At a Glance
- Tasks: Support the rollout of a new Practice Management System across 350+ Practices.
- Company: Join Pets at Home, a leader in veterinary care and transformation.
- Benefits: Gain valuable experience, work with diverse teams, and make a real impact.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of a major transformation that enhances pet care.
- Qualifications: Strong organisational skills and experience in project coordination or change management.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
As our second Practice Readiness Lead, you'll work alongside our existing Readiness Lead to support the successful rollout of Darwin across more than 350 remaining Practices.
Whilst Practices are responsible for completing their readiness activities, you'll own the process that helps them get there.
You'll provide guidance, monitor progress, identify risks, coordinate interventions and help ensure every Practice is set up for a successful go-live.
No two days will be the same.
You could be supporting a Practice that goes live tomorrow, troubleshooting a readiness challenge with a Regional Director, and reviewing progress for Practices scheduled to deploy in the coming months, all in the same day.
This role requires exceptional organisation, judgement, stakeholder management and the ability to confidently manage multiple priorities at once.
- Driving Practice Readiness
- Become an expert in the end-to-end Darwin readiness journey, understanding each activity, milestone, checkpoint and dependency.
- Support Practices, BDPs and Regional Directors through key readiness checkpoints and deployment milestones.
- Track readiness progress across multiple Practices simultaneously, identifying risks and escalating concerns where appropriate.
- Intervene proactively when Practices require additional support to remain on track for a successful go-live.
- Monitor deployment readiness and ensure critical activities are completed at the right time.
- Provide status updates, insights and recommendations to the Darwin Programme team.
- Building Strong Relationships
- Act as a key point of contact for readiness-related queries across the business.
- Build trusted relationships with Practices, BDPs, Regional Directors and wider programme stakeholders.
- Support communications through team calls, stakeholder meetings, Viva Engage and programme updates.
- Represent the Darwin team professionally in highly visible forums where deployment readiness, risks and decisions are discussed.
- Continuous Improvement
- Gather feedback from Practices and stakeholders to improve readiness processes, guidance and materials.
- Help evolve the readiness approach as deployment volumes increase and programme complexity grows.
- Share lessons learned, celebrate successes and support wider business awareness of the programme.
- Contribute to building a sustainable readiness capability that leaves a lasting legacy beyond the programme.
We're looking for someone who is highly organised, proactive and confident managing multiple moving parts.
- You'll likely bring
- Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
- Experience coordinating large projects, operational activity or business change initiatives.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence and guide stakeholders at all levels.
- Strong problem-solving skills and an ability to identify risks before they become issues.
- Confidence managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- A collaborative, supportive approach with a passion for helping others navigate change.
- Experience within programme delivery, project coordination, change management, operations or transformation environments would be highly beneficial.
At Pets at Home, we're on an exciting journey through Darwin, our multi-year programme to implement a brand-new Practice Management System across our Veterinary Practices.
With over 75 Practices already live, 2,000+ colleagues trained and millions of patient records successfully migrated, we're now entering the next critical phase of deployment.
To help us achieve this, we're looking for a Practice Readiness Lead (9 Month FTC) to join the Darwin Programme team.
This is a highly visible, business-critical role that sits at the heart of one of the largest transformation programmes in the organisation.
You'll partner with Practices, Business Development Partners (BDPs), Regional Directors and project teams to ensure Practices are fully prepared for one of the most significant operational changes they may experience in over 20 years.
This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in one of the most significant transformation programmes in the business. You'll have the chance to:
- Make a tangible impact on hundreds of Practice deployments.
- Work with a wide range of stakeholders across the organisation.
- Gain exposure to a major business transformation programme.
- Influence how we deliver change across our Practices.
- Join a supportive, collaborative team committed to delivering exceptional outcomes.
Every successful go-live helps our Practices better serve pets and their owners, and you'll be right at the heart of making that happen.
If you're excited by complex challenges, stakeholder engagement and helping people successfully navigate change, we'd love to hear from you.
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Practice Readiness Manager in Wilmslow employer: Pets at Home Limited
At Pets at Home Limited, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through tailored development programmes and the opportunity to lead a dynamic team in a thriving retail environment. With competitive benefits and a focus on work-life balance, we empower our employees to make a meaningful impact in the pet care industry while enjoying the perks of working for a major UK retailer.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Practice Readiness Manager in Wilmslow
✨Tap into Consulting Networks
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✨Check for Temporary Roles on Niche Job Boards
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✨Leverage University and Alumni Resources
If you’re fresh out of uni or connected with a local institution, take advantage of their career services and alumni networks. Many universities have exclusive connections to consulting firms seeking temporary help. Plus, it’s a great way to meet other aspiring consultants who might share leads about opportunities at Pets at Home Limited.
We think you need these skills to ace Practice Readiness Manager in Wilmslow
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Analytical Skills:In management consulting, employers love to see your problem-solving abilities right from the get-go. Be sure to highlight any relevant analytical projects you've worked on, particularly those that show how you tackled complex problems. If you’ve done any case studies or analysis during your studies, throw those in your CV!
Tailor Your Experience for the Role:Since this is a temporary position, your application should reflect your adaptability and relevant experience quite clearly. Focus on showcasing experiences that demonstrate your ability to hit the ground running, like previous projects, internships, or freelance gigs in consulting or project management.
Craft a Targeted Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to sparkle! Use it to explain why you're interested in this temporary role at Pets at Home Limited and how your skills suit the specific project needs. Remember to mention how you can provide immediate value based on your past experiences.
Include Certifications or Relevant Training:If you've got any certifications like PMP, Six Sigma, or even coursework that’s super relevant, make sure to list those in your application. Management consulting can be competitive, and these extra qualifications can help you stand out in the recruitment process.
How to prepare for a job interview at Pets at Home Limited
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In management consulting, case study interviews are a big deal. Expect to tackle real-world business problems on the spot. We should practise structuring our thoughts, developing hypotheses, and presenting our solutions clearly, as this is what firms like Pets at Home Limited will want to see.
✨Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills
You’ll need to demonstrate strong analytical skills and logical reasoning. Brush up on frameworks like SWOT or Porter's Five Forces, as these can come in handy. Think of instances from your experience where you tackled a complex issue—this could set you apart when speaking to Pets at Home Limited.
✨Highlight Your Adaptability
Since this is a temporary role, it's crucial we showcase our ability to hit the ground running. Have examples ready that illustrate how we've adapted quickly in past positions or projects. This shows that we can contribute effectively from day one at Pets at Home Limited.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Cultural Fit
Temporary roles often come with a focus on team dynamics. Prepare to discuss how we align with the values and culture at Pets at Home Limited. We want to highlight our teamwork experiences and how we can mesh with their consulting teams, making it clear that we're not just looking to fill a spot but to add value.
