Project Sponsor

Key Information

Job title: Project Sponsor

Salary: From £38,000     Grade: Band 2

Contract type: TfL     Reference: 4170

Team: IP - Renewals     Directorate: Investment Planning (IP)

Contract details: Combination     Location: Southwark, London SE1 with hybrid working
Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements

Application closing date: 27 April /2026 at 23:59

All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory right‑to‑work checks.  Candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK.  At the present time TfL is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.  

Overview of project/role

Investment Planning (Renewals) at TfL is at the heart of keeping London moving. Our team ensures that critical infrastructure— including stations, tunnels, track, and staff facilities—remains safe, reliable, and fit for the future. We prioritise investment in assets to deliver maximum value for customers and colleagues, supporting the long-term sustainability of the transport network.

As a Sponsor, you’ll play a key role in shaping and supporting projects within the TfL Investment Programme, working in a dynamic environment with diverse stakeholders and political considerations.

You’ll be involved throughout the full project lifecycle, often across multiple projects at once, ensuring that each one is set up for success.

Reporting to the Principal Sponsor, you’ll help develop the plans, relationships, and insights needed to provide effective sponsorship across the programme. Your work will directly support the delivery of project outcomes and benefits, making sure they stay aligned with the Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS) and the TfL Business Plan.

Key Accountabilities

The accountabilities below will flex depending on the needs of each project and the scalable Sponsorship model, ensuring your time and expertise are focused where they add the greatest value:

• Supporting benefits delivery – Help identify, quantify and track programme and project benefits to ensure outcomes across the TfL Investment Programme are achieved
• Building strong relationships – Develop and maintain effective working relationships to support the Principal Sponsor and ensure each project has the engagement it needs throughout its lifecycle
• Maintaining governance and control – Assist with governance activities so projects secure the necessary authorities (including budget, financial, programme and project approvals) in line with TfL Standing Orders
  Contributing to option development – Support the Principal Sponsor in developing and assessing options to determine the preferred approach for project delivery
• Developing business cases – Contribute to the preparation of business cases, providing evidence and insight to inform decision making across a diverse stakeholder group
• Supporting programme reporting – Contribute to regular reporting to ensure effective control of the Investment Programme and support early identification and escalation of issues and risks
• Responding to external information requests – Support responses to FOIs, Mayor’s Questions and briefings, ensuring accurate, transparent and timely updates on programme progress
• Enabling early stage feasibility – Support early sponsorship feasibility work to help shape, define and document robust project requirements

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Skills

• Networking and influencing skills with a range of both internal and external stakeholders (Essential)
• Numerate with the ability to identify and apply proportionate analytical approaches (Essential)
• Ability to work in matrix teams to resolve conflict as it arises (Essential)
• Ability to organise and present information in an easily accessible way (Essential)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (Essential)
• Ability to build effective working relationships across TfL and externally at all levels (Essential)
• Ability to work under minimal guidance (Desirable)
• Proven ability to support the management of projects to achieve business outcomes. (Desirable)

Knowledge

• Degree level education or equivalent work experience (Essential)
• Knowledge of project management / sponsorship / transport planning / urban planning processes (Essential)
• Understanding of transport in London, including emerging best practice (Essential)
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Essential)
• Membership of a professional body relevant to the role (Desirable)
• Holds a recognised project management, project sponsorship or transport planning qualification relevant to the role (Desirable)
• Awareness of TfL's political relationships with key internal and external stakeholders (Desirable)

Experience

• Experience of using diplomacy to influence colleagues and delivery partners to achieve joint objectives (Essential)
• Experience of prioritising workload, balancing conflicting requirements and demands. in a fast-paced environment (Essential)
• Experience of communicating with internal and external stakeholders (Essential)
• Experience of supporting the delivery or sponsorship of small scale projects to time, budget and scope to achieve business outcomes (Desirable)
• Experience of undertaking a support role on projects, preferably in a large organisation with political consideration (Desirable)

Application Process

• Please apply using your CV and a one-page cover letter
• Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV and cover letter
• PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images

If you would like to learn more about the role, we are holding drop-in sessions via Microsoft Teams, where you can meet some of our existing team and get a chance to ask any questions you may have. 

27 Aptil 12.30 – 13.30 – click to join online 
Meeting ID: 380 305 608 334 799
Passcode: mf26pJ6o

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. We also use anonymising software that removes identifying information from CVs and cover letters to make the process fair.

Benefits

In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the level of role but mostly include the below:

• Final salary pension scheme
• Free travel for you on the TfL network
• Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays
• TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow
• Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)
• Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
• Retail, health, leisure and travel offers
• Discounted Eurostar travel

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.

Vetting Process

At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application, but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect, and clear communication throughout.