STRAWBERRY HILL House & Garden
Job Title: Project Programme Manager
Freelance Contract: up to £26,000 flat rate, based on 3 days per week over 12 months fixed term.
Responsible to: Executive Director
Closing Date: 29/06/2026 mid-day, with shortlisted interviews 9 July at Strawberry Hill
Application: Please send your CV and a personal statement explaining how your skills and experience match, and why you would like this role, by email to
jobs@strawberryhillhouse.org.uk with the email header “Project Programme Manager role”
Strawberry Hill House and Garden is internationally important as one of the first and most influential Gothic Revival landmarks. Created between 1747 and 1792 by Horace Walpole - historian, man of letters, socialite, collector and son of Britain’s first Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole - the Grade 1 listed House, set within a Grade II* listed garden, represents a defining moment of cultural innovation: architecture, literature, collecting and landscape combined into one extraordinary vision. Fifteen years after opening to the public following a landmark restoration project, Strawberry Hill House and Garden now attracts over 25,000 visitors a year. As an Accredited museum, it leads the internationally significant work of tracing, reuniting and interpreting Walpole’s dispersed collection, both onsite and online.
The Strawberry Hill Trust has just been successful in securing a Heritage Fund resilience grant to address its buildings conservation priorities, expand its learning and cultural programmes, improve the visitor journey, deliver digital transformation and to create opportunities for young people to acquire heritage management skills, which are much needed in this sector. All of this will help the Trust achieve its vision for a fully reimagined visitor experience and economic sustainability in the longer term.
Project Overview
The Project Programme Manager will head the delivery of Strawberry Hill House & Garden’s National Lottery Heritage Fund Resilience Grant. Working closely with the Executive Director, the role will focus on day-today management of all project activities, co-ordinating between all consultants, maintaining records, being responsible for reporting requirements, and ensuring that the project remains on track within the agreed scope, budget, and timetable.
The postholder will help embed learning from the project into the organisation to strengthen long-term resilience, sustainability, and capacity.
Key Responsibilities
Project Coordination & Delivery
• Full compliance with the requirements of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, ensuring that all conditions are met and Progress Reports and Grant Drawdowns are timely
• To become acquainted with all project documentation and acquire a sufficient knowledge of the detailed complexities of the objectives of the project to be able to oversee it to a successful conclusion.
• To maintain a Project Risk Register updated monthly in conjunction with members of the team.
• To maintain a detailed Project Programme, individual project work plans, encompassing all Project milestones.
• To establish other project management systems and procedures that ensure the smooth running of the Project, presenting them to the Steering Group and Trustees for approval and then implementing them.
• To establish effective communications and a clear and visible distribution of information.
• To procure all consultants required, compiling tender enquiries, identifying possible tenderers, agreeing tender lists, managing the consultant tender process, coordinating the evaluation of tender submissions and compiling tender reports. Also ensuring consultant contracts/ letters of appointment are prepared and providing feedback to unsuccessful tenderers.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
• Building on the existing project plan with clear milestones - Ensure all consultants have contributed to the project plan
• Maintain clear and accurate project documentation and records
• Gather data and evidence to demonstrate progress against National Lottery Heritage Fund outcomes
• Prepare quarterly and final reports including financial detail to the National Lottery Heritage Fund
• Feed into the work of the Evaluation Consultant, contributing to reflective learning and evaluation discussions with staff and trustees
• Gather and prepare the documentation for Project Meetings
• Indicate where change management is required and suggest options with the
consultants as necessary - time, budget or capacity.
Manage the risk register
Financial & Administrative Support
Manage and track the project expenditure against the approved the National Lottery
Heritage Fund budget and prepare monthly cashflows
• Apply for, manage and process project drawdowns
Review and authorise supplier invoices
Maintain organised digital and paper project files
• Manage and prepare payroll data for Student Heritage trainees
Communication & Stakeholder Support
• Act as a point of contact for project-related queries
Support internal communication on project progress with staff and trustees
Person Specification
Essential
• Demonstrable experience with leading on the management of projects or programmes within the heritage, arts or charity sector
Strong stakeholder management skills with groups of consultants
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise work effectively in a part-time role
Experience of reporting, co-ordinating documents and monitoring
• Ability to manage multiple projects while managing competing priorities
Strong financial management skills - manage budgets, create forecasts and
cashflows, manage timesheets, invoice processing and allocate resources effectively and responsibly.
Experience of risk and change management
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrable experience of procuring and managing consultants and contractors and managing successful contract negotiations
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with consultants, staff, trustees, volunteers, and external partners
Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office, Project planning software or Google Workspace
Qualifications and Experience
PRINCE or equivalent experience
• Relevant professional qualification(s) (or equivalent experience).
• A rack record on successful programme management of multiple projects: digital, business planning, capital, events
• Experience of working with heritage or cultural sites to deliver specific outcomes within interconnecting projects
• Experience of Project /Programme management of National Lottery Heritage Fund projects
• Experience of working with a wide range of across sectors, at national, regional and local levels.
• An ability to demonstrate a good understanding of current conservation principles and techniques.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Strawberry Hill House & Garden is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.
Acknowledgement
Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Sharing our Future is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to create the freelance post of Project Programme Manager for this project.