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Pathology Programme Manager

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

North Tyneside, NE29 8NH £66,582 – £77,368 a year Fixed-Term Posted 12 September 2026 Apply by 25 September 2026

Home Office register entry: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne

Visa sponsorship

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Closest occupation match: SOC 2440, Business and financial project management professionals. Home Office going rate for this occupation: £56,500 a year.

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Role description

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Pathology Team at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as Pathology Programme Manager, providing maternity cover for this key role.

The primary focus of the post will be to lead and coordinate delivery of the new purpose-built Pathology facility at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH), supporting commissioning, operational readiness and the safe transition of services into the new laboratory.

Working with the Pathology leadership team, the post holder will coordinate multiple interdependent workstreams and work closely with clinical and operational teams, Estates, Digital, Procurement, suppliers and other partners to ensure the programme is delivered safely, effectively and to agreed timescales.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced programme or project manager to play a pivotal role in one of Pathology's most significant transformation programmes.

This post is offered on a fixed-term basis to provide maternity cover. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early once sufficient suitable applications have been received.

Main duties of the job

The principal responsibility of the post holder will be to manage and coordinate delivery of the NSECH Pathology New Build Programme, ensuring key milestones are achieved and the programme remains on track.

Key responsibilities will include:

Leading and coordinating workstreams associated with the new build, commissioning, operational readiness and transition of Pathology services.
Maintaining the programme plan and actively managing milestones, dependencies, risks, issues and critical activities.
Working collaboratively with Pathology clinical and operational teams, Estates, Digital, Procurement, suppliers and other key stakeholders.
Coordinating complex interdependent activity including infrastructure, equipment, digital systems, validation and verification, workforce, operational processes and service transition.
Ensuring workstreams are delivered to required quality standards, agreed budgets and timescales.
Maintaining robust programme governance, providing timely reporting and assurance to Pathology leadership and relevant Project and Programme Boards.
Identifying and escalating risks and issues and ensuring appropriate mitigation and recovery actions are implemented.
Providing expert programme and project management advice and supporting wider Pathology transformation priorities where required.

About us

We manage three major locality hospitals at North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham, plus a number of smaller community hospitals and clinics from Tynemouth to Berwick on Tweed, covering one of the largest geographical areas of any NHS trust in the country. Leading in innovation and quality - opening a state of the art Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, the first of its kind in England. Do you want to work in one of the best performing NHS organisations in England? Work in an organisation that supports its staff and focuses on staff experience as much as it does the experience of its patients? You can live and breathe in an area that has the cleanest air, cost effective living, great nightlife, some of the best schools with a wealth of history available on your doorstep. Sound too good to be true? Well it isn't, this is what you get when you work for Northumbria Healthcare, this is the Northumbria Way! Please read 'applicant guidance notes' before submitting your application.

Date posted

12 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£66,582 to £77,368 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

319-8261031JA

Job locations

North Tyneside General Hospital

Rake Lane

North Tyneside

NE29 8NH

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.

The post holder will have a high degree of programme oversight and autonomy and will be responsible for coordinating a complex programme involving multiple stakeholders and interdependent workstreams.

The post holder will:

Manage the delivery and implementation of the NSECH Pathology New Build Programme Plan, ensuring alignment with the wider Pathology strategy and Trust objectives.
Provide overall programme management for the Pathology elements of the new build, commissioning, operational readiness and service transition.
Coordinate multiple project teams and workstream leads across the programme, ensuring clear responsibilities, milestones and deliverables.
Develop, maintain and monitor detailed programme plans, identifying dependencies and ensuring that activities remain aligned with the overall delivery timetable.
Facilitate and monitor progress across projects and workstreams, reporting and escalating risks, issues and delays through the appropriate programme governance structures.
Ensure robust risk, issue, action and decision management is maintained throughout the programme.
Work collaboratively with clinical, scientific, operational, technical and corporate teams to ensure that all aspects of the new facility are appropriately planned, tested and implemented.
Support the coordination of commissioning, validation, verification, training, business continuity and transition activities required to enable safe transfer of services into the new laboratory.
Ensure effective communication and engagement with Pathology staff throughout the programme, supporting teams to prepare for and successfully implement new ways of working.
Provide clear programme assurance and highlight areas requiring senior decision-making or intervention.
Prepare and present reports, programme updates and recommendations to senior governance groups and Project Boards.
Support wider service improvement and transformation initiatives across Pathology where capacity and programme priorities allow.

The Programme Manager will be required to provide assurance to the relevant Project and Programme Boards and will work closely with senior Pathology and Trust leaders to ensure the successful delivery of this major strategic development.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Professional knowledge plus additional specialist, management knowledge acquired through training and experience to Masters level equivalent
Degree or significant project management experience
Qualification and experience in project management methodology

Experience

Essential

Experience in successfully managing change, whilst also developing and maintaining high standards of quality.
Experience in business planning and in the development and effective implementation of complex strategic plans.
Skills and experience in procurement guidance, legislation and processes.
Knowledge, skills and experience in procurement guidance, processes and regulations.
Knowledge and practical understanding and experience of procurement regulations.
Skills and experience in process mapping utilising relevant software.
Skills and experience in business case development and NHS business case models

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.