IT/ Digital Project Manager - Local Government

IT/ Digital Project Manager - Local Government - £500 - £575 a day (inside IR35) - London/Hybrid - 6 month contract

We are seeking an experienced, delivery-focused Interim Project Manager to join the councils IT & Digital Portfolio team.

You will lead IT and digital transformation projects from initiation through to implementation and closure, ensuring delivery against agreed objectives, timescales, budgets and quality standards.

Working across council services, IT specialists, suppliers and senior stakeholders, you will provide strong project leadership, maintain effective governance and drive projects forward in a complex local-government environment.

The role requires someone confident engaging with senior executives, including Chief Executives and Executive Directors, managing competing priorities and communicating challenging messages with professionalism and confidence.

Key responsibilities
Lead multiple IT and digital projects from mobilisation through to successful delivery and closure.
Develop and manage project plans, budgets, resources, milestones and dependencies.
Monitor project progress, manage risks and issues, control changes and implement corrective actions.
Prepare project highlight reports, governance papers, financial forecasts and updates for senior management and project boards.
Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders and manage competing executive priorities.
Develop and deliver stakeholder engagement, communications and change management plans.
Coordinate business readiness, training, testing, implementation and transition into live services.
Manage supplier relationships and coordinate procurement activities, working with Procurement, Legal and Finance.
Support the procurement lifecycle, including requirements definition, tendering, evaluation, approvals and supplier mobilisation.
Ensure projects comply with Council governance, financial procedures and the Portfolio Management Framework.
Coordinate technical specialists and ensure appropriate security, information governance and assurance requirements are addressed.
Track project outcomes, support benefits realisation and complete effective operational handovers.
Essential skills and experience
Proven experience delivering IT and digital transformation projects within UK local government.
Strong end-to-end project management experience, including scope, budget, scheduling, risks, issues and dependencies.
Demonstrable experience managing senior stakeholders, including Chief Executives, Executive Directors and senior leadership teams.
Political awareness and an understanding of local-government governance and decision-making.
Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships and competing priorities.
Strong financial management, project reporting and governance skills.
Experience of procurement and supplier management within local government.
Practical experience of change management, stakeholder communications and business readiness.
Experience coordinating IT implementations, testing and transition into operational support.
Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to non-technical audiences.
Experience managing multiple projects within a wider programme or portfolio.
PRINCE2, APM, Agile or equivalent project management qualifications are desirable, although equivalent practical experience will be considered.