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Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Senior Portfolio & Governance Manager - 7348
Cambridge Hybrid 10+ yrs exp Education 11,787 employees£60k – £81k / year
Portfolio ManagementGovernanceStrategic PlanningStakeholder EngagementRisk Management
Requirements
Candidates should have extensive experience in senior portfolio or program management within complex organizations, with a proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and manage risks effectively. Experience in financial and resource planning, as well as a strategic mindset, is essential.
Job Description
Job Title: Senior Portfolio & Governance Manager
Salary: £60,400 - £80,800 per annum
Location: Cambridge, Hybrid (2-3 days per week in Cambridge)
Contract: Full time, permanent, 35 hours per week
At the centre of IELTS, you'll help three global partner organisations turn shared strategy into decisions, delivery and momentum
This is a senior, high-impact role at the heart of IELTS, one of the world's most recognised English language tests. You'll work directly with senior leaders across the partnership to shape direction, challenge thinking, and make sure decisions lead to real progress.
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
About The Role
As Senior Portfolio & Governance Manager, you'll lead how strategy turns into delivery across the IELTS partnership - bringing clarity and direction and working with intent to align and integrate multiple elements across the system.
You'll operate at Executive Committee and Board level, acting as a trusted and credible voice in conversations that shape the future of IELTS. You'll be expected to step into complex situations, challenge constructively, and help senior stakeholders land decisions that move things forward.
A big part of the role is making sure that strategy doesn't stay theoretical. You'll maintain a clear view of what's happening across the portfolio, where risks are emerging, and where decisions are needed - and you'll help ensure those decisions translate into delivery.
You'll often be working with senior stakeholders who bring different priorities and perspectives. Your role is to help the partnership reach clear, workable outcomes and maintain momentum, even when alignment isn't straightforward.
In practice, you will:
Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.
About You
You'll bring demonstrable experience operating at a senior portfolio, programme or business management level within a complex organisation or partnership.
You're comfortable working where things aren't fully defined. You can hold a strategic view while staying close enough to delivery to spot risks early and keep things moving. You're confident working with senior stakeholders, able to challenge constructively and help people reach decisions - even when those decisions are difficult.
You will be able to evidence:
For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.
We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and who best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable and/or appropriate, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 12 July 2026. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place w/c 20th July 2026.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
Salary: £60,400 - £80,800 per annum
Location: Cambridge, Hybrid (2-3 days per week in Cambridge)
Contract: Full time, permanent, 35 hours per week
At the centre of IELTS, you'll help three global partner organisations turn shared strategy into decisions, delivery and momentum
This is a senior, high-impact role at the heart of IELTS, one of the world's most recognised English language tests. You'll work directly with senior leaders across the partnership to shape direction, challenge thinking, and make sure decisions lead to real progress.
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
About The Role
As Senior Portfolio & Governance Manager, you'll lead how strategy turns into delivery across the IELTS partnership - bringing clarity and direction and working with intent to align and integrate multiple elements across the system.
You'll operate at Executive Committee and Board level, acting as a trusted and credible voice in conversations that shape the future of IELTS. You'll be expected to step into complex situations, challenge constructively, and help senior stakeholders land decisions that move things forward.
A big part of the role is making sure that strategy doesn't stay theoretical. You'll maintain a clear view of what's happening across the portfolio, where risks are emerging, and where decisions are needed - and you'll help ensure those decisions translate into delivery.
You'll often be working with senior stakeholders who bring different priorities and perspectives. Your role is to help the partnership reach clear, workable outcomes and maintain momentum, even when alignment isn't straightforward.
In practice, you will:
- Lead the cross-partner planning cycle, helping define priorities that are both ambitious and achievable
- Provide clear, practical insight on portfolio performance, risks and trade-offs
- Support and challenge governance forums to improve how decisions are made and followed through
- Ensure decisions lead to tangible progress, not just discussion
- Anticipate risks and interdependencies, stepping in early to keep delivery on track
- Maintain oversight of cross-partner investment, business cases and benefits
- Oversee portfolio-level financial and resource planning so plans remain realistic
- Build trusted relationships across all partner organisations, influencing without formal authority
- Continuously improve how the partnership plans, governs and delivers
Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.
About You
You'll bring demonstrable experience operating at a senior portfolio, programme or business management level within a complex organisation or partnership.
You're comfortable working where things aren't fully defined. You can hold a strategic view while staying close enough to delivery to spot risks early and keep things moving. You're confident working with senior stakeholders, able to challenge constructively and help people reach decisions - even when those decisions are difficult.
You will be able to evidence:
- Experience working across a complex portfolio or enterprise-level programme
- Experience operating across organisational boundaries, partnerships, or highly matrixed environments
- A track record of influencing senior stakeholders, including Executive or Board-level audiences
- Experience turning strategy into clear priorities, plans and measurable outcomes
- Experience improving governance, planning or portfolio management approaches
- Experience using data and insight to support decisions and prioritisation
- Experience of financial and resource planning at programme or portfolio level
- Experience working in international or multi-partner environments
- Knowledge of the English language assessment or education sector
For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.
We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and who best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable and/or appropriate, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
- 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
- Discretionary annual bonus
- Group personal pension scheme
- Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
- Green travel schemes
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 12 July 2026. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place w/c 20th July 2026.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
Skills
Portfolio ManagementGovernanceStrategic PlanningStakeholder EngagementRisk ManagementFinancial PlanningDecision MakingData AnalysisInfluencingCross-Partner CollaborationProgram ManagementComplex Problem SolvingCommunicationLeadershipOrganizational SkillsContinuous Improvement
About Cambridge University Press & Assessment
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment. We are a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation, and part of the University of Cambridge. We’re driven by a simple mission – to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence. Our team is one connected, global community, pursuing potential and moving forward, together. We will keep exploring, collaborating, and innovating to find bold new ways to spread knowledge, spark enquiry, and aid understanding.
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