strategy which constantly seeks to embed a clear change message tailored so that individuals understand the purpose and relevance of the solution and the organisational processes it supports.

●      Ensure that the project, readiness or delivery plans maintain focus on the student and staff experience.

●      Help to keep activities on track and maintain alignment with the business case and project plan, identify potential barriers to success and work with colleagues in change, training and transition to ensure high levels of adoption

Supporting project delivery

• Project manage the delivery of one or more specific projects throughout the full lifecycle from idea to benefits realisation to ensure the successful delivery of business objectives and benefits.

• Working in collaboration with the stakeholders, develop and implement high quality project plans, schedules and budgets to ensure the successful delivery of project outcomes within time cost and quality constraints.

• Identify, monitor and manage risks and issues within and across projects and escalate as appropriate. Work with the Project Sponsors and Project Boards to develop and implement mitigating actions.

• Define and implement effective project governance and controls. Provide regular reporting to relevant project and programme boards, highlighting performance against plan and budget, including early warnings of any deviation against these and appropriate strategies to recover.

• Effective line management of either Project Managers or Change Officers.

• Manage a small group of either Project Managers or Change Officers and Communication Manager developing a high-performing and positive team that will operate as an effective service, utilising both their reporting expertise and understanding of the University and its strategic aims.

• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Further Information

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take during the week commencing 13 August 2026. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact leigh-ann.gibson@sheffield.ac.uk

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.

• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.

• Generous pension scheme.

• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.

• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).

• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.

• A range of generous family-friendly policies

• • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies

• • access to menopause support in the workplace

• • paid time off and support for fertility treatment

• • and more.

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.