Head of Programmes - #1691199

Denholm are delighted to be partnering with Elevate Great in their search for a Head of Programmes to join them on a permanent basis. This role will work on a hybrid basis, 2-3 days a week in their Edinburgh office.

Elevate Great are closing the inequality gap by backing bold ideas that start early, because change that lasts starts young. Their Innovation Hub is where that ambition gets built: designing, testing and scaling solutions that can shift the system for good.

The Head of Programmes will lead this work from the inside out. Ideally, you'll be someone who sees possibility where others see process. You will have shaped new ideas, built things from scratch, and know how to balance experimentation with execution. Maybe you've done it in a start-up, or in a small team with a big mission.

Either way, you're ready to do it again - with purpose and momentum. You'll join them at an exciting point - shaping how their Innovation Hub grows, the structure of their programmes, and how they bring rigour and creativity together. They are a small, committed team looking for someone who's energised by early-stage building, not fazed by it. You'll help them figure out what great looks like - then work side by side to make it real.

What you'll be doing

• Working with the Senior Management team to lead the design and delivery of programmes that turn our strategy into real-world impact.
• Embedding agile, evidence-led ways of working across a growing team.
• Using data, research, and insight to shape and sharpen everything we do.
• Building deep partnerships across sectors - from government to grassroots.
• Supporting the organisations we partner with through thoughtful, practical advisory support.
• Creating systems and structures that help the work run smoothly - and stand up to challenge.

What we're looking for

You've helped shape new products, services or ideas - and know how to turn a good concept into something that works in the real world. You bring structure when it's needed, energy when it's missing, and momentum that others can rally around. More than anything, you know how to lead with humility, clarity, and purpose. You know when to push, when to pause, and how to get people moving together.

You'll thrive here if:

• You're not afraid of doing hard things or asking hard questions.
• You lead with empathy, not ego.
• You bring discipline to creativity - and vice versa.
• You're committed to brave, bold, energetic, human and evidence-led work.

If you are interested in this unique opportunity, then please get in touch as soon as possible for introductory chat.