Programme Manager / Delivery Lead

Howden is a fast-paced dynamic organisation with ambitious growth targets. Howden Specialty is a rapidly growing international insurance broking business placing over £7 billion of premium supporting seventy thousand clients in 110 countries. We are transforming our business to a tech and AI enabled cutting edge digital leader.

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

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 improvement of delivery frameworks, tooling and governance processes.

Technology Governance Coordination

• Coordinate and support: Architecture Review Board (ARB), Change Advisory Board (CAB), Investment Funding submissions, Business Case preparation and approval activities.
• Ensure delivery teams are prepared for governance reviews and decision forums.
• Track actions, decisions and approval outcomes through completion.

Change, Training & Adoption

• Partner with Business Change teams to ensure effective adoption of delivered solutions.
• Coordinate training, communications and change activities required to realise business value.
• Support delivery teams in embedding change management best practice throughout programme lifecycles.

PMO & Executive Reporting

• Produce and assure portfolio, programme and project reporting outputs.
• Lead preparation of governance materials, Steering Committee packs and executive reporting.
• Ensure reporting remains accurate, timely, transparent and decision-focused.
• Provide meaningful delivery insights, trends and recommendations to senior stakeholders.

Stakeholder Management

• Build effective relationships with business and technology stakeholders.
• Develop stakeholder engagement and communication strategies.
• Influence and collaborate across multiple levels of the organisation, including C-suite executives.
• Present delivery status, risks, investment cases and strategic recommendations to senior leadership forums.

Leadership Contribution

• Act a senior member of the Specialty Technology leadership community.
• Participate actively in Delivery Leadership, Technology Leadership and governance forums.
• Contribute to strategic planning, operating model development and organisational transformation initiatives.
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and delivery maturity growth across the organisation.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Significant experience leading complex technology programmes and portfolios.
• Proven people leadership experience managing Project Managers, Scrum Masters or comparable delivery teams.
• Strong programme, project and agile delivery management expertise.
• Experience working within regulated and governance-driven environments.
• Demonstrable financial management and budget control experience.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including engagement with Executive and C-suite stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of SDLC, governance frameworks and technology delivery controls.
• Experience preparing business cases, investment submissions and executive governance materials.
• Strong communication, facilitation and influencing skills.
• AI Basic to Strong skills