Georgina McAuley, Programme Manager (Town Centres)

Posted on 16 May 2025

Meet Georgina McAuley, Programme Manager (Town Centres)

Tell me a bit about yourself
I’m Georgina McAuley, mum to Rosie and getting married this year. Outside of work, I love to travel and spend weekends on little adventures with my little family —we’ve done all the classics, from Peppa Pig World to various zoos. I used to play netball competitively, representing Bury and even traveling internationally for tournaments, but life has become too busy for that now!

I’ve been working in regeneration and development for 12 years. My career started in social housing, focusing on asset management and property improvements. That then led me into new build projects, master planning, and eventually into strategic development. Now, I work with the Rochdale Development Agency (RDA), where my focus is on large-scale regeneration projects.

What is your role with the RDA?
I’m a Programme Manager, having been promoted from Senior Project Manager in November last year. My role involves overseeing the delivery of town centre regeneration and rail corridor projects across Rochdale, ensuring everything runs smoothly.

I work closely with project managers to make sure budgets, funding, and overall progress stay on track. Part of my job is troubleshooting — if challenges arise, I step in to find solutions, whether that’s sorting out legal and contract matters, securing funding, or ensuring all the right approvals are in place.

A big part of my role is making sure projects are joined up, so we don’t just work in silos. For example, in Heywood, RDA are leading on some projects but we also work alongside TfGM and Highways to ensure all the projects are aligned. It’s about keeping that bigger picture in focus while making sure the day-to-day delivery keeps moving.

Why did you choose to work with the RDA?
I love that in our team, you see a project from start to finish—you can see the impact of what you’re working on. When I was involved in Rochdale’s Riverside and Upperbanks developments, I could physically see the transformation taking place, and that’s really rewarding.

Another thing I love is the variety—every day is different. You work with so many different people, from councils and private developers to community stakeholders, and that mix keeps things interesting. The team at RDA is also a big part of why I enjoy my job; it’s a great, friendly environment, even though the work can be demanding.

What projects do you work on?
Right now, I oversee a range of projects across Heywood, Middleton, Castleton, Rochdale and Littleborough. This includes the town centre master plans, rail corridor regeneration, long-term planning, and specific schemes funded through initiatives like the Shared Prosperity Fund and Arts Council.

One of my main tasks is making sure all of these projects are aligned—so different funding pots and delivery timelines don’t clash, and everything fits into the wider regeneration strategy.

What do you really enjoy about your profession?
It’s the mix of big-picture thinking and small, tangible achievements. Regeneration is a long-term game—it can take years to see the full impact—but along the way, there are milestones, like getting funding secured, breaking ground on a site, or getting a cabinet approval. Those moments give you a sense of progress.

I also really enjoy project management itself. I like structure and processes, making sure things are organised and running efficiently. I’ve had to learn to be a bit less of a perfectionist over the years, but I still enjoy bringing a methodical approach to what can often be quite complex projects.

What makes you get up in the morning?
Rosie—she’s my alarm clock, whether I like it or not!

Work-wise, it’s knowing that each day is different. I always recheck my schedule the night before because there’s so much going on, and I like being prepared. The variety keeps it exciting—one day, I might be working on funding applications, the next I’m on-site looking at progress.

Even though the job can be hectic, I never wake up dreading it. There’s always something to work towards, and seeing things progress, even in small ways, keeps me motivated.

Tell me something people don’t know about you
I used to be really into hiking. I’ve done the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, completing it in around nine hours, and I’ve climbed mountains like Snowdon and Skiddaw.

One of my funniest hiking stories is when I took my fiancé Michael up a mountain—my sense of direction isn’t the best, and I managed to take us up one side and down the other. We ended up doing a 30-mile loop back to the car… he’s never let me live it down!