Senior Transformation Project Manager

Job Summary

Innovative, inclusive and professionally-focused on the delivery of demand-led, transformational teaching, learning and research, Robert Gordon University (RGU) has developed its strategy and principles to focus on the wide array of significant strengths and skills that make us one of the most distinctive of Scotland’s universities.

In this high impact role and together with a newly formed team, you will lead major change initiatives that will shape the University’s future to 2030 and beyond. Reporting directly to the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Resources, you will oversee complex institution‑wide projects, and embed a consistent, high‑quality approach to project delivery across the University.

Primarily you’ll be responsible for ensuring that each initiative aligns with strategic priorities and delivers measurable outcomes. As such, you will be expected to develop and embed a consistent project governance framework across the University, working closely with senior sponsors to shape business cases, define benefits, and support informed decision-making.

As a key change leader, you will guide teams and stakeholders through new systems, processes, and organisational shifts, building strong relationships across academic and professional services areas as well as with external partners. You will also mentor and support project staff, encouraging best practice, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

You will bring a degree or equivalent professional experience, supported by a project, programme, or change management qualification. Your background will include delivering large-scale transformation in complex or public-sector settings, with strong knowledge of project, programme, and change management methodologies. You will be an excellent communicator who can influence and engage senior stakeholders, analyse risks and data effectively, and produce high-quality reports and documentation. You will also be digitally confident, with strong proficiency in MS Office 365 and current project management tools.

This strategic leadership position at the heart of organisational change, offers the opportunity to influence decision‑making, shape governance, and deliver meaningful impact for students, staff, and partners across the University.

While the University typically operates a hybrid working approach, we are willing to offer a more remote working pattern for the right candidate, with only occasional on‑campus attendance aligned to business need. In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will also benefit from an attractive 46 days annual leave (including statutory days), generous pension contributions in highly rated schemes, an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits.

RGU's ultra-modern campus, located on the outskirts of the vibrant and prosperous city of Aberdeen, offers a superb place to live, work and develop your career. A relocation package is available to assist with your transition to RGU, where you’ll enjoy working in one of the most impressive university settings in the UK, with first-class educational infrastructure and outstanding sporting and leisure facilities, all set against a stunning rural backdrop on the banks of the river Dee. More information can be found on our relocation pages

For more information about senior management roles at RGU, visit Senior Management Appointments

As per the UKVI immigration rules, this role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship under this route is dependent on factors specific to the applicant and if tradeable points can be used under the rules.

Job Description

REPORTS TO: Deputy Vice Chancellor - Resources

KEY RELATIONSHIPS: Executive Sponsors, Senior Managers, Academic Schools, Professional Services, IT & Digital, HR, Finance, and external partners.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Senior Transformation Project Manager will provide strategic leadership and oversight for the delivery of major, complex, and institution-wide projects that underpin the University’s 2030 Strategic Outcomes. The post holder will take responsibility for shaping and maintaining the University’s project governance framework, ensuring the right structures, standards, and processes are in place to support consistent, high quality project delivery. Working collaboratively across the University, the post holder will embed best practice, drive cultural change in project delivery, and ensure that all projects follow a robust and transparent governance process and deliver value and return on investment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of complex, cross-institutional projects aligned with the University’s strategic aims, ensuring delivery within agreed scope, time, budget, and quality parameters.

• Design, implement, and maintain a standard governance framework and project management approach for all University projects, promoting consistency and transparency in delivery.

• Collaborate with project sponsors to develop business cases, acceptance criteria, and benefit realisation plans, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and measurable outcomes.

• Oversee and manage project governance structures, including project boards, risk registers, and issue management processes, providing regular, accurate reporting to senior stakeholders and governance bodies.

• Act as a change management lead for assigned projects, applying structured methodologies to guide stakeholders through change and ensuring adoption of new processes, systems, or ways of working.

• Monitor and evaluate project performance using data, KPIs, and objective mapping, taking corrective action as required to ensure successful delivery and benefits realisation.

• Maximize University performance by applying advanced project management skills, commercial awareness, and sector knowledge, and by leveraging relevant external networks.

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with academic, professional services staff, students, and external partners to facilitate collaborative and effective project delivery.

• Lead and motivate staff assigned to projects, mentoring colleagues and contributing to the development of project management capability across the University.

• Capture and disseminate lessons learned, contributing to the ongoing development of project management standards, tools, and templates.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

Qualifications & Professional Memberships

• Degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field.
• Formal project, programme, or change management qualification (e.g. AgilePM, PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner, APM PMQ, MSP) or demonstrable experience applying recognised project methodologies.

Knowledge & Skills

• Comprehensive knowledge of project, programme, and change management principles, methodologies, and tools, with proven ability to apply them in large and complex organisational environments.
• Working knowledge of public sector‑ operating contexts, including governance, accountability, and stakeholder dynamics, to be gained through direct experience or by working in similarly complex regulated environments
• Strategic thinking capability, with the ability to translate organisational priorities into actionable transformation plans.
• Working knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Kaizen, Lean Six Sigma).
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage, influence, and build credibility with colleagues at all organisational levels.
• Strong prioritisation, planning, and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams.
• Ability to analyse complex data and insights, distilling information clearly and accurately to support effective decision making‑.
• High level of digital literacy, including familiarity with tools and platforms commonly used in project and change management.
• Strong digital literacy, including confident use of MS Office 365 applications.

Experience

• Demonstrable experience leading and delivering major transformation or organisational change initiatives in complex environments, preferably within the public sector.
• Proven ability to establish and operate effective project and programme governance frameworks.
• Significant experience leading multi‑disciplinary teams, ensuring effective coordination of people, resources, and activities to achieve project outcomes.
• Track record of defining, planning, and managing projects in alignment with organisational strategy and priorities.
• Experience preparing high quality executive‑ level documentation, such as business cases, benefits‑ realisation‑ analyses, board reports, and project updates.
• Strong influencing and negotiation abilities, with experience engaging senior stakeholders and supporting strategic decision making‑.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries, building strong relationships and fostering joint ownership of outcomes.
• Experience conducting risk analysis and managing project or programme level‑ risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Proven ability to navigate organisational complexity, exercising sound judgement and adapting effectively to evolving project needs.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Qualifications & Professional Memberships

• Change management certification (e.g. Prosci, APMG Change Practitioner).
• Lean Six Sigma certification (e.g. Yellow, Green, or Black Belt).
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. Association for Project Management).
• Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) status.

Knowledge & Skills

• Understanding of the higher education sector and its operating environment.

Experience

• Experience in the higher education sector, particularly in process review, change management, and continuous improvement.

Leadership Competencies

STRATEGIC AWARENESS: Develops strategy, communicates strategy and aligns people and resources to strategy

LEADING CHANGE: Embraces, champions and implements changes

SELF MANAGEMENT: Emotionally intelligent, continually develops and is resilient

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT: Develops relationships, effectively communicates and is inclusive

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: Sets standards, builds capability and manages performance

DELIVERING RESULTS: Drives for excellence, identifies outcomes and targets, manages resources to deliver