Programme Manager / Delivery Lead

hyperiongrp; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Howden Specialty Technology is seeking a Programme Manager / Delivery Lead to shape and govern the delivery of strategic technology programmes. You will partner with CTO, Head of Delivery & Change and product teams to ensure delivery excellence across a portfolio of initiatives.

This permanent role blends programme leadership, people management and delivery governance, focusing on SDLC compliance, budgeting, resource planning and stakeholder satisfaction in a fast-paced, global insurance

Qualifications

• Lead the delivery of strategic technology programmes and projects.
• Provide oversight across all project and agile delivery activities.
• Drive governance, planning, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Identify, manage, and mitigate risks, issues, dependencies, and constraints.
• Ensure delivery plans are realistic, resourced and aligned with business outcomes.
• Define and implement delivery governance frameworks and controls.
• Support governance with regular assurance reviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional delivery teams including Project Managers and Scrum Masters.
• Collaborate with CTO, Head of Delivery & Change, Product, Architecture and PMO.
• Maintain SDLC compliance and delivery standards across portfolio.
• Forecast, monitor and report project expenditure and budgets.
• Coach and develop delivery professionals and support succession planning.

Job description

Who are we?

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It's what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities - work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering - you'll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

Programme Manager / Delivery Lead

Function: Specialty Technology

Reports to: Head of Delivery & Change

Location: London / Hybrid

Direct Reports: Project Managers, Scrum Masters, Delivery Professionals

About the Role

Howden is a fast-paced dynamic organisation with ambitious growth targets. Howden Specialty is a rapidly growing international insurance broking business placing over £7billion of premium supporting seventy thousand clients in 110 countries. We are transforming our business to a tech and AI enabled cutting edge digital leader. An experienced PMO is required to support the CTO and Specialty Transformation Committee (STC) governance including: supporting stakeholders to triage and produce inputs as part of the STC intake process, prepare monthly STC packs, track and monitor actions and support ongoing SDLC and delivery governance adherence of a portfolio of projects.

The role is a permanent position.

The Programme Manager / Delivery Lead is accountable for the leadership, governance and successful delivery of strategic technology programmes and projects across Howden Specialty Technology.

The role combines programme leadership, people management and delivery governance, ensuring that projects and product initiatives are delivered in a controlled, predictable and compliant manner whilst supporting the wider transformation objectives of Specialty Technology.

Working closely with the Head of Delivery & Change, CTO, Product, Architecture, PMO and Change teams, the role is responsible for establishing delivery excellence through robust governance, effective resource management, financial control and adherence to the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).

Delivery Leadership

• Lead the successful delivery of strategic technology programmes and projects across Specialty Technology.
• Provide oversight, challenge and assurance across all project and agile delivery activities.
• Drive delivery predictability, quality, governance compliance and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Identify, manage and mitigate programme risks, issues, dependencies and delivery constraints.
• Ensure delivery plans are realistic, integrated, resourced and aligned to agreed business outcomes.
• Establish appropriate governance structures and decision-making forums to support programme success.

People Leadership

• Line management of Project Managers, Scrum Masters and associated delivery professionals.
• Recruit, onboard and develop high-performing delivery teams.
• Undertake regular performance reviews, objective setting, coaching and career development activities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and delivery excellence.
• Support succession planning and capability development across the Delivery function.

Governance & Delivery Standards

• Define, implement and maintain delivery governance, frameworks, methodologies and controls.
• Drive adherence to agreed delivery standards, policies, processes and operating models.
• Support the Head of Delivery & Change and CTO in evolving the Delivery Lifecycle and governance framework.
• Ensure consistent application of project, programme and agile delivery practices across the portfolio.
• Provide regular assurance reviews and quality assessments of delivery artefacts and plans.

Financial Management

• Maintain accountability for programme and project financial performance.
• Ensure accurate forecasting, tracking and reporting of project expenditure.
• Provide oversight of Project Manager and Scrum Master budget responsibilities.
• Support business case development, investment governance and funding approval processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve value delivery and optimise technology investment.

Resource & Capacity Management

• Ensure accurate capacity planning across delivery teams.
• Maintain visibility of resource utilisation, allocation and future demand.
• Oversee leave management, team availability and delivery capacity forecasting.
• Collaborate with Technology leadership to address resource gaps and capability requirements.

SDLC Compliance & Controls

• Ensure compliance with Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) policies and standards.
• Drive effective project governance throughout all delivery stages.
• Maintain appropriate controls supporting audit, risk and regulatory requirements.
• Promote continuous impr