Program Manager

Cambridge UK

Job description

Functional area: Programme & Project Management

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Travel required: Minimal; primarily Cambridge‑based (approximately 1–3 weeks per year)

CN Bio Innovations (CN Bio) is a modern life sciences company delivering human‑focused research and discovery, enabled by a unique and proven Organ‑on‑a‑Chip (OOC) platform. We work at the interface of engineering and cell biology to develop human biomimetic platforms for the testing and development of therapeutics for serious human diseases. Our mission is to be the world’s leading provider of organ‑on‑a‑chip solutions which accurately predict human responses to medicines.

Role Description

The Program Manager / PMO Lead is responsible for coordinating and overseeing project delivery across CN Bio, spanning R&D, engineering, commercial, operational, and corporate initiatives.

This role will establish and run a lightweight Project Management Office (PMO), providing consistent governance, visibility, and delivery discipline across the business. It is ideally suited to an experienced project manager ready to step into broader, company‑wide oversight — without moving away from hands‑on delivery work.

The role is an influence position, with no direct line management responsibility, working closely with project sponsors, functional leaders, and the executive team to improve predictability, decision‑making, and outcomes.

Specific Job Responsibilities

PMO Establishment & Governance

• Define and establish CN Bio’s PMO purpose, scope, and ways of working, appropriate for a ~60‑person, fast‑growing organisation.
• Introduce simple, practical governance frameworks, including project initiation standards, stage‑gate reviews, and reporting cadence.
• Implement fit‑for‑purpose templates and tools that support teams without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

Portfolio & Programme Oversight

• Maintain a consolidated, company‑wide view of projects, priorities, timelines, and interdependencies across all functions.
• Support leadership with clear portfolio‑level insight to enable informed prioritisation and resource decisions.
• Identify delivery risks, capacity constraints, and cross‑programme conflicts early and proactively.

Delivery Discipline & Support

• Ensure projects start with clear objectives, success criteria, ownership, and realistic plans.
• Track progress, support issue resolution, and help unblock delivery challenges in partnership with project leads.
• Oversee stage‑gate reviews for major initiatives, ensuring evidence‑based decision‑making and appropriate risk management.

Continuous Improvement & Ways of Working

• Continuously refine project management processes, workflows, and reporting to improve delivery efficiency and predictability.
• Coach and support teams in good project management practice, balancing structure with agility.
• Act as a central point of expertise for programme and project management across the business.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with project sponsors and functional leaders to ensure strong ownership and accountability.
• Facilitate concise steering meetings and executive reviews, communicating progress, risks, and decisions in clear, plain language.
• Support the CEO with visibility and confidence in execution across the organisation.

Important Clarification

This role is not a senior leadership or executive position and does not carry line management responsibility. It requires a formally qualified project management professional (e.g. PRINCE2 Practitioner or equivalent) with experience applying structured project management practices across multiple projects and stakeholders. Experience limited to scientists or engineers who have managed their own research or development projects, without formal project management training or broader portfolio oversight, is not sufficient for this role.

Qualifications and Experience

• Formal project management qualification such as PRINCE2 Practitioner, or equivalent.
• Proven track record managing complex projects end‑to‑end, from initiation through delivery and closure.
• Experience operating in life sciences, biotech, engineering, or technology‑driven environments.
• Experience working across multiple workstreams with interdependencies and competing priorities.
• Familiarity with OKRs or similar goal‑setting and performance frameworks is desirable.

Skills

• Strong organisational and analytical skills, with the ability to hold a portfolio‑level view.
• Excellent communication skills, able to translate complex or technical detail into clear, actionable insight.
• Confident influencing at all levels, including senior leadership, without formal authority.
• Pragmatic mindset; focused on outcomes, not process for its own sake.
• Comfortable working in a hybrid role, with a minimum of three days per week on site in Cambridge.
• Self‑motivated, resilient, and adaptable in a fast‑evolving organisation.

The Benefits

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Pension with Standard Life
• Private Healthcare with AXA
• Cashback for Dental and Optical Care
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Recruitment referral scheme (£500)
• Flexible working hours to support work‑life balance

What’s Next?

We will review your application and, whilst we would love to get back to every applicant, this is not always possible. If you haven’t heard from us within four weeks, please note that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Please note applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK for the duration of the role. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.