Strategic TOM Design Lead

North Highland; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 101,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Umbrella PAYE arrangement

Job summary

North Highland in Central London is seeking a Strategic TOM Design Lead within our Retail practice to help translate vision into practical operating models and lasting impact. You will drive transformation programmes with senior leaders and HR partners, shaping benefits and success criteria while ensuring enterprise TOM alignment.

The role is hybrid in London, for a 12-week program starting mid-November, with compensation via Umbrella company on an inside IR35 day rate.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in strategy, transformation, or business change within a retail environment.
• Proven track record of leading or co-leading transformation programmes.
• Experience in consulting or advisory capacity, ideally within a professional services environment.
• Strong facilitation and workshop design skills with the ability to engage senior audiences.
• Excellent stakeholder management capabilities across multiple levels of seniority.
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic thinking with practical, implementation-focused delivery.
• Strong project management and planning capabilities.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of transformation strategies and roadmaps.
• Partner with senior leaders and HR Business Partners to align on vision and objectives.
• Facilitate workshops to define benefits, success criteria, and implementation pathways.
• Challenge designs to maintain enterprise alignment and feasibility.
• Develop detailed implementation plans with clear ownership and accountability.
• Translate complex concepts into actionable initiatives for delivery teams.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across the organisation.
• Monitor and report transformation progress against agreed criteria.

Skills

Senior transformation experience

Facilitation

Stakeholder management

Project management

Communication

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Independent working

Job description

MAKE STRATEGY A REALITY | ACCELERATE YOUR GROWTH | CHOOSE YOUR PATH

As the world's leading change and transformation consultancy, we're helping businesses move from strategy to reality by taking a pragmatic and practical approach to build solutions that last. We're seeking a Strategic TOM Design Lead within our Retail practice to help us take vision to value and create lasting impact.

SUMMARY As a Strategy Lead within the TOM design team, you will play a pivotal role in driving organisational transformation by leading the development of functional target operating models both high-level and detailed design. You will partner with senior leaders, Human Resources Business Partners, and key stakeholders to define clear benefits and success criteria. Through facilitation of workshops and strategic decision-making, you will challenge designs to maintain enterprise TOM alignment while developing practical implementation plans with assigned ownership. This position brings significant value to our consulting practice by ensuring that transformation initiatives are grounded in reality, stakeholder-aligned, and positioned for successful execution.

This role will be based in Central London on a hybrid basis, and scoped to last 12 weeks from the middle of November. Payment will be via Umbrella company on an inside IR35 day rate (PAYE) basis.

YOU WILL:

• Lead the design and development of comprehensive transformation strategies and roadmaps
• Partner with senior leadership, Human Resources Business Partners, and stakeholders to align on vision and objectives
• Facilitate workshops and collaborative sessions to define benefits, success criteria, and implementation pathways
• Provide constructive challenge to proposed designs to ensure they maintain enterprise alignment and feasibility
• Develop detailed implementation plans with clear ownership structures and accountability mechanisms
• Translate complex strategic concepts into actionable initiatives for delivery teams
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across the organisation
• Monitor and report on transformation progress against agreed success criteria

IDEALLY, WE'D LIKE:

• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in strategy, transformation, or business change management within a retail environment
• Proven track record of successfully leading or co-leading organisational transformation programmes
• Experience working in a consulting or advisory capacity, ideally within a professional services environment
• Strong facilitation and workshop design skills with the ability to engage senior audiences
• Excellent stakeholder management capabilities across multiple levels of seniority
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic thinking with practical, implementation-focused delivery
• Strong project management and planning capabilities
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United Kingdom, without the need for visa sponsorship by North Highland. Work visa sponsorship will not be provided, either now or in the future, for this position. This is a temporary employee (PAYE) opportunity working via an Umbrella company. North Highland is an equal opportunity employer, and we adhere to all applicable laws and regulations to ensure a fair and equitable workplace. All qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We handle all information in accordance local privacy standards and maintain strict confidentiality.