Senior Project Manager (Software)

DeadlineThe deadline for applications is the 26th of October 2025What we doAlma Economics combines unparalleled analytical expertise with the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly.We are a team of economists, social researchers, data scientists, developers and creatives working together on critical issues facing our society today. Our work spans multiple policy areas, including education, health and social care, housing and homelessness, the environment, public finance, and international development, among others.Our diverse staff combine decades of experience in economic and social research at the highest levels with the ability to develop state-of-the-art tech tools and powerful communications.We work with some of the most forward-thinking organisations in the voluntary, public, and private sectors. Our clients include most UK government departments, the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government, councils across the country, arms-length bodies, and several leading charities.Internationally, we work with major supranational organisations including the World Bank, UNICEF, the WHO, the OECD, and the European Commission, as well as a number of national governments in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.Who we want to work withWe’re looking for a Senior Project Manager (Software) who can own the planning and delivery of a diverse portfolio of projects, from mature products and internal initiatives to bespoke client solutions. Our department sits at the heart of technology delivery, working closely with engineers, designers, and leadership to drive new feature development for our products while also delivering tailored client solutions and strengthening our internal infrastructure. You don’t need to code, but you need to understand enough to support engineers enforcing git flow, get CI/CD working, and maintain quality gates.You’ll thrive in a fast-paced environment where structured planning meets agile execution, combining upfront specifications, resource planning, and budgeting with iterative delivery through sprints. As we continue to grow, this role offers the opportunity to become more strategic, leading teams, building delivery infrastructure, or even transitioning toward product-focused responsibilities. You’ll partner with leadership, engineers, research and commercial teams to turn briefs into actionable technical scopes, cost and resource plans, and clear timelines. You’ll drive delivery across multiple projects, enforce quality standards, manage risks, and coordinate cross-departmentally, while keeping external stakeholders informed and aligned.The ideal candidate is a hands-on, results-oriented communicator who can unblock teams, optimise processes, and improve predictability across projects. You’re motivated by impact, comfortable balancing strategy with execution, and excited to work with high calibre teams to deliver technology that matters.Key ResponsibilitiesPlanning & EstimationDefine detailed specifications for features and proofs of concept, covering both functional and non-functional requirements.Build project plans with budgets, timelines, and resource forecasts, including Gannt charts and pricing/resource tables (people x days x daily rates); integrate these into ERP and timesheet systems for visibility and control.Provide accurate time and cost estimates, highlight assumptions, and recommend contractual or commercial guardrails where needed.Agile & Hybrid DeliveryBreak down epics into vertical slices, define acceptance criteria and create structured task hierarchies in collaboration with engineering and leadership.Lead agile ceremonies — sprint planning, standups, demos, and retrospectives — while also adapting to Waterfall or hybrid approaches where appropriate.Coordinate delivery across multiple products and ad-hoc requests, balancing priorities and resource allocation.Quality & ExecutionDrive project delivery by ensuring quality and acceptance processes, coordinating UAT, signoffs and gate releases, reviewing deliverables, and removing blockers to keep teams on track.Monitor costs, timelines, and resource use against plan, and act decisively when projects drift outside tolerances.Stakeholder & Team ManagementPartner with commercial, research and bids teams to translate business needs into technical scopes and fold ad-hoc work into delivery plans.Produce clear reporting for leadership and external partners including progress updates, burn vs. plan, risk registers, and executive summaries.Run effective meetings, hold participants accountable for action items, and foster alignment across teams and initiatives.Continuous ImprovementConduct lessons-learned reviews and implement process improvements to increase predictability and efficiency.Champion documentation and maintain a single source of truth for all project artifacts.Constantly refine ways of working so teams deliver higher impact with greater consistency.Step into different roles depending on the setting leading when needed, supporting when it enables the team to succeed.RequirementsEssential:Project Management certification (Agile, Prince2, PMP, CSM or PSM etc) or proven substantial PM experience.Previous years of project management experience, especially in software delivery.Experience working directly with engineering teams on delivery hygiene: CI/CD, git workflows, release processes, QA gates.Demonstrable experience with hybrid delivery: upfront scoping (functional/non-functional requirements, budget/resource forecasts) and iterative agile execution.Advanced, hands-on experience with PM tools (from spreadsheets to software) and with structuring epics, parent/child tasks and acceptance criteria.Strong commercial scoping and budgeting skills with the ability to produce resource × days × rates pricing and track burn.Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills (written & spoken English).Methodical problem-solver, risk-aware and comfortable making decisions in a fast-paced environment.Desirable:University-level degree preferably in computer science, management and any related field.Experience liaising with research/bids teams and translating non-technical briefs into technical scope.Exposure to ML/AI proofs of concept and data-centric projects (able to translate research requirements into delivery tasks).Experience with financial forecasting or procurement processes for software projects.Familiarity with cloud infra environments (Google Cloud, AWS, etc) and able to understand constraints when planning delivery.Experience introducing or improving git hygiene, CI/CD pipelines, or deployment processes in past teams.Working arrangements You will have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the work we do from day one.Alma Economics is a friendly and informal place, and our offices are designed for both work and play. Our team consists of enthusiastic and talented individuals, who love learning and are always ready to support others.We do not have a one-size-fits-all WfH policy. Most staff members work from home for one or two days during a typical week, while it is also possible to arrange to WfH for more extended periods (e.g., 2-4 weeks) to visit family or travel.While most staff work 5-day weeks, for most full-time positions we also offer the option of a 4-day working week, either from day one or as an arrangement employees can transition into later in their Alma career.Our offices can accommodate disabled access, and we are committed to providing all necessary support to colleagues that require it, but we are also happy to consider remote working arrangements for applicants with disabilities or health conditions that prevent them from working on-site.We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and ensure that no one receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or physical condition, marital status, race, or religion.Check out more employment opportunities at Alma Economics and our tips for applicants here: https://www.almaeconomics.com/tips-for-applicants