Information Technology Project Manager

Practicus; England; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A major UK transport operator is seeking a Senior IT Project Manager to lead its technology transition as it moves into public ownership. This critical role will coordinate all IT-related activities to ensure operational readiness, requiring demonstrable experience in M&A transitions, strong stakeholder management, and the ability to deliver complex changes under tight deadlines. The successful candidate will navigate a sensitive environment with heightened external scrutiny while driving accountability across departments.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience leading M&A, carve-out, integration, or legal entity transitions.
• A track record of delivering complex, cross-functional change under fixed deadlines.
• Outstanding stakeholder management skills, comfortable with senior executives.

Responsibilities

• Build and own the integrated technology transition plan.
• Coordinate multiple business and technical workstreams.
• Represent the organization within the central transition governance structure.
• Drive accountability across departments and suppliers.
• Ensure every externally visible change lands correctly on transfer.

Skills

Stakeholder management

M&A transitions

Cross-functional change management

Governance discipline

Commercial awareness

Job description

Interim IT Project Manager – Technology Transition Lead

A major UK transport operator is entering a time-critical transition into public ownership as part of wider industry reform.

At the start of June, this organisation legally transfers into a new holding structure. From that moment, every customer-facing system, finance platform, compliance document, website, policy reference and supplier contract must reflect the new entity.

An experienced IT Project Manager is required to lead and coordinate the Technology Workstream to ensure full operational readiness.

The Role

This is a senior, delivery-focused position accountable for integrating and driving all IT-related transition activity across the business.

You will:

• Build and own the integrated technology transition plan
• Coordinate multiple business and technical workstreams
• Represent the organisation within the central transition governance structure
• Drive accountability across departments and suppliers
• Ensure every externally visible change lands correctly on transfer

This is about orchestration, control, and momentum.

Key Areas of Impact

The scope is broad and commercially sensitive, including:

• Legal entity & identity changes across digital platforms and internal systems
• New Oracle finance platform oversight to ensure day-one supplier payments
• Customer-facing systems (retail, marketing, careers site, compliance statements)
• Data & consent coordination
• HR and governance updates across internal systems
• Software asset and contract reconciliation (~350 line items requiring novation or review)
• Oversight of subsequent website migration activity post-transfer

Reputational risk is significant. External scrutiny will be high. The deadline is immovable.

The Profile

We are seeking a Senior IT Project Manager who thrives in compressed, high-stakes environments.

You will bring:

• Demonstrable experience leading M&A, carve-out, integration or legal entity transitions
• A track record of delivering complex, cross-functional change under fixed deadlines
• Strong commercial awareness and governance discipline
• Outstanding stakeholder management skills - comfortable operating with senior executives and external bodies
• A pragmatic, delivery-first mindset with the tenacity to “get things done”

Highly advantageous:

• Rail or regulated transport experience
• Previous involvement in Train Operating Company transitions
• Experience operating within central government or arm’s-length frameworks