Program Director in London

Program Director in London

London Full-Time 80000 - 100000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Albany Beck

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a major cloud migration programme for a top London Market Insurance firm.
  • Company: Join Albany Beck, a dynamic consultancy focused on transformative solutions in Financial Services.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Be part of a supportive team that values your development and career progression.
  • Why this job: Make a significant impact by driving innovative cloud solutions in a high-profile role.
  • Qualifications: Extensive experience in cloud migrations and strong leadership skills required.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.

Albany Beck is a Management Consultancy focused on providing specialist talent and transformative solutions to Financial Services clients. We combine subject matter expertise with innovative delivery models that help clients scale efficiently, while offering meaningful, long-term career opportunities to our people.

Albany Beck is seeking an experienced Programme Director to take ownership of a strategic, business-critical cloud migration programme within a leading London Market Insurance organisation. This is a high-profile transformation initiative focused on migrating critical infrastructure, applications and services from legacy data centre environments into Microsoft Azure. The successful candidate will provide overall programme leadership, establish clear direction and bring control, structure and momentum to a complex delivery environment.

The Programme Director will be accountable for the full programme lifecycle, from discovery, assessment and mobilisation through migration execution, transition and operational handover. They will lead multiple delivery workstreams across technology, infrastructure, security, architecture, operations and the wider business, ensuring alignment around a clear migration strategy and integrated delivery plan. This role requires a highly experienced and hands-on Programme Director with a proven track record of recovering complex technology programmes, resolving delivery challenges and successfully delivering large-scale cloud migrations within regulated organisations. Experience within the London Market Insurance sector would be highly desirable, although broader insurance or financial services experience will also be considered.

Key Responsibilities
  • Take overall accountability for the strategy, governance and successful delivery of a major enterprise cloud migration programme.
  • Lead the programme from discovery and assessment through mobilisation, migration, implementation, cutover and transition into BAU.
  • Review the existing programme position and conduct a detailed assessment of delivery status, risks, resources, governance and programme controls.
  • Develop and execute a programme recovery plan where required, establishing clear priorities, ownership and delivery accountability.
  • Define the programme vision, migration strategy, delivery roadmap, milestones and measurable business outcomes.
  • Establish and maintain an integrated programme plan covering infrastructure, applications, data, networks, security, operational readiness and business change.
  • Provide executive-level leadership across multiple programme workstreams and ensure alignment between business and technology teams.
  • Manage programme scope, budget, resources, dependencies, risks, issues and delivery quality.
  • Oversee the migration of critical applications and infrastructure from on-premise data centres into Microsoft Azure.
  • Ensure migration activity is properly assessed, sequenced, tested and executed with minimal operational disruption.
  • Lead application discovery, migration-wave planning, dependency mapping, cutover planning and legacy decommissioning activities.
  • Drive the resolution of complex delivery blockers and escalate critical risks where necessary.
  • Establish robust programme governance, reporting, controls and decision-making frameworks.
  • Chair steering committees, executive governance forums, delivery reviews and programme workshops.
  • Provide clear and concise reporting to executive sponsors and senior leadership on delivery progress, financial position, risks and key decisions.
  • Hold workstream leads, technology teams, vendors and delivery partners accountable for agreed outcomes.
  • Manage third-party suppliers and implementation partners, ensuring performance against contractual and delivery commitments.
  • Ensure alignment across architecture, engineering, cyber security, infrastructure, operations, service management and business teams.
  • Maintain strong control over programme finances, including budgeting, forecasting, resource planning and supplier spend.
  • Ensure cloud security, regulatory, resilience, operational and governance requirements are embedded throughout the programme.
  • Oversee operational readiness, service transition, knowledge transfer and handover into BAU support.
  • Build and lead a high-performing programme team, creating a culture of pace, ownership, transparency and delivery.
  • Ensure lessons learned, programme documentation and delivery controls meet organisational and regulatory standards.
Required Experience
  • Extensive experience operating as a Programme Director on large-scale technology and infrastructure transformation programmes.
  • Proven experience leading multiple enterprise cloud migrations from discovery and assessment through to implementation and final delivery.
  • Strong experience delivering migrations into Microsoft Azure within complex enterprise environments.
  • Demonstrable experience recovering, resetting or stabilising complex programmes experiencing delivery challenges.
  • Experience leading cloud, infrastructure, application migration or data centre exit programmes within regulated organisations.
  • Understanding of application discovery, migration-wave planning, dependency management, cutover, transition and legacy decommissioning.
  • Experience managing complex, multi-workstream programmes involving technology, security, architecture, infrastructure, operations and business teams.
  • Proven ability to operate at both strategic and detailed delivery levels.
  • Strong executive stakeholder management experience, including regular interaction with C-suite leaders, programme sponsors and senior governance forums.
  • Significant experience managing programme budgets, resources, suppliers and commercial arrangements.
  • Strong knowledge of programme governance, delivery assurance, risk management and financial control.
  • Experience managing systems integrators, cloud providers, technology vendors and third-party delivery partners.
  • Strong understanding of operational resilience, cyber security, service transition and regulatory requirements within Financial Services.
  • Experience within London Market Insurance, commercial insurance or broader Financial Services would be highly desirable.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation and decision-making skills.
  • Relevant programme or project management qualifications such as MSP, PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent would be advantageous.

Program Director in London employer: Albany Beck

At Albany Beck, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters professional growth and personal development. Our London-based team thrives in a hybrid environment, where innovative solutions meet meaningful career opportunities, particularly for those leading transformative cloud migration projects in the financial services sector. Join us to be part of a collaborative and supportive atmosphere that values your expertise and empowers you to make a significant impact.

Albany Beck

Contact Details:

Albany Beck Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Program Director in London

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We think you need these skills to ace Program Director in London

Programme Leadership
Cloud Migration
Microsoft Azure
Programme Governance
Risk Management
Stakeholder Management
Budget Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Problem-Solving Skills:In management consulting, it's all about problem-solving—so make sure your CV highlights your analytical and critical thinking skills. Include examples from your studies or previous roles where you tackled complex issues or came up with innovative solutions. Quantify your achievements whenever possible to demonstrate your impact!

Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to explain why you're a perfect fit for the consulting world. Focus on your motivation for joining the industry and how your skills align with the requirements of the role at Albany Beck. Remember to mention any relevant coursework or projects that showcase your understanding of strategic frameworks or business models!

Highlight Team Experience:Consultants often work in teams, so it's vital to showcase your collaborative skills. Include experiences where you've worked effectively with others, whether in academic group projects or internships. Discuss your role in the team and how you helped achieve common goals, demonstrating you can thrive in a consultancy environment.

Professionalise Your Online Presence:Make sure your LinkedIn and any other professional profiles are up to date, reflecting your career aspirations in management consulting. Connect with industry professionals and follow relevant groups—show you’re serious about entering this field. Applying through our website is a great way to get noticed, so showcase your personality and enthusiasm there!

How to prepare for a job interview at Albany Beck

Master the Case Study Game

In management consulting, case study interviews are all the rage. Make sure to practice structuring your thoughts and analysing data on the fly. Use resources like example case studies to get comfortable with frameworks and solutions. Remember, it’s not just about getting the right answer but showcasing your thought process, so talk us through your reasoning!

Know Your Numbers

Be prepared for some numerical and analytical questions. Brush up on your mental math and be ready to interpret data from charts or graphs. We might throw some business scenarios at you that require a quick turnaround on numerical analysis, so practice these skills to feel confident and swift!

Show Your Leadership Flair

As this is a full-time role, we want to see your potential as a seasoned consultant. Be ready to discuss experiences where you've led a project or a team. Think about times you've influenced decisions or navigated challenges—this is your chance to show how you can thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Be a Cultural Fit

We’re not just looking for brains; we want to see if you vibe with our company culture at Albany Beck. Prepare to share how your values align with ours. Have a think about what makes a great team environment for you and how you can contribute to that. A good cultural fit goes a long way in management consulting!