Head of PMO

At Finastra, we’re a global leader in financial services software, dedicated to expanding access to financial services and shaping what’s next for the industry. Our technology powers mission‑critical solutions across Lending, Payments and Universal Banking, supporting over 7,000 customers, including 80% of the world’s top 50 banks, in more than 110 countries.

Finastra has signed an agreement to sell its Universal Banking business to Pollen Street Capital, with completion expected end 2026 / early 2027, subject to consultation and customary closing conditions. Upon completion, this role is expected to transition to the standalone Universal Banking business, creating opportunities to support its future growth and success.

The Head of PMO will oversee the portfolio of services projects (implementations, upgrades, migrations and modernization programs) within Universal Banking - managing the health of the projects and customer experience, and owning the services forecasting, capacity, utilization and margin reporting that gives leadership trusted data for faster, better decisions. This individual will ensure projects and programs within the service organization align with strategic goals, follow best practices, and are executed efficiently, while directly managing project managers and service operations. Collaborate closely with services delivery, product, support, cloud operations, finance and sales teams to ensure end-to-end alignment on Finastra and customer needs.

Responsibilities & Deliverables:

• Strategic Focus: Contribute to Services-wide initiatives, enhance customer satisfaction and strengthen project management and governance. Establish feedback mechanisms and analyze project data to identify trends and drive continuous improvement in project management processes. Identify AI and automation opportunities to simplify PMO and service operations processes, reducing manual effort and improving scalability.
• Portfolio Governance & Delivery Assurance: Own PMO accountability for on-time, on-budget delivery through consistent governance, health reporting and milestone tracking, and provide reliable portfolio reporting for steering committees, executive reviews and customer governance. Own the early-warning and escalation mechanism for at-risk projects, actively managing cross-functional dependencies (product fixes, environment readiness, technical blockers, commercial and scope decisions) with internal cross-functional teams ahead of customer impact. Enforce consistent use of the standard delivery methodology, stage gates and quality standards defined across the portfolio. Strengthen documentation discipline (customer requirements, meeting minutes, change requests, key decisions and agreements) to protect Finastra’s contractual position, and act as an escalation point for complex customer and internal issues.
• Forecasting & Financial Performance: Own the monthly services forecasting and financial operating rhythm with Finance and delivery leaders, delivering revenue and spend forecast accuracy within agreed thresholds. Establish a single source of truth and standardized dashboards for services revenue, cost, margin, utilization, capacity and delivery risk, so trusted data is available ahead of key hiring and resourcing decisions. Protect project margins by reviewing resourcing against deal assumptions, surfacing at-risk projects early, and strengthening scope, change-request and revenue-leakage governance.
• Capacity, Utilization & Pre-Sales Support: Provide timely reporting of billable and non-billable utilization, with clear insights and actions tracked to closure. Run active capacity management across the portfolio and support pre-sales with resourcing feasibility and delivery-readiness assessments, so sold work is deliverable within committed scope, margin and timeline.
• People Management: Lead, coach and develop project managers and the Service Operations team, including recruitment, onboarding, skill development and training. Drive consistent performance management, including goal-setting, feedback, appraisals and timely handling of underperformance. Build bench strength and succession for critical PMO and service operations roles, reducing key-person dependencies.

Required Experience:

• Extensive experience in project and portfolio management, with a focus on enterprise-level software, SaaS or banking technology projects.
• Demonstrable experience leading PMO or project management teams, including direct and indirect reports.
• Project management certification such as PMP (required).
• Experience in aligning projects and programs with strategic business objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to establish mechanisms for feedback, analyze project data, and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong skills in guiding, training, and coaching project managers, as well as managing recruitment, onboarding, and performance appraisals.
• Strong financial acumen in services revenue and spend forecasting, utilization, capacity and margin management, working closely with Finance.
• Experience building trusted data and dashboards for executive decision-making.
• Executive presence and the ability to influence senior leaders and challenge with data.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage with stakeholders at all levels and ensure effective communication and reporting.

We are proud to offer a range of incentives to our employees worldwide. These benefits are available to everyone, regardless of grade, and reflect the values we stand for:

• Flexibility: Enjoy unlimited vacation, subject to local regulations and business priorities. Benefit from hybrid working arrangements and inclusive policies such as paid time off for voting, bereavement, and sick leave.
• Well‑being: Access confidential one‑to‑one support through our Employee Assistance Program, connect with our network of Wellbeing Champions and Gather Groups, and take part in monthly events and initiatives designed to help you thrive—inside and outside of work.
• Health & Financial Security: Medical, life and disability insurance, retirement plans, lifestyle, and other benefits.
• Sustainability: Paid time off for volunteering and donation‑matching opportunities to support causes that matter to you.
• Inclusion: Get involved in our inclusion communities, such as Count Me In, Culture@Finastra, Proud@Finastra, Disabilities@Finastra, and Women@Finastra—open to everyone who wants to participate and contribute.
• Career Development: Access online learning and accredited courses through our Skills & Career Navigator tool.
• Recognition: Take part in our global recognition program, Finastra Celebrates, and share your voice through regular employee surveys that help shape our culture and ways of working.

At Finastra, each individual is unique—bringing their own ideas, perspectives, cultural backgrounds, and experiences. We learn from one another, value what makes us different, and create an environment where everyone feels included, supported, and able to be their authentic selves.

Be unique. Be exceptional. Help us make a difference at Finastra.

Summary

Location: London
Type: Full time