Head of Programme Delivery

Role overview

Work arrangement

• The role is intended to be full time, although this is negotiable.
• Edinburgh is the preferred base, with hybrid working to support regular interaction with colleagues.

What you will do

• Manage the integrated portfolio and recommend priorities based on dependencies, risks, and sequencing.
• Establish governance, RAID, change control, reviews, reporting, assurance, and early risk escalation.
• Oversee portfolio budgets, forecasts, resource costs, benefits, financial performance, and commercial exposure.
• Coordinate demand and capacity across product engineering, services, R&D, QA, customer experience, support, infrastructure, and IT.
• Resolve resource conflicts and support prioritisation, recruitment, outsourcing, and make-or-buy decisions.
• Lead and develop project managers and maintain practical project management standards.
• Communicate with senior leaders, Finance, Commercial, Product, and project sponsors; improve delivery reporting, data, tools, and dashboards.

Essential skills and experience

• Substantial leadership experience with complex, interdependent programmes or portfolios in a software, engineering, or technology-led organisation.
• Ability to create executive dashboards and turn incomplete delivery and financial data into actionable insight.
• Experience integrating customer delivery, product development, R&D, or business change work that shares specialist resources.
• Strong programme and portfolio planning, dependency management, RAID, change control, governance, assurance, and benefits realisation.
• Financial management experience with budgets, forecasts, estimate to complete, revenue, margin, cost control, and variance analysis.
• Experience in capacity planning, prioritisation, cross-functional resource conflict resolution, and establishing or maturing a PMO.
• Understanding of software development lifecycles and agile, iterative, and predictive delivery approaches.
• Relevant programme or project management qualification, or equivalent practical experience.

Personal and desirable skills

• The employer seeks a collaborative leader who can influence senior stakeholders, communicate clearly, and coach project managers.
• Desirable experience includes scaling SMEs, space or other mission-critical engineering, grant-funded R&D, portfolio tools, board reporting, and product operating models.

Salary and benefits

• Salary range is £60,000–£80,000 pro rata, depending on experience, with regular reviews.
• Benefits include 36 days of paid holiday, a 6% employer pension contribution, health cover, life assurance, enhanced family leave, and flexible hours.
• The employer offers hybrid working, development opportunities, and possible international travel for exhibitions and trade shows.

About Bright Ascension