Programme Directors- Platforms

Rowden; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Rowden seeks a Programme Delivery Lead to spearhead complex IT programme deliveries. The successful candidate will thrive in dynamic environments, ensuring successful project execution and fostering strong stakeholder relationships. This role offers the opportunity to impact significant programmes within a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of delivering complex IT programmes.
• Experience in leadership and managing delivery risks.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of complex IT platforms across programmes.
• Drive programme execution from planning to operational transition.
• Own delivery KPIs and ensure successful outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Programme Delivery

Stakeholder Engagement

Communication

Risk Management

Education

Experience in IT programmes

Tools

SAFe Agile

Job description

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Programme Directors- Platforms

Department: Engineering

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Bristol, UK

Reporting To: Paul Thornton Joseph Forrester-Page

Description

We're building the next UK-headquartered engineering powerhouse.At Rowden, we design and integrate advanced systems that sense, connect, and protect data in challenging environments where quick decisions are vital. Our solutions use intelligent automation to enhance speed and efficiency and are built to be reliable and straightforward for critical operations in remote or high-pressure settings.

Headquartered in Bristol (UK), we combine modern engineering methods with cutting-edge commercial technology to create adaptable, mission-critical systems. We focus on solving the tough challenges that others overlook, ensuring our customers can operate effectively in an ever-changing world.

About the RoleRowden is scaling its impact, taking on more ambitious and complex programmes that deliver real-world outcomes for operational users. These platform programmes span discrete IT capability drops to enterprise-scale infrastructure modernisation-delivered in high-stakes, multi-supplier environments.

We are seeking Programme Delivery Leads - genuine leaders with a proven track record of delivering and leading at scale. You will thrive in complexity, bring cohesion to layered milestones across customers and partners, and lead with assurance in high-tempo, high-accountability settings.

This role is not a traditional PM job. It demands strategic thinking, delivery leadership, and operational confidence - owning the delivery narrative and leading through relationships, influence, and trust across diverse delivery landscapes.

This role requires a minimum of 3 days per week on-site at our Bristol HQ with frequent travel to customer sites. Candidates must be willing to obtain a UKNSV security clearance with SC being essential, and DV clearance desirable.

Key areas of responsibility

• Lead the delivery of complex, hybrid IT platforms across dynamic, mission-driven programmes.
• Drive end-to-end programme execution, from planning and governance through to operational transition.
• Adapt and apply SAFe Agile practices to structure and optimise delivery cadence.
• Focus on outcomes over outputs, ensuring that what is delivered meets mission needs, not just technical specs.
• Navigate and decompose layered customer and supplier milestones-tracking dependencies and holding delivery partners accountable.
• Own delivery KPIs: schedule, scope, quality, and operational readiness.
• Coordinate phased service migrations and platform transitions with minimal disruption.
• Communicate delivery progress and risks clearly and consistently to customer stakeholders.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with customer delivery leads.
• Champion a delivery culture grounded in pace, ownership, adaptability, and continuous improvement.

Key skills, experience and behaviours

Essential

• Proven track record of delivering complex IT programmes in enterprise, defence, or high-assurance environments.
• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to lead through influence, clarity, and presence across partner ecosystems.
• Deep knowledge of programme and project delivery frameworks, including SAFe Agile.
• Direct experience of MOD contracting, procurement and commercial frameworks.
• Strong capability in managing dependencies and delivery risk across multiple teams and contractual boundaries.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, spanning technical, commercial, and executive levels.
• Confidence and assurance in fast-moving, high-profile, customer-facing roles.

Highly DesirableExperience building high-trust relationships across:

• Delivery and engineering teams
• Customer programme teams and end users
• Adjacent programmes and external suppliers
• Background in hybrid IT platforms, systems integration, or infrastructure modernisation.
• Familiarity with MOD, defence or secure government environments.

Working at Rowden

We are committed to building a flexible, inclusive, and enabling company. Our aim is to create a diverse team of talented people with unique skills, experience, and backgrounds, so please apply and come as you are!

We also recognise the importance of flexible working and support this wherever we can. We typically operate a flexible, hybrid-working model, with an average 3 days in the office each week (dependent on the role). We welcome the opportunity to discuss flexibility, part-time working requirements and/or workplace adjustments with all our applicants.

Rowden is a Disability Confident Committed company, and we actively encourage people with disabilities and health conditions to apply for our roles. Please let us know your requirements early on so that we can make sure you have everything you need up front to help make the recruitment process and experience as easy as possible.

Finally, if you feel that you don't meet all the criteria included above but have transferable skills and relevant experience, we'd still love to hear from you!