Job Title: Senior Portfolio Manager
Type: Contract
Rate: £800 to £900 p.d.(Umbrella)
Location: Remote until further notice (Edinburgh/ London)
Our Investments Technology Solutions (ITS) team is at the heart of our business and responsible for developing and delivering our IT Strategy, managing our data, managing change programmes, developing and implementing software solutions, as well as maintaining the integrity and performance of our systems, infrastructure and applications. The role of ITS is increasingly pivotal to the success of the company, and we aim to deliver both the innovation and responsiveness needed in today's competitive and fast-changing investment and regulatory landscape. ITS also ensures that our services and solutions are seamlessly aligned across our global platforms to enable every aspect of our business to operate smoothly and efficiently.
ROLE PURPOSE
· Owns both the delivery of the change portfolio for the domain (or sub domain) and the performance of the BAU services in use by the Domain. Works to ensure that programmes and projects are delivered when needed by the business within their cost envelope and to a high quality, and that operational services are available and performing.
· This role predominantly faces a strategic supplier and is responsible for that Supplier's successful delivery of technology changes and services across the full lifecycle (development, change and operational and retirement).
· Acts as the key decision maker and setter of direction and priority for the areas under her/his control - working closely with Business Consultant and Lead Solution Architect.
Key Outcomes
Business and Relationship Management
- Maintain effective internal/external customer, and partner relationships to contribute insights and execution of technology's role in the running/strategic planning that supports the scope in question.
- Works to identify and balance priorities including, for example, the introduction of new functionality / capability alongside the performance and health of live systems.
- In order to fulfil the outcomes above, the role holder will direct and prioritise supplier activity on a regular basis. Acting as a senior point of escalation when conflicts or barriers to progress arise.
- Where relevant, actively engages in, performs and/or supports, business change activities - directly and also via Supplier project managers.
- Responsible for Supplier Performance Management - monitoring, reporting and correcting performance where necessary, as part of the performance management framework.
Portfolio Management and Delivery of Change
- Develop and maintain a blueprint and strategic change roadmap for the sub-domain. Working in tight alignment with Business Consultant and Lead Solution architect.
- Develops the portfolio of change for the sub-domain. Ensure a deliverable and affordable change portfolio is in place and dynamically maintained.
- Works with Supplier to ensure that forward Demand is understood, and that sufficient capability and capacity is available to fulfil the change portfolio
- Owns the Initiation and Mobilisation of a Change initiative - including engaging with supplier as they change moves forward
- Coordinates the execution and fulfilment of the change portfolio for the sub-domain - ensuring that supplier delivers to time, budget and quality.
- Holds overall budgetary and financial accountability for the sub-domain, ensuring that financial processes are followed and that financial targets are met.
- Holds overall accountability for the safe and secure delivery of new and changed functionality into service, including the quality of delivery and the readiness of the operational and business teams.
Operational Service Performance
- Active lifecycle management of the services being used to operate the business for the sub-domain in question. That includes active monitoring of Service Level performance and oversight of improvements to, exploitation of, and retirement of, operational systems
- Ensuring that operational services are fulfilling their purpose and working effectively. Ensuring suppliers are taking steps to resolve any persistent issues through the established Problem Management mechanisms
- Working closely with key stakeholders to ensure that perception and satisfaction with the operational services is good. Also working with supplier to resolve where issues arise
- Ensure that suitable service continuity plans are in place and tested - such that the business can have confidence that it can continue to operate in the event of an unforeseen issue
Skills & Experience
· Proven ability to identify shifting priorities and make interventions dynamically - balancing risk and minimizing wasted investment
· Good knowledge of the asset management industry and robust knowledge of the available technology providers and the developing FinTech landscape
· Strong understanding of the business processes supported and the business outcomes - specifically those in the sub-domain in question
· Outstanding Programme and change delivery experience - particularly when delivery is undertaken by a 3rd party supplier rather than a direct team of individuals
· Solid knowledge of operational service management practices and norms
· Excellent Supplier Management capability - driving supplier activity and holding them fully to account
· Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work across team and suppliers
