Project Manager

You will join the newly formed Transformation Management Office in the Economy & Environment team at a pivotal time, helping to deliver the Council’s largest and most ambitious change and improvement programmes.

This is a varied and highly visible role where your work will directly support better outcomes for residents and help create a more effective organisation for colleagues. You will gain exposure to senior leaders, complex programmes and modern ways of working, with the opportunity to manage projects in a fast‑moving environment.  The role is hybrid, with flexibility shaped around service needs. There is an expectation that you will be on site on average 1-2 days per week. This will mostly be within the Dorchester office at County Hall, Dorset. But may involve attendance at other venues in the Dorset area.

The Council is committed to adopting a product‑led approach to designing, running and continuously improving services. This represents a significant shift away from traditional project delivery and reflects our ambition to put customers at the centre of everything we do.

What You’ll Be Doing

You will manage and deliver projects that have a direct impact on residents and staff. As part of the Transformation Management Office, you will work closely with Delivery Leads, programme managers and fellow project managers.

Your main focus will be the development, management and successful delivery of a wide range of projects. This will include:

• Preparing and maintaining detailed project plans
• Using digital tools to monitor progress, manage risks and realise benefits
• Producing clear, data‑driven reports to demonstrate progress and impact

As a Project Manager, you will identify, engage and manage internal stakeholders, communicating effectively across a range of audiences. You will lead meetings and workshops to support project delivery and ensure alignment with agreed outcomes.

You will also work within our evolving product‑led environment, supporting long‑lived, multi‑disciplinary teams that are accountable for services across their entire lifecycle.

Our Product‑Led Approach

 Our approach focuses on: 

• Outcomes rather than outputs – ensuring work delivers real benefits and addresses root causes, not just tasks or milestones
• Cross‑council collaboration – bringing together colleagues with diverse skills to work as one team towards shared goals
• Continuous improvement – enabling teams to build deep expertise and continually enhance the services they own

Your Contribution

 In this role, you will:

• Apply strong project and delivery management skills within a product‑led context
• Support teams to plan, prioritise and deliver work that achieves measurable outcomes
• Help balance product delivery with business‑as‑usual activity through collaborative working
• Contribute to a culture of continuous learning, improvement and openness as we embed new ways of working

This is an exciting opportunity to shape how the Council delivers services. Working at pace, with clarity and empowerment and to make a tangible difference for our customers. We need our project managers to be curious in regards to residents needs.

About You

You will:

• have experience leading and managing projects within a complex organisation, with a good working knowledge of project management approaches gained through qualification and practical experience
• be confident working with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior colleagues
• be comfortable using digital tools such as Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Excel
• be organised, proactive and adaptable, able to manage changing priorities while maintaining accuracy and follow‑through
• demonstrate Dorset Council’s values of Respect, Together, Accountability, Openness and Curiosity in everything you do

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.