Leading Major Projects

This course takes a holistic and forward-looking approach to project leadership, helping you design insight-led strategies, anticipate risks, and lead with clarity and confidence.

You’ll reflect on your own leadership capabilities while gaining the tools, frameworks, and strategic thinking needed to lead complex, large-scale projects in a changing world.

Through the lens of the Three Domains Model and the Project Leadership Model, you’ll explore how to drive innovation, lead change, and navigate the evolving demands of sustainability, digital transformation, and governance.

Day 1 – Foundations of strategic project leadership

• Introduction to the Three Domains Model and its real-world relevance
• Explore the concept of sustainability transitions in project design
• Understand the Project Leadership Model and your role within it
• Reflect on your leadership strengths through a structured self-assessment
• Discover the responsibilities of the investor/owner/operator across the project lifecycle
• Identify the key skills needed to lead major projects effectively

Day 2 – Supplier dynamics and project resilience

• Examine the role of the supplier within the Three Domains Model
• Understand the structure and challenges of project-based firms (PBFs)
• Explore different supplier configurations and the impact on delivery
• Learn how to foster project resilience across all stages

Day 3 – Strategy, governance and commercial thinking

• Navigate the complexities of strategy implementation and governance
• Compare perspectives of both owners and suppliers in commercial settings
• Explore tensions in governance models and how to manage them
• Evaluate and apply effective commercial strategies from both buyer and supplier viewpoints

Day 4 – Delivery design, innovation and leadership integration

• Learn how to design effective project delivery organisations
• Understand the influence of project ecologies, digital tools, and technology readiness
• Participate in peer discussions around real project leadership challenges
• Integrate key learnings and identify your personal development priorities

Real-world application and peer learning

• Apply learning through live project discussions and case analysis
• Present insights and reflect on personal growth with expert feedback
• Identify practical ways to enhance your impact as a project leader

Build your network

Connect with a diverse group of peers across industries through structured sessions and a course dinner, part of the broader AMBS Executive Education community.

This immersive, four-day course blends 15+ years of proven project leadership practice with insights from real-world case studies across both public and private sectors, in the UK and internationally.

The course is led by Graham Winch, Eunice Maytorena-Sanchez, and Natalya Sergeeva, co-authors of the influential book Strategic Project Organising (Oxford University Press, 2022). You’ll explore and apply key concepts from the book to develop the mindset and skills needed to lead complex, high-impact projects in your own organisation.

Throughout the course, you will:

• Learn from world-leading academics who bring cutting-edge research into the classroom
• Collaborate with senior professionals from diverse industries
• Apply learning directly to your own organisational challenges
• Engage in lively discussions, workshops, and exercises that bridge theory and real-world practice

Stand-out learning features

• Applied learning - Work in an environment designed to foster active engagement, where your facilitator draws on the collective experience of your cohort to enrich the learning
• Peer knowledge exchange - Benefit from ongoing feedback and insights from professionals across sectors - helping you grow your leadership mindset and strategic marketing skills
• Reflective practice - Take a rare pause from your daily routine to reflect on your own marketing capabilities and challenges, with support from top-tier academic experts
• Professional networking - Build long-lasting professional relationships with peers from a variety of backgrounds, expanding your business network and perspective
• Personal growth - Deepen your self-awareness and discover how to sharpen your core marketing competencies in a changing business landscape
• Behavioural change - Embrace new mindsets and adopt evidence-based practices that will enhance your decision-making and managerial effectiveness

Learning continues beyond the classroom

Before, during, and after the course, you’ll have access to our virtual learning environment, where you’ll find:

• Pre-course preparation
• Slide decks and case studies
• Recommended readings and resources

And to support your long-term growth, you’ll continue to access these materials, plus the University of Manchester’s online library, for up to 12 months after course completion.

By the end of the course, you will:

• Learn practical, applicable leadership skills using the AMBS Project Leadership Model
• Build the confidence and capability to lead complex, high-impact projects
• Understand common project challenges and how to tackle them strategically
• Expand your expertise in managing project teams, stakeholders, and sponsors
• Conduct a self-assessment to identify key areas for personal and professional growth
• Gain insight into the future of sustainable project leadership through real-world case studies

Plus, your organisation will gain:

• Stronger project leadership capable of navigating complexity and uncertainty
• Improved decision-making and delivery through tested frameworks and strategies
• Enhanced ability to align projects with business objectives and drive outcomes
• More cohesive and effective project teams through better collaboration and stakeholder management

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This course is designed for experienced project professionals with 5+ years of experience, who are either:

• Currently in a project leadership role
• Preparing to step into greater leadership responsibility
• Acting as project sponsors or overseeing technically complex initiatives

It’s also highly relevant for those leading major change or transformation projects across sectors where scale, complexity, or innovation present significant leadership challenges.

Ideal for professionals in sectors such as:

• Transport and infrastructure
• Nuclear and renewable energy
• Electrification and low-carbon transition
• Government transformation projects