Project & Program Management Guild Lead

AXA UK; Bristol, Tunbridge Wells; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance company based in the United Kingdom is looking for a Project and Programme Management Guild Lead to drive agile practices and lead a community of change professionals. The ideal candidate should have a strong background in leading large-scale transformation programmes and aligning with regulatory requirements. This position offers a competitive salary, bonuses, and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Competitive annual salary

Annual company & performance-based bonus

Contributory pension scheme

Life Assurance

Private medical cover

28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays

Wellbeing services

Qualifications

• Proven track record in large-scale, complex transformation programmes.
• Experience in financial services or insurance environments.
• Deep practical experience with agile methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate Project and Programme Managers for transformation programmes.
• Define and implement Project and Programme Management strategy.
• Champion adoption of agile methodologies across all projects.

Skills

Agile methodologies

Leadership

Communication skills

Transformation programmes delivery

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Description

AXA UK's Change Guild is a cross-portfolio capability dedicated to turning strategy into measurable delivery. We drive agile adoption, smooth the interface between delivery models, and build a high-performing community of change professionals across Tribes, Product teams and Portfolios to deliver valuable customer outcomes while meeting regulatory requirements.

As the Project and Programme Management Guild Lead, you’ll shape and lead the PM/Programme community across multiple change initiatives. You’ll champion agile practices, oversee strategic planning and delivery, and ensure seamless collaboration between delivery approaches (agile and waterfall), aligning with the Change Guild’s priorities and AXA’s product-based operating model.

At AXA we work smart, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers. You'll work at least two days a week (40%) away from home, moving to three days a week (60%) in the future. Away from home means either attendance at one of our office locations, visiting clients or attending industry events. We’re also happy to consider flexible working arrangements, which you can discuss with Talent Acquisition.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead and coordinate Project and Programme Managers across Tribes, Products and Portfolios to deliver large-scale transformation programmes in a regulated environment.
• Define and implement the Project and Programme Management strategy, aligned with the Change Guild strategy and AXA’s transition to a product-based operating model.
• Champion the adoption of agile methodologies across all projects and programmes, ensuring seamless integration with waterfall approaches where required.
• Allocate resources (human, financial, and technological) across projects and programmes, optimise utilisation, and engage approved partners to augment staff or capabilities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including senior management, Tribe Leads, Product Managers, Portfolio Managers, regulators, and other key partners.
• Lead the development of PM capabilities through training programmes (in collaboration with L&D), talent management and succession planning to meet changing demand.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for project and programme delivery; provide regular reporting to the Head of Change Guild and relevant stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in project and programme management processes and lead changes to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and quality.

Due to the number of applications we expect to receive for this role, we reserve the right to close this advert earlier than the listed closing date to ensure we’re able to effectively manage interest. Therefore, if you’re interested in joining us at AXA, please don’t hesitate to apply.

We know that some candidates may be discouraged from applying if they don't meet every requirement. If you’re excited by this job and the prospect of working at AXA but you’re not sure you tick every box, we’d still encourage you to apply.

What you’ll bring:

• A proven track record of delivering large-scale, complex transformation programmes within regulated financial services or insurance environments.
• Experience developing and implementing strategic plans for project and programme delivery, translating strategic goals into actionable plans while considering regulatory and compliance factors.
• Deep practical experience with agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, Lean) and applying them within a product-based operating model.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including senior management and regulators, and to influence decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to allocate and optimise resources (human, financial, and technological) across multiple projects and programmes with a focus on cost-effectiveness.
• Leadership and people-management experience, including coaching, performance management, and succession planning for PM/PGM leaders.
• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) or equivalent.
• Commitment to data-driven delivery and continuous improvement, with experience establishing and reporting on KPIs to senior leadership.

As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.

What we offer:

At AXA UK, we’re appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:

• Competitive annual salary dependent on experience
• Annual company & performance-based bonus
• Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)
• Life Assurance (up to 10 x annual salary)
• Private medical cover
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 5 days leave
• Wellbeing services & resources
• AXA employee discounts

To apply, click on the ‘apply for this job’ button, you’ll then need to log in or create a profile to submit your CV. We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and don’t discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. If you have a long-term condition or disability and require adjustments during the application or interview process, we’re proud to offer access to the AXA Accessibility Concierge. For our support, please send an email to [e-mail].

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Who we are:

AXA UK Support Functions power AXA’s three customer-facing business units, providing the infrastructure, support and expertise to ensure our customers can always count on us. Whether you’ve got heaps of experience and qualifications behind you, or you’re just starting out, we’ll give you the support and opportunities to help you grow and develop with confidence.