Job Advert Summary
This executive role leads the Group-wide delivery and transformation function across PPS. The Head of PMDT is responsible for the successful execution of strategic and high-priority programs by providing leadership across Agile delivery, innovation, and transformation governance. The role influences how PPS delivers change at scale, improves organisational agility, and ensures structured, value-based execution aligned to Group priorities.
The role contributes to strategic execution but does not formulate strategy. It supports the Group CIO by converting strategic priorities into executable delivery roadmaps. A core focus is driving maturity, coordination, and cross-functional enablement to ensure consistent delivery across the enterprise.
Minimum Requirements
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in program delivery, transformation, or enterprise-level Agile environments.
- Formal certification in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a mandatory requirement.
- Additional certifications in program or project delivery (e.g., PMBOK, PRINCE2) are advantageous.
Experience:
- Demonstrated experience leading large, cross-functional delivery organisations, with direct
- accountability for outcomes.
- Proven expertise in applying the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) or similar enterprise-level
- Agile methodologies.
- Prior experience in the Financial Services and Insurance sectors is a mandatory requirement
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Program & Portfolio Oversight
- Facilitate planning, prioritisation, and alignment of strategic initiatives across Group IT and business units.
- Oversee the end-to-end delivery lifecycle, from intake and resource planning to benefit tracking.
- Ensure integrated reporting and dashboarding to Exco and governance forums.
2. Agile Governance & Enablement
- Provide leadership to Release Train Engineers (RTEs), enabling disciplined execution across Agile Release Trains.
- Implement delivery frameworks that support cadence, governance, Program Increment (PI) planning, and team performance.
- Partner with Sector Chief Information Officers (SCIOs), who retain responsibility for team-level delivery and Product Owners.
3. PO Practice Leadership
- Lead the PO Practice Lead to standardise product management practices across the enterprise.
- Influence product maturity through guidelines, tools, and coaching, without direct authority over Product Owners
4. Innovation & Digital Leadership
- Oversee the Innovation & Digital Lead to drive user-centric innovation and technology experimentation. · Support digital maturity through design principles, tool enablement, and collaboration with architecture.
5. Delivery Maturity & Continuous Improvement
- Embed SAFe delivery principles and improve agile maturity across the enterprise. · Conduct value stream analysis to identify duplication, optimise team structures, and drive capacity efficiency. · Institutionalise feedback loops and delivery reviews to improve execution effectiveness.
6. Governance & Stakeholder Reporting
- Define and run governance forums that support decision-making, risk management, and transparency. · Escalate and resolve cross-cutting program risks while supporting Executive Committee (Exco) visibility on transformation health.
7. People Leadership & Culture
Build and lead a high-performing team of Release Train Engineers (RTEs), Product Managers (PMs), and digital specialists. · Promote a culture of ownership, innovation, and high delivery standards. · Support workforce transformation and leadership succession.
