We are looking for an experienced Programme Manager (contractor) with a strong consulting background to set up or uplift PMO capability and lead complex, enterprise-scale programmes in retail or fintech/financial services environments. You will bring structured governance, strong stakeholder influence, and the ability to deliver outcomes across multiple workstreams in large corporate settings.
This role suits someone who is comfortable moving between strategy and execution, building the delivery system (governance, reporting, cadence) while also driving delivery across teams, vendors, and senior stakeholders. This aligns to what leading retailers and financial services PMOs describe as critical: governance frameworks, cross-functional integration, financial control, and steering-level decision-making
Key Responsibilities and Output Areas Include:
PMO setup and governance- Design, implement, or uplift PMO governance: delivery standards, templates, reporting, stage gates, and assurance routines.
- Establish programme forums (SteerCo and working groups), decision-making structures, and clear delivery rhythms.
Programme leadership and integrated delivery- Own the integrated programme plan: milestones, dependencies, resourcing and critical path reporting across workstreams
- Drive delivery from initiation/discovery through execution, operational handover and benefits tracking.
- Actively manage RAID (risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies) and resolve blockers through senior stakeholder engagement
Commercial and benefits management- Own budgets/forecasts and maintain transparent financial control, including value/benefits tracking.
- Stakeholder and vendor leadership
- Lead senior stakeholder engagement across business and technology, facilitating alignment and decisions.
- Manage third parties (vendors/system integrators) and multi-team delivery environments.
Consulting Mindset in Action- Apply structured problem-solving and analytical frameworks to financial services projects.
- Work closely with senior stakeholders across banking, insurance, and asset management.
- Build trust and credibility quickly, ensuring alignment between business and technical teams.
- Contribute to thought leadership and knowledge sharing within the team
Key Requirements- Strong track record delivering large, complex programmes in big corporate environments (multi-workstream, multi-stakeholder).
- Demonstrated PMO setup / uplift experience (governance, standards, reporting, assurance).
- Experience in retail (digital commerce, omni-channel, fulfilment/operations integration) and/or fintech/financial services change environments.
- Consulting experience: comfortable leading in ambiguous environments, influencing without authority, and rapidly establishing structure.
- describe success: shaping ways of working and enabling delivery through governance and influence.)
QualificationsRelevant degree (Business, IT, Engineering or similar).
Project/Programme certification such as PMP or PRINCE2 Practitioner; programme certification (e.g., MSP/PgMP) advantageous.
Technical & Domain KnowledgeComfortable with common enterprise tooling (planning, governance, reporting). The emphasis in comparable roles is on consistent reporting, delivery controls and steering-level communication.
Please Note:As all iqbusiness roles require honesty in the handling of or access to cash, finances, financial systems, or confidential information; our recruitment process requires that the following background checks be completed: credit, criminal, ID, and qualification verification.iqbusiness is committed to sustainable growth and transformation; we embrace diversity and employ previously disadvantaged individuals.
