About the role
Reporting to: Project Sponsor
Contract Length: 3 month initial contract, possible extension of up to 2 years.
This role is to initiate the design, business case and implementation of a new management information platform, in order to meet the requirements of our strategy in terms of provision and application of business intelligence.
The Program Manager must have successful recent experience in shaping and delivering Data and Cloud transformation programs and will be required to take ownership of the program, both driving and challenging the business and technical components.
The individual will be responsible for planning and defining a new programme including all work streams and roles, establishing a delivery framework and then working closely with the development teams to implement and deliver the data product roadmap, driving new features through full software development lifecycle.
Some out of hours working may be required in order to meet project deadlines. Some travel may be required for the purpose of meeting with clients, stakeholders, or off-site personnel/management
Key Responsibilities:
Delivery & Planning
- Stand up the project of delivery of the Life Information Factory, including submitting business cases, identifying, quantifying and articulating measurable benefits across multiple business areas
- Manage program scope and deliverables, ensuring fulfillment of business cases
- Effective, timely and clear communication of program expectations to team members and stakeholders
- Support, mentoring to the project managers within the portfolio and ability to "step in" directly to the projects as / when required
- Plan and schedule project and program timelines and milestones using appropriate tools, to design and manage a realistic program / project master plan, revising forecasts where necessary
- Manage stakeholders from team members through to senior managers making sure there is buy-in, minimizing road-blocks, and ensuring continued commitment
- Managing third parties to ensure all key financial metrics are hit without compromising program and project deliverables
- Set and continually manage program expectations with team members and other stakeholders
- Understand and apply appropriate project and program disciplines
- Track project milestones and deliverables
- Determine the frequency and content of program status reports including working with project managers to produce their status reports, analyze results, and troubleshooting problem areas across the portfolio
- Define and manage to program success criteria and disseminate to involved parties throughout the project life cycle
- Develop best practice and tools for program and project execution and management
- Ensure project toolset and reporting consistency within the respective programs of work
- Manage risks and issues throughout the life of the program. Plan and take mitigating action when necessary and escalate as appropriate.
- Work with work stream leads to ensure alignment with project or program principles
- Regularly report on program status with an accurate and current update on progress and a new forecast
- Maintain all program data to the required standard in the relevant PMO tools and processes
- Providing feedback on the implementation capabilities and capacity and, by showcasing best practice, enhancing the skills and processes of our people
People and Budget Management
- Estimate resources and participants needed to achieve program goals
- Where necessary, negotiate with other department managers for the acquisition of required internal personnel and matrix manage.
- Develops and maintains robust relationships with key business and IT stakeholders to ensure business analysis, development, test and implementation activities are visible and in line with agreed expectations
- Ensures the smooth integration of new business processes/applications
- Work with the PMO to develop and continually improve project/ program controls, methods and tools.
- Mentor and train project manager and business analysis colleagues
- Draft and submit budget proposals, recommending subsequent budget changes where necessary.
- Role model for Project Management disciplines
Operational and Quality Management
- Facilitate workshops for any aspect of the program including design, planning, tracking and problem resolution
- Ensure that the delivered program is maintainable and handed over with appropriate documentation
- Successfully manage the handover of the program into BAU
- Ensure sign off by appropriate review boards for key aspects of the program (e.g. technical solution)
- Maintain awareness of and alignment with group and company change programs
- Liaise with group on project, change controls and processes
- Identify and resolve issues and conflicts within the overall program
- Identify and manage project dependencies and critical path
- Develop and deliver progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation, and presentations
- Proactively manage changes in project scope, identify potential crises, and devise contingency plans
- Coach, mentor, motivate and supervise project team members and contractors, influencing them to take positive action and accountability for their assigned work
- Build, develop, and grow business relationships vital to the success of the project
- Ensure clarity of approach to all phases of testing
- Act as the key bridge between the program and "The Business"
- Acts as the "glue" between solution architects, data engineers, data scientists, business analysis and project managers to ensure alignment within the program
What we're looking for:
Experience:
- Proven program management experience in data and legacy to cloud transformations and creating data roadmaps highly desirable
- Exposure to cloud ecosystems (such as AWS or GCP) and any experience of delivering modern data platforms (such as Snowflake, AWS Redshift, or Google's Big Query) highly desirable
- Record of enabling the delivery of data analytics, data science, or predictive analytics use cases desirable
Principle Skills:
- Outstanding influencing and presentation skills
- Extensive awareness and application of PM tools
- Experience of programming languages, databases, data platforms and operating systems in an ecommerce environment
- Solid working knowledge of current Internet technologies and cloud based services
- Proven decision making ability
- Understanding of agile development in respect to IT delivery
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Effective prioritization and execution of tasks in a high-pressure environment is essential
- Analytical and problem-solving capability to manage shifting priorities, demands and timelines
Technical Skills and Expertise:
- Qualifications in project and program management is ideal (e.g. Prince2 practitioner, MSP practitioner)
- Extensive project and program experience with proven track record of delivery
- Awareness of market trends in Insurance and IT industry
