Interim Group Transformation Director (Maternity Cover)

M&C Saatchi Group; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A global marketing firm is seeking an Interim Group Transformation Director for a 12-month contract. This role involves leading interconnected projects to ensure strategic transformation and governance while supporting growth initiatives. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in change management and stakeholder collaboration, particularly within a fast-paced, project-driven environment. This full-time position is based in London on a hybrid model, providing the opportunity to make a significant impact on organizational transformation.

Qualifications

• Extensive prior experience in change/transformation delivery on a global scale.
• Expertise in change management, strategic planning, and performance governance.
• Experience in the marketing services sector (e.g., creative, media, communications).

Responsibilities

• Lead portfolio level governance and deliver Steering Committee meetings.
• Manage governance of global growth-enablement projects.
• Oversee the establishment of new specialist capabilities.
• Drive discreet cost reduction and optimisation initiatives.
• Manage integration governance and stakeholder communication for M&A.

Skills

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Change management

Commercial acumen

Job description

INTERIM GROUP TRANSFORMATION DIRECTOR (MATERNITY COVER)

START DATE - 2nd MARCH - 12 MONTH CONTRACT

The business has been on a journey of Transformation over the last two years, shifting from a decentralised and federated network to a globally integrated, regionally led group. As the nature of the transformation pivots towards building capabilities that will power both organic and inorganic growth, we are looking for someone who can balance strategic direction and governance with hands on delivery.

This role is responsible for leading a diverse portfolio of interconnected projects. These include everything from building growth-focused capabilities to improving central enablement and continuing to drive M&A and efficiencies.

Reporting to the Group Chief People and Operations Officer and supported by two project managers (M&A and BAU), the integration lead and a business analyst. The role will also have dotted line management of the procurement manager. This full-time 12-month fixed term contract is based in our London office on a hybrid basis.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

The role requires balance between portfolio oversight and hands on delivery, especially on group projects. The change portfolio consists of global projects in four focus areas, centrally led growth enablement, capability development, M&A delivery, and integration and efficiencies.

• General Governance and Delivery Support
  • Lead portfolio level governance, including delivering and chairing Steering Committee meetings, weekly PMO meetings and project level governance.
  • Partner with executive leadership to define success measures, track ROI, remove delivery roadblocks and escalate key risks when necessary.
  • Build and manage relationships across all stakeholder groups to ensure buy-in to both programme delivery as well as oversight and governance.
  • Support workstream owners in the delivering projects, whilst also holding them to account.
• Central Growth Enablement Projects
  • Manage governance of a portfolio of projects relating to enabling global growth-enablement priorities.
  • Step in and deliver key projects, for example a global strategic KPI dashboard and a globally consistent client feedback survey.
• New Capability Development
  • Oversee and govern the establishment and embedding of new specialist capabilities within identified areas (e.g., technology, analytics, sustainability, or product innovation).
  • Create networks within the business to help connect dots on workstream requirements.
• Cost Reduction and Efficiencies
  • Drive and govern discreet cost reduction and optimisation initiatives.
  • Work closely with finance to monitor savings delivery and implementation costs.
• M&A Delivery and Integration
  • Oversee integration governance, performance tracking, and stakeholder communication of both M&A deal work and integration.
  • Manage the project manager responsible for M&A deal coordination and integration to ensure timely deal conversion, cultural alignment, and operational integration – aligned to a standard M&A playbook.

ABOUT YOU

The successful candidate thrives in a fast-paced work environment and has strong problem solving, analytical and communication skills, and the ability to self-motivate and influence.

You are good at:

• Working with a range of stakeholders across a global matrix organisation, including C-suite.
• Working across diverse range (creative, finance, IT etc.) of globally disaggregated teams.
• Influencing and working with those outside of your direct team, communicating with stakeholders along the way.
• Creating structure and simplicity in a fast-paced environment with a large and complex change portfolio.
• Flexibility to adapt easily to changing requirements and priorities.
• Commercial minded – challenging investments and business cases and putting transformation investment in the context of the broader trading environment.

What you will need to bring (experience & qualifiers):

• Extensive prior experience in change/transformation delivery on a global scale, or in an environment that is project-led, fast-paced, and highly changeable.
• Expertise in change management, strategic planning, and performance governance.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence at all levels including C-suite and board.
• Strong commercial acumen and track record of delivering measurable outcomes e.g. cost optimisation, M&A synergies, and capability building KPIs.
• Ability to work well under pressure and with attention to detail.
• Experience in the marketing services sector (e.g. creative, media, communications, entertainment businesses) in a global network is a requirement.

ABOUT M+C SAATCHI GROUP

M+C Saatchi Group has pledged its commitment to create a company that values difference, with an inclusive culture. As part of this M+C Saatchi Group continues to be an Equal Opportunity Employer which does not and shall not discriminate, celebrates diversity and bases all hiring and promotion decisions solely on merit, without regard for any personal characteristics.

If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please make us aware as part of your application.

All employee information is kept confidential according to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).