Programme Manager - People Change (Fixed Term Contract)

About us

Halfords is on a journey - building the future of motoring and cycling and looking for people who want to help shape what comes next. We’re a place for co‑creators: people who want to make a real impact, take ownership and be part of something that’s still evolving.

As the UK's leading retailer of motoring and cycling products, we're supported by one of the UK's largest garage networks through Halfords Autocentres, providing servicing, maintenance and repair services nationwide. This breadth gives us a strong, stable foundation - and the freedom to keep innovating and growing.

That means real variety for our colleagues, along with the opportunity to learn, stretch and develop as the business moves forward. Whatever your role, you’ll be part of a team focused on delivering exceptional service - using your expertise to solve problems, guide customers and help keep the nation moving with confidence.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Programme Manager - People Change to support the delivery of a complex organisation effectiveness and business transformation portfolio.

Working closely with the Director of People Transformation and Head of People Change, this role will provide the governance, structure and delivery discipline required to translate strategic decisions into successful implementation.

This is a hands-on programme delivery role focused on integrated planning, governance, risk and dependency management, workstream coordination and implementation planning. The successful candidate will be comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment where priorities evolve, ensuring momentum, visibility and control are maintained across multiple interconnected initiatives.

This is a fixed term contract role; ideally, the successful candidate will be available to start at short notice.

Key responsibilities

• Develop, maintain and drive integrated programme plans, ensuring key milestones, deliverables and dependencies are clearly defined and actively managed.
• Establish and maintain robust programme governance, providing clear reporting, oversight and visibility of progress, risks and key decisions.
• Coordinate activity across multiple workstreams, ensuring alignment of priorities, resources and delivery objectives across a broad stakeholder group.
• Proactively identify, manage and escalate programme risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies, driving timely resolution and mitigating impacts to delivery.
• Translate strategic decisions and organisational priorities into practical, actionable delivery plans that support successful implementation.
• Produce high-quality materials and insights for governance forums, steering groups and senior leadership audiences, enabling informed decision-making.
• Drive accountability across programme stakeholders, maintaining momentum, ensuring ownership of actions and embedding delivery discipline throughout the programme lifecycle.
• Support the successful implementation of organisation effectiveness and business transformation initiatives, navigating ambiguity and adapting plans as priorities evolve.
• Monitor programme progress, track key actions and outcomes, and provide clear recommendations to support successful delivery and achievement of business objectives.
• Build strong relationships with senior leaders, functional teams and programme stakeholders to facilitate collaboration, alignment and effective decision-making.

About you

• Proven experience in programme, transformation, business change management or similar.
• Strong governance, planning and delivery management capability.
• Experience supporting strategic HR / business transformation initiatives.
• Experience partnering with HR, People Change, Organisation Development or Transformation teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Comfortable working with senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
• Pragmatic, structured and delivery-focused in your approach.
• Able to translate strategic priorities into practical delivery plans and outcomes.
• Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and change.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to provide clear, concise updates and recommendations.

At Halfords, we operate a hybrid working policy, this role will be 2-3 days on site at our Support Centre in Redditch.