Head of Business Change

Cornerstone; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

30 days leave

Private medical insurance

Cycle to Work scheme

Electric Car scheme

Retail and lifestyle discounts

Refer‑a‑friend programme

Job summary

Cornerstone is seeking a Head of Business Change to shape and govern how change is delivered across its Technology, Data & Digital function in the UK. You will build the operating model, manage demand and investment, and drive adoption to realise benefits.

You will lead a high-performing PMO and delivery teams, ensuring alignment with strategy and governance standards while promoting value and accountability across the organisation.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in senior Change/Transformation/PMO roles.
• Proven portfolio and delivery governance experience.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and leadership.
• Knowledge of Agile, Waterfall and Hybrid delivery.

Responsibilities

• Build the future change operating model.
• Embed governance and delivery processes across the technology, data & digital strategy.
• Create a single, enterprise-wide approach to demand intake and prioritisation.
• Lead Enterprise PMO and governance frameworks (portfolio reporting, RAID, dependencies, budgeting).
• Oversee delivery across the Technology, Data & Digital portfolio to meet scope, timeline and quality.

Skills

Strategic Change Leadership

Portfolio & Delivery

Business Change & Adoption

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

Commercial & Financial Acumen

Tools

Agile

Waterfall

Hybrid delivery

Job description

At Cornerstone, we power the infrastructure that keeps the UK connected. Managing more than 15,700 sites and holding 35% of the UK market, we're at the heart of the country's digital future. As part of our Technology, Data & Digital strategy, we're transforming how technology and business change is delivered across the organisation. We have ambitious plans, and we're looking for a proven change leader to help make them a reality. This is more than a delivery role. It's an opportunity to build the processes, governance, engagement model and delivery capability that will underpin the next chapter of Cornerstone's transformation journey.

Why this role matters

Technology transformation doesn't fail because of a lack of ideas. It fails when priorities aren't clear, governance is inconsistent, business engagement is weak, or benefits never materialise. That's where you come in. As Head of Business Change, you'll own how change is shaped, prioritised, governed, delivered and adopted across the organisation. You'll sit at the centre of our Technology, Data & Digital function, bringing together business stakeholders, technology teams and delivery specialists to ensure investments translate into meaningful business outcomes. You'll build the operating model that connects strategy to execution, ensuring the business invests in the right initiatives, delivers them effectively and realises the benefits they were designed to achieve. This role combines strategic leadership with hands‑on transformation and will have a significant impact on how Cornerstone delivers change for years to come.

What you’ll do

• Build the future change operating model
• Design and embed the engagement, demand, governance and delivery processes that support Cornerstone’s Technology, Data & Digital strategy.
• Create a clear, scalable framework that enables the business to prioritise investment, make confident decisions and deliver change successfully.
• Lead business engagement and demand management: Create a single, enterprise-wide approach to demand intake, discovery and prioritisation. Partner with senior stakeholders to ensure initiatives are aligned to strategy, capacity, value and risk before investment decisions are made.
• Own the investment portfolio: Provide a single, transparent view of the change portfolio, including priorities, funding, capacity, dependencies, benefits and delivery performance. Present clear recommendations to support investment decisions, including when to approve, defer, resequence or stop initiatives.
• Establish an Enterprise PMO: Lead the development and ongoing operation of an Enterprise PMO that delivers clarity, consistency and confidence across the organisation. Implement governance frameworks covering: Portfolio reporting RAID management Dependency tracking Financial oversight Resource planning Delivery assurance.
• Lead project and programme delivery: Oversee delivery across the Technology, Data & Digital portfolio, ensuring programmes and projects deliver against agreed scope, timeline, budget and quality objectives. Balance strategic ambition with practical delivery realities and capacity constraints.
• Strengthen business analysis and quality assurance: Lead Business Analysis and Testing functions to ensure requirements are clearly defined, solutions are fit for purpose, and releases meet quality expectations. Drive excellence in: Requirements management Process design Traceability Test assurance Go‑live readiness.
• Embed product and service ownership: Introduce and mature the product and service ownership model across the organisation, ensuring priority services have clear ownership, measures and roadmaps. Support business and platform leaders with governance and delivery mechanisms that allow them to succeed.
• Create a governed route for innovation: Develop a structured pathway for innovation, experimentation and emerging ideas, enabling new opportunities to be assessed, funded and delivered without bypassing governance processes.
• Drive adoption and benefits realisation: Measure success by outcomes, not project closure. Own business readiness, communications, training, adoption and benefits management to ensure change is embraced and delivers measurable value.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing team: Provide leadership across: PMO Business Analysis Project & Programme Delivery Testing & Quality Assurance Change & Adoption Build capability, strengthen ways of working and create a culture focused on collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

What you’ll bring

• Strategic Change Leadership. 8+ years' experience in senior Change, Transformation, PMO or Delivery leadership roles. Experience operating as a Head of Business Change, Head of PMO, Programme Director, Transformation Director or similar. A track record of designing, building or maturing enterprise-wide change and delivery capabilities.
• Portfolio & Delivery Expertise. Proven experience managing large and complex portfolios of change. Expertise in delivery governance, prioritisation, investment planning and resource management. Strong knowledge of Agile, Waterfall and Hybrid delivery approaches. Experience balancing demand, capacity, risk and business priorities.
• Business Change & Adoption Experience. Experience creating business engagement and demand management models. Strong understanding of organisational change, adoption and business readiness. Experience embedding benefits realisation frameworks that continue beyond project delivery.
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management. Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills with the confidence to influence at executive level. Ability to challenge constructively and make difficult prioritisation decisions. Experience building and leading multidisciplinary teams. Strong coaching and mentoring capabilities.
• Commercial & Financial Acumen. Strong understanding of investment governance, portfolio economics and financial management. Experience making prioritisation and investment recommendations based on value, risk and strategic fit. Ability to manage competing demands while protecting strategic outcomes.
• Desirable: Experience in Telecommunications, infrastructure or asset-intensive industries. Enterprise technology transformation programmes. Regulated environments or critical national infrastructure. Product and service operating models. Working closely with Architecture, Data, Security and Operations functions.

What success looks like

• A single, trusted view of demand, priorities, delivery and investment.
• An effective portfolio process that supports decision-making and strategic investment.
• Strong governance without unnecessary bureaucracy.
• More predictable project and programme delivery.
• Better business adoption and readiness for change.
• Clear ownership of products and services.
• Measurable benefits realisation after go‑live.
• Improved delivery maturity across Cornerstone.
• Stronger alignment between business strategy and technology investment.

Why join Cornerstone?

This is a unique opportunity to shape how change is delivered across one of the UK's most important digital infrastructure businesses. You'll have the freedom to build, influence and improve while working alongside senior leaders who are committed to transformation and delivering meaningful business outcomes.

In return, we offer:

• Competitive salary and bonus opportunity
• 30 days annual leave
• Competitive pension scheme and life insurance
• Hybrid working (3 days per week in Theale)
• Private medical insurance including dental and optical cover
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Electric Car scheme
• Retail and lifestyle discounts
• Refer‑a‑friend programme

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is fundamental to our success. We strive to cultivate an inclusive environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered. By embracing unique perspectives and experiences, we drive innovation and drive our organisation forward, therefore, we recognise the importance of welcoming applications from candidates of all backgrounds.