The Strategic Portfolio Office – Senior Manager in Leeds

The Strategic Portfolio Office (SPO) – Senior Manager will lead and shape the newly formed Strategic Portfolio Office within the Isio pensions administration division. Establishing the SPO function as a centre of excellence by driving consistency across transformation initiatives, client driven projects, regulatory change and business-as-usual programmes. The role will be pivotal in supporting the delivery (through effective resourcing and capacity management) of time critical projects that support our growth ambitions. As a core pillar of the Client Onboarding and Change team, this role will report directly into the Head of Client Onboarding and Change and will form part of the leadership team within this function. The role will include some team management responsibilities. This role can be based in our Reading, Croydon, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow or Belfast city centre office with a hybrid workstyle.

What does the role entail?

• Leadership & Governance
  • Establish and maintain SPO standards, methodologies, and best practices across the organisation
  • Design and implement governance frameworks ensuring programme of work and individual projects are delivered to time, budget, and scope
  • Lead portfolio reporting and performance metrics to senior stakeholders
  • Provide delivery assurance through stage gates, risk management, and quality reviews
• Programme/Project Delivery
  • Drive effective planning and resource utilisation to achieve timely delivery, cost efficiency, and high-quality outcomes across programmes.
  • Manage and maintain apparatus that effectively maximises resource utilisation
  • Support and influence the design and implementation of effective programme/project pipeline management
• Standards & Process
  • Define project lifecycle standards, templates, and tools
  • Drive continuous improvement of SPO processes and practices
  • Establish project health checks and intervention protocols
  • Champion project management capability development across the organisation
• Financial Management
  • Define and implement effective reporting that supports time recording, billing, budget control and forecasting
  • Support the wider team and division with effective cost management and controls
  • Identify any areas of revenue leakage and implement the appropriate recovery mechanisms/frameworks
• Stakeholder Management
  • Report to leadership on portfolio/programme health and risks
  • Collaborate with programme leads to align delivery approaches
  • Build strong relationships with business area leads and delivery teams

What we’re looking for

• Proven experience of leading a SPO type function
• Strong track record delivering complex programme/projects on time and to budget
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills at all levels
• Experience establishing governance frameworks and reporting structures
• Industry experience within the Pensions Administration sector
• SPO or project management professional qualification (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, MSP)
• Experience in transformation programmes within the financial services industry
• Background working in high-growth, scaling environments
• Knowledge and experience of working with UK Defined Benefit Pensions.
• Financial acumen and experience of budget management, cost-benefit analysis, and financial reporting.
• Strong leadership skills and experience of working within a Change / Programme environment

Why Join Isio

Isio is a fast-growing professional services business, that offers career development through an evolving client base, diverse and meaningful work, nationwide opportunities, and a culture that rewards high performance and accountability. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and our values guide how we advise our clients, how we operate as a business and how we work together as a team. We call it the Isio Attitude. We encourage our people to be bold, to communicate with conviction, and to deliver advice that matters. Here, growth brings opportunity - more responsibility, more clients, and work that stretches and develops you. We invest in training and development so you can expand your skills and explore different career paths across diverse markets to make your mark. Isio is a place to realise your potential and build a career with impact.

Isio is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace, in which our colleagues feel they belong, regardless of background or difference. We uphold the values of respect, fairness, and inclusion in our actions and decisions. We believe that by adhering to these principles, we will create a stronger, more innovative, and supportive environment for all, as well as ensuring that the advice and support we provide to our clients is more creative, more insightful and leaves a lasting impact. We can offer a hybrid, flexible approach to work, supporting a work-life balance that works for you. Isio Group is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.