Programme Manager (Utilities)

Location: Leeds Valley Park, Leeds, with regular site visits across Yorkshire Water's operational estate

Salary: £800–£850 per day

Company

hirify.global is recruiting for a contract programme management role supporting Yorkshire Water's Welfare Site Standards Programme in the power, nuclear and utilities sector.

What you will do

• Establish and lead the Welfare Site Standards Programme across 286 operational sites.
• Define governance, reporting, decision-making and programme coordination arrangements.
• Lead engagement with Operations, Health & Safety, Land & Property, HR, Facilities, executive stakeholders and frontline teams.
• Oversee discovery, site assessments, compliance reviews, gap analysis and baseline development.
• Develop prioritisation criteria, an integrated roadmap, costed delivery options and investment recommendations.
• Prepare benefits, success measures and the programme approach for Phase 2 implementation and approval, while undertaking hands-on project management where required.

Requirements

• Significant experience leading complex operational, compliance, asset, facilities or workplace transformation programmes.
• Proven experience managing programmes spanning operations, property, facilities, health and safety and organisational change.
• Strong programme leadership, governance, planning, RAID management, financial oversight and benefits realisation skills.
• Experience working as both a Programme Manager and Project Manager, including hands-on delivery.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills with directors, heads of service, operational managers, Health & Safety, HR, property and frontline teams.
• Experience with programme discovery, current-state assessment, gap analysis and implementation roadmaps.
• Ability to translate legislative and regulatory requirements into practical operational standards and improvement plans.
• Knowledge of workplace welfare, facilities management, property improvement, construction or asset-based environments.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety legislation, workplace welfare obligations and operational risk management, including experience in highly regulated operational environments.
• Comfortable undertaking regular site visits and engaging frontline operational teams across a geographically dispersed estate.

Nice to have

• Experience in facilities, property, construction, utilities, infrastructure or asset-intensive industries.

Culture & Benefits

• Interim contract for approximately six months, from late November 2026 until the end of May 2027.
• Contract is inside IR35.
• Basic DBS vetting at Level 1 is required.
• Pragmatic, delivery-focused environment balancing strategic leadership with practical execution.