Principal Project Manager

Principal Project Manager – Bus Franchising Employer: South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Location: Sheffield (hybrid – minimum 3 days per week in the office) Hours: 37 hours per week (full time) Contract: Permanent Salary: Grade 12 £55,949 – £59,907 About The Role We’re looking for two experienced Principal Project Managers to lead large and complex transport projects across the Bus Franchising Programme, helping to drive the change required to deliver bus franchising in South Yorkshire. This is an opportunity to make a real impact on South Yorkshire’s future. Your Main Responsibilities Will Include Driving a set of projects to ensure delivery against agreed funding, outputs, and timescales. Managing, leading and coaching a team of Project Managers. Identifying and managing interdependencies across the projects you are responsible for, working with others across the programme. Managing project budgets and ensuring robust financial control. Producing and maintaining accurate project documentation, including schedules, reports, risk logs, and forecasts. Proactively managing risks, issues, and changes to keep projects on track. Overseeing procurement processes, including tender documentation and contract administration. Building strong relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, partners, and the public, managing engagement effectively. About You You’ll be a confident and experienced Principal Project Manager with a proven track record of change management and delivering large, complex and interdependent projects. You’ll combine technical knowledge with strong leadership and communication skills, and you’ll be comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment with multiple priorities. We’re Looking For Someone Who Has Significant project management experience and a professional project management qualification such as APM. Practitioner‑level project management skills (Prince2 or similar) or equivalent experience. Substantial experience managing multi‑disciplinary projects. Strong organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise competing demands. Excellent communication skills, able to produce clear, concise reports and advice for diverse audiences. Significant experience and knowledge of change management. Commercial awareness. A proactive approach to problem‑solving and adaptability to changing circumstances. Experience in stakeholder engagement. Benefits Local Government Pension Scheme. Holiday entitlement – From 28 to 36 days annual leave (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays. Pro‑rata for part‑time colleagues. Annual leave purchase scheme – Ability to purchase up to a further 15 days per year in addition to your normal annual leave. Hybrid working – Offices are a collaborative space; most roles are offered on a hybrid basis with the exception of some support roles onsite full time. Flexible hours scheme – Most roles work under the Flexi‑Scheme, allowing employees to accrue credit or debit of working hours and take time‑off in the form of Flexi‑Leave or banked annual leave. Rewarding you – Reducing everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more with Reward Gateway and Cycle‑to‑Work schemes. Training on the job – Support with upskilling through on‑the‑job training and qualifications. Professional membership fees – Where relevant, SYMCA will reimburse membership fees for professional bodies with approval by line management. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Our workforce is made up of a diverse community, and we are committed to equality of opportunity. We welcome applications from individuals of all ages, genders, ethnicities, disabilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, socio‑economic backgrounds, religions and/or beliefs. All employees are eligible to request flexible working arrangements from day one of employment; all requests will be considered subject to operational requirements. Where candidates with disabilities are involved in the application process, if they meet all essential criteria from the role profile, they will automatically be invited to interview. Requests for reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process can be made by contacting recruitment@southyorkshire‑ca.gov.uk. Application Details Applications must be accompanied by a cover letter detailing how you meet the essential criteria for the role. All applications should be made directly via our careers portal. Interviews will take place Week commencing 19th January 2026. Note: South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority does not hold a sponsorship licence and cannot provide Skilled Worker sponsorship for any roles advertised. #J-18808-Ljbffr