Head of Portfolio- Finance & Corporate Functions Technology

M&G; City Of London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial services leader in City Of London seeks a Head of Portfolios to drive technology initiatives across corporate functions. The role requires significant portfolio management experience, exceptional stakeholder engagement skills, and the ability to align technology with business strategies. The successful candidate will lead a team responsible for prioritizing and delivering technology initiatives, ensuring measurable business value and effective governance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in leading portfolio or programme management.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence senior levels.
• Experience with financial management and resource planning.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver digital strategy for Corporate Functions.
• Shape and maintain integrated portfolio roadmap.
• Act as a key interface between technology and business stakeholders.

Skills

Exceptional domain knowledge within Corporate Functions Technology

Leadership in portfolio or programme management

Stakeholder management and communication skills

Understanding of operating models and strategic planning

Proficient in software delivery methodologies

Ability to identify process simplification opportunities

Job description

At M&G our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. As an international savings and investments business with roots stretching back more than 170 years, we offer a range of financial products and services through Asset Management, Life and Wealth. All three operating segments work together to deliver attractive financial outcomes for our clients, and superior shareholder returns.

Through our behaviours of telling it like it is, owning it now, and moving it forward together with care and integrity; we are creating an exceptional place to work for exceptional talent.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for any of our roles and also offer work place accommodations to ensure you have what you need to effectively deliver in your role.

We are looking for a Head of Portfolios to join the Leadership Team in Corporate Functions Technology. Reporting into the Corporate Functions Technology Director, you will provide visible and influential leadership to the Corporate Functions, ensuring that they can meet their individual business strategies through actionable technology initiatives.

You will drive and shape the technology agenda for the corporate functions, partnering with multiple director stakeholders across the business, as well as the Head of Strategy for Corporate Functions Tech, the Director of Enterprise Data and Director of AI within Technology.

M&G operate in a dynamic environment where adaptability, creativity and collaboration will be critical capabilities, in order to navigate this environment, both strategic and operational leadership will be required from the role.

You will lead a team that is responsible for overseeing the strategic alignment, prioritisation and delivery of technology initiatives across all of the Corporate Functions (Finance, HR, Risk & Compliance, Legal, Co-Sec, Workplace Solutions, Sustainability & Audit). The portfolio team ensure that programmes and projects are governed effectively, resourced appropriately and executed to deliver measurable business value. They act as the central co-ordination and engagement point between Technology and Business stakeholders to ensure that change efforts are coherent, efficient and aligned to roadmaps across the organisation.

Your role is strong working partnerships with the execs of the Corporate Functions, their senior management team as well as the senior Technology management team, to provide Strategic IT Direction, Change Delivery & Transformation, Cost Optimisation and Service Excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Leadership, Strategy & Innovation

• You will support the definition and delivery of the digital strategy for each Corporate Function working closely with the Head of Strategy ensuring its alignment with the corporate functions business plans.
• Shape and maintain the integrated portfolio roadmap, ensuring end to end technical solutions are in alignment with the business strategy, the digital strategy as well as the enterprise Data & AI strategies.
• Recognise and proactively review digital opportunities to support process change and improvement arising from regulatory or business change.
• Lead the prioritisation and investment planning across the corporate functions, balancing strategic ambition with delivery capacity and risk appetite.
• Own and evolve the portfolio management framework in line with the technology operating model, ensuring it supports strategic priorities and delivers measurable outcomes.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Act as a key interface between technology and senior business stakeholders, translating strategic intent into actionable delivery plans with the ability to influence senior leaders across Corporate Functions, Finance, and Enterprise Technology to secure buy-in and alignment.
• You will be responsible for assembling and handling presentations/ proofs of concept to key stakeholders, both internally and externally, distilling often complex technology solutions into easily digestible formats for non-technical stakeholders ensuring buy-in from all.

• Communicate delivery risks, and opportunities clearly and effectively to executive audiences.

Governance & Performance

• Develop and manage the Portfolio teams budget, ensuring efficient resource allocation to achieve optimal value and impact. As well as, being directly accountable for a governed change budget, ensuring regular updates on budget and adjusting when required to align with wider investments.
• Establish and maintain robust governance structures to oversee portfolio health, delivery performance, financial management and capacity management.
• Ensure compliance with controls, reporting standards, and regulatory requirements across all activities. Ensuring the team identify and manage risks relating to service delivery across the IT portfolio.

Team Leadership & Development

• Attract, develop, and retain a high performing team to meet the current and evolving needs of the organisation through coaching, mentoring, and performance management to nurture technology talent and enhance capacity to deliver impactful results.
• Establish and guide a high-achieving technology team, setting clear expectations, offering constructive feedback, and nurturing an environment that encourages ongoing growth and learning.
• Champion thought leadership in the integration of cutting-edge technology, standards, protocols, and tools within the fast-evolving technology landscape.
• Offer technical guidance for optimising and designing the organisation's business process models and the architecture that supports them.
• Champion diversity, inclusion, and succession planning across the portfolio function.

Experience & Skills Required

• Exceptional domain knowledge within Corporate Functions Technology including Finance, with the proven ability to align technology with business strategy.
• Significant experience in leading portfolio or programme management functions within a complex technology or financial services environment.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels. Experience of navigating and leveraging a matrix structure to achieve maximum impact is essential, including both internal resources and third party vendors.
• Strong understanding of operating models, enterprise architecture, and strategic planning.

• Proficient understanding of software delivery methodologies such as agile deliver and DevOps.

• Ability to identify opportunities for process simplification/ automation
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams through change, ambiguity, and transformation.
• Experience with financial management, resource planning, and governance frameworks.

Recruiter : Martyn Jack

We have a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture at M&G plc, underpinned by our policies and our employee-led networks who provide networking opportunities, advice and support for the diverse communities our colleagues represent. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, nationality, disability or long term condition, we are looking to attract, promote and retain exceptional people. We also welcome those who take part in military service and those returning from career breaks.

M&G is also proud to be a Disability Confident Leader, and we welcome applications from candidates with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or neuro-divergent conditions. Being a Disability Confident Leader means that candidates who meet the minimum criteria of a job, will be offered an interview if they 'opt in' to the scheme when applying.

If you need assistance or an alternative means of applying for a role due to a disability or additional need, please let us know by contacting us at: [e-mail]