Programme Manager in London

Apply Digital is a global AI-native transformation partner, client-obsessed and built for a new era of client services. We bring together industry expertise and elite talent to connect strategy, agentic experiences, technology, and data for the world's most ambitious organizations. With the agility to move fast and the experience to deliver with precision, Apply Digital works with clients like Arc'teryx, Lululemon, and Kraft Heinz.

LOCATION: Apply Digital 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.

Key Responsibilities

• 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.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• 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 DIGITAL

At Apply Digital, people are at the core of everything we do. We value your time, safety, and health, and strive to build a work community that can help you thrive and grow. Here are a few benefits we offer to support you:

• Great projects: Broaden your skills on a range of engaging projects 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.
• Learning opportunities: We offer generous training budgets, including partner tech certifications, custom learning plans, workshops, mentorship, and peer support.
• 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 Digital is committed to building a culture where differences are celebrated and everyone feels welcome. That’s why we value equal opportunity and nurture an inclusive workplace where our individual differences are recognized and valued.

If you have accommodation needs at this stage of the recruitment process, please inform us as soon as possible by emailing us at [email protected]. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.