Salary: £30,400 – 32,000 per annum for 29.2 hours/week (full time equivalent of £38,000 – £40,000 per annum)

Location: Cambridge, St Edmunds College

Contract type: Fixed for 2 years

We are seeking a proactive and organised Programmes Development Officer to join the Programmes and Strategy team at St Edmund’s College, to identify opportunities for, and deliver, new programmes in line with the College’s evolving strategic priorities, and to support existing programmes as required. This is an exciting time to join the College in a new role designed to complement and extend the high-level academic programming work already underway in the College’s own research institute, identifying new opportunities for scholarly and engagement programmes for varying target audiences, including, but not limited to, our own mature undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Reporting to the Manager of Programmes and Strategy, you will work closely both with the programmes team in the Von Hügel Institute (VHI), ensuring consistency in approach and leveraging opportunities to extend suitable VHI programming to new audiences; and with other functions in the College, making sure programming activity for target audiences is cohesive and well-aligned with current and emerging needs of our key target constituencies.

This role is particularly suitable for a candidate with a strong eye for operational detail but also an interest in strategy. Strong project management and interpersonal skills will be key to help keep projects moving.

Please note: occasional work outside standard hours may be required.

Key Responsibilities

  • Support the Director of Programmes and Strategy in delivering the College’s priorities in relation to strategic programming
  • Identify and scope potential opportunities for new scholarly and/or engagement programmes that address a relevant priority need in one or more of the College’s key target constituencies, and/or enabling and collating existing activities into coherent and imaginatively positioned programmes
  • Support ongoing programmes in line with the strategic aims of the College
  • For new programmes: develop and evidence the programme case, including project plan with key activities, target audience, budget, timeline and milestones, etc., and securing College support for proof-of-concept test. Pilot, evaluate, and scale opportunity as appropriate
  • Manage ongoing implementation and administration of successful programmes, in collaboration with other appropriate functions in the College, ensuring tailoring to diverse audiences and continuing alignment with College strategic objectives
  • Establish and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including coordinating appropriate relationships with interdisciplinary stakeholder networks
  • Organise and deliver high-quality initiatives, ensuring they run smoothly, within budget, and to a professional standard
  • Work with colleagues to ensure effective management of risk and compliance issues, evaluate events, and implement improvements
  • Collaborate with the College’s Senior Communications Manager to ensure optimal comms reach
  • Collaborate with the Development Team to ensure optimal engagement with potential donors
  • Contribute to continuous improvement, promoting best practice and supporting a collaborative team environment

About You

We are looking for someone with:

  • Proven experience in programme delivery in a Higher Education setting
  • Experience in stakeholder engagement
  • Experience in project management, including delivering projects to time and on budget
  • Interest in supporting optimal academic welfare within the diverse international student body of St Edmund’s
  • Sensitivity to diverse perspectives
  • Sensitivity to and interest in global religious contexts, including Roman Catholicism
  • A proactive, organised approach and the ability to work autonomously as well as within a team

Desirable Experience

  • Experience in programme development
  • Experience of working with academics
  • Familiarity with business case development
  • Familiarity with governance, compliance, and monitoring

Essential Skills

  • Project management
  • Excellent written and verbal communication
  • Strong IT proficiency across standard office applications
  • Outstanding organisational and time-management skills
  • Ability to work collaboratively within a small team
  • Creative thinking and a proactive approach to problem-solving

As well as a great salary and friendly team you will also receive:

  • Working daily allowance for food and drinks*
  • Free car parking (where available)
  • 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (increasing with length of service)
  • Generous pension contributions
  • Discounts at restaurants, shops & more
  • Outdoor gym
  • Death in service
  • Access to LinkedIn Learning & Business Disability Forum
    About St Edmund’s CollegeSt Edmund’s College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. Our vibrant student body of around 750 individuals from more than 80 countries is particularly rich in postgraduates pursuing some of the most innovative interdisciplinary areas of study and research in the University; around three-quarters of our students are Master’s or PhD students. We have more than 260 senior members – academics working at the cutting edge of their field or eminent members of their profession – and around 100 staff, and you will be joining a dynamic College with an ambitious vision for our role in shaping the future of higher education and collaborative research.The maturity of our community means that we have earned a reputation as a particularly friendly College. Relaxed, non-hierarchical and diverse, we pride ourselves on being a place in Cambridge where people of all backgrounds are welcomed, will feel at home and can flourish.We warmly welcome all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics such as gender, race, disability, neurodiversity, religion, age, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, to apply for our opportunities.Partial hybrid working is available for this role, with a usual minimum of three days on site per week, including Monday and Wednesday. The nature of the role means that occasional evening or weekend working may be required.

    How to apply

    Please send your Cover Letter and CV to the HR Team at hr@st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk

    Closing date for completed applications: 3rd June 2026

Interviews to be held: 8th June 2026

 

If you have informal enquiries about the post, please email the Director of Programmes and Strategy, Katherine Powlesland, at klp47.cam.ac.uk.

In applying for this role, you will provide personal data which the College will process in accordance with its data protection obligations and its Data Protection Policy: http://www.stedmunds.cam.ac.uk/data-protection

Any offer of employment is subject to evidence of your right to work in the UK and the receipt of satisfactory reference

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