Senior Programme Manager – Delivery & Governance Leader in London

APPLY is the Agentic Customer Experience (ACx) partner for the world's most ambitious consumer and entertainment brands. We bring together deep domain expertise across Retail, CPG, Sports, and Media with AI-native delivery capability, designing and delivering agentic solutions that turn CX vision into commercial reality. We are the partner of choice for brands like Arc'teryx, NFL, Lululemon, and Kraft Heinz.

LOCATION: APPLY is hybrid friendly with remote options available if needed. The preferred candidate should be based in (or within a location commutable to) the Greater London Area of the United Kingdom, working in hours that align to the UK timezone.

THE ROLE: We are seeking an experienced Programme Manager to lead the planning, execution, and operational governance of complex, multi-stream delivery programs. This role is responsible for ensuring predictable, scalable, and high-quality delivery across portfolios of projects by implementing strong delivery frameworks, operational controls, and execution discipline. You will work across cross-functional teams (product, engineering, design, data, and change) to drive execution excellence, optimize delivery processes, and manage risks, dependencies, and resource constraints across programs. You will partner closely with senior stakeholders, PMO, and delivery leadership to ensure programs are aligned with strategic priorities and operational standards. This is a hands-on execution and delivery operations role; ideal for someone who thrives in structured environments, complex delivery ecosystems, and continuous improvement.

• Programme Execution & Delivery Governance
• Lead the end-to-end execution of complex programs, ensuring delivery across scope, schedule, budget, quality, and risk constraints.
• Define and implement program governance frameworks, reporting cadence, escalation mechanisms, and decision forums.
• Maintain integrated program plans, dependency maps, milestones, and delivery roadmaps across multiple workstreams.
• Track and control progress, proactively identifying risks, blockers, and resource conflicts, and driving mitigation plans.
• Operational Excellence & Process Improvement
• Design, implement, and continuously improve delivery processes, templates, tooling, and best practices across the PMO.
• Standardize reporting, dashboards, and delivery metrics to provide transparency on execution health, velocity, and outcomes.
• Champion agile, hybrid-agile, and digital delivery methodologies, adapting frameworks to unique program needs.
• Ensure program documentation and artefacts meet organisational governance and audit standards.
• Resource & Financial Management
• Partner with delivery leadership to manage program resourcing, capacity planning, and utilisation.
• Track program budgets, forecasts, and financial performance, identifying opportunities for cost optimisation and efficiency gains.
• Support prioritisation decisions based on operational constraints, delivery capacity, and business value.
• Cross-Functional Coordination & Dependency Management
• Align multiple teams and stakeholders to deliver against integrated program outcomes.
• Manage interdependencies across product, engineering, design, platform, and business teams.
• Facilitate planning workshops, delivery reviews, and retrospectives to drive alignment and execution rigor.
• Stakeholder & Risk Management
• Communicate program status, risks, and delivery insights to senior stakeholders and executives.
• Manage escalations, facilitate decision-making, and ensure timely resolution of operational issues.
• Ensure change management activities are integrated into program delivery plans to support adoption and business outcomes.
• People & Delivery Enablement
• Provide guidance and coaching to Project Managers on delivery best practices, tools, and methodologies.
• Act as an escalation point for complex delivery challenges.
• Contribute to capability building within the PMO through training, playbooks, and knowledge sharing.

8–12+ years of experience in program or project management within digital, technology, or transformation environments.

Proven experience managing multi-stream programs with complex dependencies across engineering, product, and business teams.

Strong understanding of delivery operations, governance frameworks, and execution management.

Experience with agile, hybrid, and waterfall delivery models; certifications (PMP, SAFe, Scrum Master) are a plus.

Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, forecasting, resourcing, and capacity planning.

Proficiency with delivery tooling (Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, Google Workspace, Notion, Miro, dashboards).

Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and escalation management skills.

Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a structured, process-driven mindset.

LIFE AT APPLY: People are at the core of everything we do at APPLY. We provide you with modern tools, systems and approaches, value your time, safety, and health, and strive to build a work community where you can thrive and grow. Here are a few benefits we offer to support you:

• Agentic Delivery: Our people work in a modern way to deliver client outcomes. Broaden your skills on a range of engagements with international brands that have a global impact.
• An inclusive and safe environment: We’re truly committed to building a culture where you are celebrated and everyone feels welcome and safe.
• AI & Strategic Upskilling: Accelerate your professional growth with generous training budgets and mentorship, with a specific focus on Agentic AI expertise and the critical human skills required for the future of work.
• Vacation policy: We value work–life balance, so you’ll enjoy 24 days of vacation plus 8 bank holidays to rest, recharge, and focus on what matters most.
• Benefits: We use Vitality benefits designed to enhance your health, well-being, and work–life balance.
• Flexible work arrangements: We work in a variety of ways, from remote, to in-office, to a blend of both.

APPLY is a safe, respectful, and inclusive community where differences are celebrated. We are committed to equal opportunity and fostering a workplace where everyone belongs.