At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead cross-functional teams to transform M&S tech infrastructure and enhance customer experiences.
- Company: Join M&S, a dynamic leader in retail innovation and customer service.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, bonuses, and extensive wellbeing support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the future of retail with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in large-scale initiatives and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive team that values diversity and personal growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
The role of Senior Head of Delivery for Technical Foundations will lead a cross functional programme team to transform M&S Infrastructure and Information Security into a future‑ready set up that will power sustainable growth, uplift colleague productivity and bring M&S magic to customer experiences. M&S is investing heavily in moving the technical capabilities across networks, cloud, IT Service Management, desktop tech (AD, ID, EUC), software engineering practices and security over a multiyear period. The aim is to create a significant step change in our capabilities that will power the growth ambitions of the most powerful force in Retail.
What’s in it for you
- Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day.
- We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing outstanding quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.
- After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third‑party brands for you and a member of your household.
- Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
- Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
- A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
- A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
- Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
- Industry‑leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
- Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
- A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.
What you’ll do
The Senior Head of Delivery is the glue of engineering, product and business strategies – owning programmes and delivery cadence of work of significant visibility and complexity with broad cross‑organisational and/or deep architectural impact. You are accountable for end‑to‑end technical delivery and performance across domains within the organisation and external suppliers, utilising your expertise in handling constraints, improving quality or removing blockers.
More specifically, the Senior Head of Delivery is the embodiment of ‘own it, and get it done’ with key responsibilities as follows:
- Plan, own and deliver highly sophisticated and multi‑disciplinary initiatives, collaborating with senior leaders to align strategic goals and drive a customer‑first mindset in technology.
- Create roadmaps and objectives and key results alongside the Senior Head of Product & Senior Head of Engineering to ensure alignment to strategic ambitions for M&S including the Technology Strategy.
- Facilitate continuous refinement and prioritisation of initiatives working alongside Product, Engineering and Business leaders.
- Drive data‑driven decisions through metrics and regular reporting to provide visibility, creating a culture of transparency.
- Develop trusted relationships with partners across business areas using deep and relevant technology experience to simplify complex technology issues.
Who you are
- Extensive experience delivering large‑scale initiatives across multiple product functions and domains.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, proactive can‑do demeanour and ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non‑technical individuals including director level.
- Track record of providing technical leadership across domains, product groups and programme management during all phases of software development from ideation to realising value, demonstrating critical thinking and thought leadership.
- Strong working knowledge/experience of Agile/Scaled Agile practices including Scrum, Kanban and DevOps.
- Highly diligent professional with excellent leadership and coaching skills in lean agile practices.
Everyone’s welcome
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re redefining, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re redefining how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.
We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you’d benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Senior Head of Technical Program Management - Tech Foundations employer: Marks and Spencer
Contact Detail:
Marks and Spencer Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Head of Technical Program Management - Tech Foundations
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Senior Head of Delivery role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching M&S and their tech initiatives. Understand their goals and challenges, and think about how your experience can help them achieve their ambitions. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but the perfect fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've led complex projects and delivered results. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and keep it engaging.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and take the initiative to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Head of Technical Program Management - Tech Foundations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in leading cross-functional teams and delivering large-scale initiatives. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Senior Head of Delivery for Technical Foundations.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you’ve driven successful projects. Use metrics and outcomes to demonstrate your impact, as this will resonate well with us at M&S.
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re looking for someone who embodies a proactive can-do attitude and can communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical folks. Be yourself!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with M&S.
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks and Spencer
✨Know Your Tech Foundations
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends in infrastructure and information security. Understand how M&S is transforming its technical capabilities, especially in areas like cloud services and IT service management. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your alignment with their goals.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience in leading cross-functional teams and delivering large-scale initiatives. Be ready to share specific examples where you've successfully navigated complex projects and improved team performance, as this role requires strong leadership and coaching abilities.
✨Emphasise a Customer-First Mindset
M&S values a customer-first approach, so think about how you've implemented this in your previous roles. Prepare to talk about how you've used data-driven decisions to enhance customer experiences and align technology strategies with business objectives.
✨Be Agile and Adaptable
Familiarise yourself with Agile and Scaled Agile practices, as these are crucial for the role. Be prepared to discuss how you've applied methodologies like Scrum or Kanban in past projects, and how you can bring that expertise to M&S to drive efficiency and innovation.