The Project Manager plays a pivotal role in leading and delivering high-impact change initiatives within the Technology and Operations function at Oxford University Press (OUP). These initiatives may be part of broader programmes or operate as independent projects, all aimed at driving significant business transformation.
The Project Manager is accountable for ensuring the successful delivery of projects by focusing on the following strategic outcomes:
Strategic Implementation: Delivering complex, business-critical projects that support OUP’s global growth and ongoing evolution.
Stakeholder Engagement & Risk Management: Building strong relationships with stakeholders and ensuring projects are delivered with a clear focus on risk awareness, mitigation, and delivery assurance.
Governance & Delivery Excellence: Managing scope, resources, timelines, and budgets to ensure projects meet quality standards, supported by robust governance and decision-making frameworks.
As a core member of the project team, the Project Manager contributes to the enhancement of technology systems, information management, business processes, and organisational change.
This role sits within the Portfolio Planning and Delivery team, part of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS). ETS is responsible for delivering the IT services that underpin OUP’s operations, including infrastructure, end-user services, and enterprise applications. The Portfolio Planning and Delivery function works in close partnership with business and technology stakeholders to align priorities and ensure the successful execution of strategic initiatives.
Key responsibilities in this role will include:
Lead the delivery of significant projects which drive significant benefit to the OUP business
Build and deliver business project(s) to realise one or more business outcomes in project management delivery frameworks such as Waterfall, Agile etc. Demonstrate a track record of continuous improvement.
Define, Initiate, Deliver and lead complex projects so that they are correctly structured with an underpinned plan aligned where required with partners or internal teams that is coordinated, risk-managed and communicated. Ensuring the successful delivery of these high-profile projects is critical to driving OUP’s business outcomes
Responsible for continuously optimising value of the projects (process, tools & people), ensuring learnings are tracked, shared and implemented to drive a culture of continual improvement across all projects.
Ensure effective use of project budgets to deliver defined business outcomes and clearly identify the associated business benefits. Provide governance and assurance by aligning plans to mitigate risks, holding delivery partners accountable where appropriate, and maintaining robust end-to-end governance frameworks
Continuously enhance project delivery capabilities by embracing complexity, driving improvement, and cultivating strong, trust-based relationships with stakeholders across the business.
Foster strong, collaborative relationships with colleagues across Technology, Finance, Operations, and broader OUP business group functions and divisions to ensure alignment and shared success.
Work collaboratively with external delivery partners to understand the project demand and secure resources.
We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office.
About You
To be successful in this role, you will ideally have/be:
Excellent functional and technical knowledge and skills at a high level of accomplishment
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, ability to influence at a senior level
Strong focus on outcome realisation, ability to identify key decisions and ensure they are made in a timely manner
A high degree of integrity and a track record of success, keeping to commitments and credibility; a trusted advisor.
Able to accurately scope out length and difficulty of tasks and projects; setting objectives and goals; breaking down work into the clear and concise delivery phases; developing schedules and task/people assignments; anticipating and adjusting for risks and issues ; measuring performance against goals; evaluates results
Able to use rigorous planning and coordination methods to solve difficult project problems with effective solutions
Widely trusted; seen as a direct, truthful individual; able to present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeping confidences; able to admit mistakes and not misrepresenting him/herself for personal gain.
Motivated and able to push back in the face of resistance or setbacks.
Good prioritisation skills
Able to effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn’t upset when things are up in the air; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
Good at figuring out the processes necessary to get things done and good organisation skills
Cool under pressure; able remain clam and professional in challenging situations
Publishing industry experience in both physical print and digital solutions (desirable).
Benefits
We care about work/life balance here at OUP. With this in mind we offer 25 days’ holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (3-days) and a 35-hour working week. We are open to discussing flexibility in respect to working patterns, dependent on role. We also have a great variety of active employee networks and societies.
We help make your money go further by contributing to your pension up to 12%, offering loans and savings schemes through our partnership with Salary Finance, in addition to travel to work schemes and access to a wide range of local discounts.
Please see our Rewards and Recognition page for more information.
Please note this advert may be removed before the advertised end date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.
