Interim Group Transformation Director (Maternity Cover) in London

Start date – 2 March – 12 month contract. The business has been on a journey of transformation over the last two years, shifting from a decentralised and federated network to a globally integrated, regionally led group. As the nature of the transformation pivots towards building capabilities that will power both organic and inorganic growth, we are looking for someone who can balance strategic direction and governance with hands‐on delivery.

Reporting to the Group Chief People and Operations Officer and supported by two project managers, the integration lead and a business analyst, the role also has dotted‐line management of the procurement manager. This full‐time 12‐month fixed‐term contract is based in our London office on a hybrid basis.

What you’ll do

• General Governance and Delivery Support
  • Lead portfolio‐level governance, including delivering and chairing Steering Committee meetings, weekly PMO meetings and project‐level governance.
  • Partner with executive leadership to define success measures, track ROI, remove delivery roadblocks and escalate key risks when necessary.
  • Build and manage relationships across all stakeholder groups to ensure buy‐in to both programme delivery as well as oversight and governance.
  • Support workstream owners in delivering projects, whilst also holding them to account.
  • Manage governance of a portfolio of projects relating to enabling global growth‐enablement priorities.
  • Step in and deliver key projects, for example a global strategic KPI dashboard and a globally consistent client feedback survey.
• New Capability Development
  • Oversee and govern the establishment and embedding of new specialist capabilities within identified areas (technology, analytics, sustainability, product innovation).
  • Create networks within the business to help connect dots on workstream requirements.
• Cost Reduction and Efficiencies
  • Drive and govern discreet cost‐reduction and optimisation initiatives.
  • Work closely with finance to monitor savings delivery and implementation costs.
• M&A Delivery and Integration
  • Oversee integration governance, performance tracking, and stakeholder communication of both M&A deal work and integration.
  • Manage the project manager responsible for M&A deal coordination and integration to ensure timely deal conversion, cultural alignment and operational integration – aligned to a standard M&A playbook.

About you

The successful candidate thrives in a fast‐paced work environment and has strong problem‐solving, analytical and communication skills, and the ability to self‐motivate and influence.

What you will need to bring (experience & qualifications)

• Extensive prior experience in change/transformation delivery on a global scale, or in an environment that is project‐led, fast‐paced, and highly changeable.
• Expertise in change management, strategic planning, and performance governance.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence at all levels including C‐suite and board.
• Strong commercial acumen and track record of delivering measurable outcomes e.g. cost optimisation, M&A synergies, and capability building KPIs.
• Ability to work well under pressure and with attention to detail.
• Experience in the marketing services sector (creative, media, communications, entertainment businesses) in a global network is a requirement.

About M+C Saatchi Group

M+C Saatchi Group has pledged its commitment to create a company that values difference, with an inclusive culture. It continues to be an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not and shall not discriminate, celebrates diversity and bases all hiring and promotion decisions solely on merit, without regard for any personal characteristics. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know as part of your application. All employee information is kept confidential according to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).