Project Manager, Rolls Royce Customer Learning Programme

College of Business, Law and Social Sciences

You will work to provide exceptional leadership of the Rolls Royce Customer Learning Programme, engaging with a range of stakeholders. 

Job details

Responsible to

Academic Manager

Location

Multi-site

Closing date

Monday 24 February 2025

Salary

£37,756 to £40,283 per annum (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £51,878 per annum)

Job grade

MPS 1

Reference

0015-25

Contract type

Fixed term contract 12 months

Post type

Full-time

Adaptive working type

Hybrid
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework.

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

Working in partnership, Rolls Royce and the University of Derby deliver the Rolls Royce Customer Learning Programme,  delivering exclusive programmes of learning to global airlines and other stakeholders.

Renowned for our expertise in leadership development and applied learning, at the University of Derby we are setting new standards in the UK for our collaboration with industry and leading the way in global research in future fuels and sustainability.

Rolls-Royce is a global leader in technology for aerospace, defence, power systems, and nuclear capabilities and a leading provider of high-speed reciprocating engines, complete propulsion systems and distributed energy solutions. The University of Derby has been at the forefront of vocational and work-based learning for over 10 years delivering industry responsive courses and higher-level skills to local and national businesses and their employees.  

This role is employed by University of Derby but works in partnership with Rolls-Royce and key customer and stakeholders. 

As one of two Project Managers, you will work to provide exceptional leadership of the Customer Learning Programme, engaging with a range of stakeholders. The Project Managers will deliver the Customer Learning Programme and will oversee the planning, execution and evaluation of approximately 20 courses annually, ensuring collaboration between the University of Derby, Rolls-Royce and their customers. 

You will work collaboratively with stakeholders, academic staff and customer account managers to ensure systems and process are adhered to and that both quality and compliance is maintained to the highest standard in line with service level agreements. You will act as a key liaison with the Rolls-Royce Customers Team and their customers in China, the Middle East and Africa, upholding the programmes prestige and reputation. You will drive the growth of the programme, identifying opportunities to improve the course offerings and optimise delivery and the experience of the delegates. 

The role requires travel to different sites in Derby and occasional international travel to Singapore. 

You will hold an honours degree, preferably in Business or Project Management or an equivalent qualification in a related subject, and associated Project Management qualifications. You will have experience of negotiating with stakeholders in respect of project resources and delivery.

You will be personable and have the ability to communicate effectively with a range of different people. You should be committed to equality and diversity and providing a first class customer service to customers. You will have the ability to build positive relationships and quickly gain the trust and confidence of key stakeholders across the project.

You will be self-motivated with the confidence to work independently and willingness to take on new responsibilities. You will have the ability to build relationships and gain the confidence, respect and co-operation of senior figures both within the organisation and externally.

  1. Programme coordination: Oversee the planning, execution and evaluation of ~20 customer learning courses annually, ensuring seamless collaboration within the Derby Business School, Rolls-Royce departments and their global customers.
  2. Customer relationships: Act as a key liaison with the Rolls-Royce Customers Team and their customers in China, the Middle East and Africa, upholding the programmes prestige and reputation.
  3. Contractual delivery: Ensure all programme commitments are met.
  4. Strategic focus: Working with the Academic Manager and the client, support the growth of the programme, identifying opportunities to improve the course offerings and optimise delivery and the experience of the delegates.

Project Management

  1. Support the successful management of project delivery through the entire project life cycle from identify through transition and into closure; working effectively with colleagues, at an appropriate level, across the University, Rolls-Royce and their customers.
  2. To identify and manage appropriately project issues and risks such that project deliveries are not compromised and that sensible and appropriate alternatives are found and agreed upon.
  3. Responsibility for producing project reporting that allows timely tracking of project progress and status by all relevant stakeholder groups.
  4. In conjunction with the Academic Manager, ensure the defined benefits provided for a project are tracked during the life of the project.
  5. Engage with internal and external stakeholder groups to ensure expectations are effectively managed and communications are timely and effective; this entails working to build and maintain excellent relationships within the membership of the project team.
  6. Supported by an Academic Manager, use work packages and other appropriate tools to manage the whole project through to closure. Over time, provide input to support continuous improvement of the project management framework and associated processes.

Project Team Management and other responsibilities

  1. Management of assigned projects to ensure successful project delivery, including where appropriate external staff from suppliers or contract based resources. To provide project management assistance and support to other project managers and their projects when required.
  2. Be an active participant at the Project Management Community of Practice.
  3. Engage in ensuring that the project team is high performing and that together we support each other in feeling valued.
  4. Provide stakeholders with metrics from your project(s) to provide ongoing evidence of impact and value.
  5. Any other duties commensurate with this role.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

  • Degree or equivalent qualification and relevant experience

Experience

  • Managing projects of similar scale and complexity at the same time
  • Experience of liaising with internal and external stakeholders in respect of project resources and delivery
  • Experience of managing project budgets
  • Experience of robust change control processes
  • Tracking projects through plans to suit the audience and need
  • Experience of working with and maintaining robust, evolving, and supportive project organisations

Skills, knowledge & abilities

  • Ability to build positive relationships and quickly gain the trust and confidence of key stakeholders across the business
  • Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
  • Excellent proposal and tender writing, and presentation skills
  • High level interpersonal and networking skills
  • Good working knowledge and understanding of project management tools
  • Excellent IT skills, in MS Office productivity tools, including Use of Microsoft SharePoint and Teams as a repository for project documentation and delivering meetings/workshops
  • Diligent, accurate, and committed to delivering high quality outputs
  • Excellent organisational, time and management skills, with the ability to co-ordinate and manage multiple tasks, whilst also having the flexibility to respond effectively to changing demands and priorities
  • The ability to take a proactive approach to work displaying tenacity and curiosity
  • Strong, results-focused, with the ability to engage, enthuse and inspire team members
  • Excellent and proven customer liaison and service skills

Business requirements

  • Some requirements to work occasionally outside of normal office hours
  • Willingness and flexibility to travel and work between University and external sites in a cost effective and timely manner
  • Able and willing to undertake overseas travel

Desirable Criteria

Qualifications

  • Professional qualification or working towards a project management qualification e.g. Prince 2, APM, PMP, Agile

Experience

  • Demonstrable experience in successfully leading teams of staff within time limited, project environments

Skills, knowledge and abilities

  • Training/coaching colleagues
  • Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
  • Local Government Pension Scheme
  • Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
  • Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
  • Discounted onsite gym
  • Discounted access to Devonshire Spa
  • Holiday purchase
  • Cycle to Work scheme
  • A flexible working environment
  • A commitment to personal and professional development

Find out more about rewards and benefitsFind out more about rewards and benefits

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Matt Bromley, Academic Manager (Professional Executive Education) via m.bromley@derby.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.

We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.

When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title 'Mx'. We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns. This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates. Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.

The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process. This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead. This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.

However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

For more information on equity, diversity and inclusion at the University of Derby, please visit our website.

 

A university that celebrates you

Environmental Sustainability

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2040.

 

Environment and sustainability

Be part of something extraordinary, apply now.

How to apply

You can apply by submitting an online application. Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application. If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

The University reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@derby.ac.uk.

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.

Further details

Download Project Manager - Rolls Royce Customer Learning Programme job descriptionDownload Project Manager - Rolls Royce Customer Learning Programme job description

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.

Please find our Safeguarding pages including our Safeguarding Policy.