Programme Manager, FT Schools

About us

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide.

At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world.

In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing.

Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere.

Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion 

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

The Role / Position Overview

The Financial Times is seeking a dynamic and experienced Programme Manager to drive the growth and engagement of its successful FT Schools programme. This flagship initiative provides free access to FT.com for 16-19 year old students, supporting their studies and future decision-making.

Sitting within the FT's Leaders Academy team, this role requires a highly motivated individual to work independently and collaboratively with Editorial and Commercial colleagues, particularly the FT Future Audiences Unit and the FT enterprise subscriptions team.

Key Responsibilities:

Programme Growth & Engagement:

• Strategise and implement initiatives to accelerate FT Schools' growth beyond 6,000 schools and 70,000 active users, with a focus on key international markets like Japan,  India and the US.
  
  
• Develop and implement marketing strategies to attract and engage teachers and students, encouraging FT.com usage in lessons.
  
  
• Monitor important data and dashboards to supervise progress towards agreed targets for school registrations and engagement.
  
  
• Maintain and improve engagement with registered schools.
  
  
• Lead and develop marketing content, including social media.
  
  
• Build and apply a user database to gather insights for sustainability, usability, and growth.
  
  
• Work on joint / related research projects with the FT Future Audiences Unit
  
  

Partnership & Advocacy:

• Lead engagement with FT Schools' external sponsor, overseeing deliverables such as special reports, webinars, and social media campaigns.
  
  
• Act as a strong, vocal advocate for FT Schools internally and externally, proactively promoting the programme.
  
  
• Regularly visit UK schools to assess needs and gather feedback.
  
  

Operational Excellence:

• Be responsible for the day-to-day operational running of FT Schools, ensuring efficient processes.
  
  
• Work closely with Customer Care to optimize the school registration process and troubleshoot challenges.
  
  
• Manage the student advocate/mentor programme.
  
  
• Manage a growing team of freelancers, interim specialists and volunteers who work on our student advocates/mentor programmes; teacher engagement initiatives and competitions.
  
  

Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience as a Programme/Project Manager, with a strong understanding of the education sector (specifically 16-19 year olds).
  
  
• Demonstrated success in marketing to teachers and students.
  
  
• Experience of managing people across multiple projects.
  
  
• Strong presentational skills.
  
  
• Good knowledge of curriculum requirements for 16-19 year olds.
  
  
• Strong contacts within the education community.
  
  
• Excellent administrative and organizational skills.
  
  
• Ability to identify growth targets, mobilize resources, and accurately monitor progress.
  
  
• Strong understanding of financial literacy, FT content, and the value of accurate news.
  
  
• Ability to strategize and problem-solve independently.
  
  
• Highly collaborative with strong stakeholder leadership skills.
  
  
• Understanding of how young people consume information.
  
  
• Classroom experience and the ability to adapt financial news content into thematic learning materials are highly valued.
  
  

What’s in it for you? Our benefits

Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here.

We’ve embraced a 50% hybrid working model (averaging two to three days onsite) that fosters trust and remote adaptability while encouraging in-person camaraderie and peer learning. Additionally, we are open to accommodating specific flexible working pattern requests for all roles where feasible.

Accessibility

We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email talent@ft.com and a member of our team will be happy to help.

Further information

At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications.

Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.

Please beware of fraudulent job postings and offers claiming to be from the Financial Times. All legitimate opportunities will direct you to apply through the official Financial Times careers site, and the FT will never ask for financial information, payments, or referrals to third parties during the hiring process. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a job posting or suspect any scam activity, please contact talent@ft.com. 

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