At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead technology transformation and delivery, turning strategy into actionable plans.
- Company: Join Planet, a leading tech company revolutionising payments with a customer-first approach.
- Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team where your contributions are valued and recognised.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment focused on innovation and excellence.
- Qualifications: Extensive leadership experience in global tech organisations and strong strategic execution skills.
The predicted salary is between 113400 - 138600 £ per year.
About Us
Planet is a leading technology company transforming payments by putting customer experience first. We offer integrated solutions that include payment processing, VAT refunds, dynamic currency conversion, and management services for merchants in the Retail and Hospitality sectors worldwide. In recent years, we have experienced significant growth, expanding our services and global presence. With strong private equity investors, Advent International and Eurazeo, we have the financial capital and expertise to grow our capabilities and reach through acquisitions. Our mission is to create a world of connected commerce where payments are simple, secure, and seamless, enabling our partners to deliver exceptional experiences to their customers.
Role Overview
The VP Technology Transformation & Delivery owns the operating rhythm that turns Technology strategy into clear priorities, executable plans and measurable outcomes. Working closely with the CTO and Technology Leadership Team, the role provides the structure, visibility and challenge needed to align leaders, manage delivery confidence, surface risks early and drive decisions through to resolution. This is a strategic execution leadership role, not a traditional PMO role.
What You Will Do
- Strategy to execution
- Translate Technology strategy and business priorities into a coherent portfolio, integrated roadmap and measurable execution plan.
- Lead prioritisation and investment trade-offs, ensuring capacity, funding and delivery commitments remain aligned to the highest-value outcomes.
- Partner with the CTO and Technology leaders to turn decisions into clear ownership, milestones and follow-through.
- Technology leadership operating rhythm
- Own the leadership cadence for planning, performance, governance and decision-making, with clear purpose, inputs and outputs for each forum.
- Keep the Technology Leadership Team aligned on priorities, commitments and cross-functional dependencies.
- Drive issues, decisions and actions to timely resolution, escalating only where executive intervention is required.
- Portfolio visibility and delivery confidence
- Create a trusted, concise view of portfolio progress, outcomes, delivery confidence, risk and dependency exposure for the CTO, Executive Leadership Team and Board forums.
- Challenge plans and assumptions, identify emerging delivery concerns early and ensure credible recovery actions are owned and tracked.
- Simplify governance and automate reporting wherever possible so leadership attention is focused on decisions and outcomes rather than administration.
- Own the ELT and Board-facing Technology reporting cycle, ensuring progress, risks, dependencies, delivery confidence and required decisions are presented clearly, concisely and consistently.
- Technology transformation and operating model
- Lead the ongoing evolution of the Technology operating model across the whole function, strengthening alignment between strategy, product, engineering, architecture, security and delivery.
- Sponsor AI-enabled ways of working and automation across Technology, using them to improve planning, execution, insight, governance and organisational productivity.
- Design and embed practical improvements to structures, accountabilities, processes and ways of working, measuring whether they improve speed, quality and business outcomes.
- Executive partnership and organisational effectiveness
- Act as a trusted adviser and constructive challenger to the CTO, bringing independent judgement, structured thinking and a whole-organisation perspective.
- Shape and coordinate executive and Board-level Technology narratives, ensuring priorities, progress, risks, decisions and trade-offs are communicated with clarity and impact.
- Build strong partnerships across Product, Finance, People, Risk, Compliance and Operations, and hold internal and external delivery partners to account for outcomes.
- Own the Technology Risk log and ensure it’s maintained and actioned, including any remediation items for ACPR/FCA and DORA.
- Team leadership and delivery management
- Lead a focused Technology Delivery function comprising a Governance and Reporting team and a pool of Project Managers deployed across priority initiatives.
- Set the standards for portfolio governance, delivery reporting, RAID discipline, dependency management and executive-level insight, ensuring outputs are concise, trusted and decision-oriented.
- Deploy Project Managers flexibly against the highest-priority programmes and cross-functional initiatives, balancing capacity, delivery risk, business value and executive commitments.
- Coach and develop team members to operate with clear ownership, commercial awareness, constructive challenge and strong stakeholder management across Technology, Product and corporate functions.
- Ensure the team enables delivery rather than adding process, continually simplifying ways of working and increasing automation of reporting, governance and portfolio insight.
Who You Are
Essential experience
- Extensive leadership experience in complex, global Technology organisations, with accountability for strategy execution, transformation, portfolio delivery or a comparable enterprise remit.
- Proven success operating as a Chief of Staff, VP of Technology Delivery, Transformation Director, Portfolio Director or equivalent strategic execution leader.
- Demonstrable experience influencing at Executive Leadership Team and Board level, including concise reporting, decision support and constructive challenge.
- A strong track record of leading cross-functional transformation and evolving operating models, not simply managing programmes within an established model.
- Excellent portfolio judgement, with the ability to connect investment, capacity, dependencies, risk and outcomes across multiple concurrent priorities.
- Experience leading and developing high-performing delivery, governance or performance teams and managing strategic partners.
Desirable experience
- Experience in payments, fintech, financial services or another regulated, high-availability environment.
- Experience working in a PE Environment.
- Practical experience applying AI and automation to improve Technology delivery and organisational effectiveness.
What Success Looks Like
Within 12 months:
- Technology leadership operates with a clear, predictable rhythm.
- Strategic priorities are visibly aligned to investment and execution plans.
- Portfolio reporting provides a trusted view of delivery, risk and outcomes.
- Executive stakeholders have confidence in technology delivery commitments.
- Risks and dependencies are surfaced earlier and resolved faster.
- Governance becomes simpler, faster and more effective.
- Technology operates as a cohesive organisation focused on measurable business outcomes.
Why Planet
Planet is an equal opportunity employer where diversity is valued, and all employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need. We would love to hear from you. At Planet, we embrace a hybrid work model, with three days a week in the office. Reasonable accommodations may be made in order to allow for an individual to perform the essential functions of this role successfully.
VP Technology Transformation & Delivery in London employer: Planet
At Planet, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions a people-centric culture and prioritises employee growth. With a hybrid work model based in vibrant cities like London, Berlin, and Haarlem, we offer competitive benefits including paid time off, wellness programmes, and opportunities for professional development through tuition reimbursement and LinkedIn Learning. Join us to be part of a mission-driven team that values diversity and fosters a sense of belonging while tackling some of the world's most pressing challenges through innovative geospatial solutions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land VP Technology Transformation & Delivery in London
✨Get Involved in Tech Transfer Events
Tech transfer is all about networking, so make sure you're attending industry conferences and seminars related to technology commercialization. Events like the AUTM Annual Meeting or local innovation workshops are clutch for meeting key players and learning what's trending—plus, you might just bump into someone from Planet!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Having a solid portfolio can really make you stand out. Highlight any projects where you successfully brought a technology to market or improved a process. Sharing case studies or insights on platforms like LinkedIn can catch the eye of recruiters at Planet, showing them you’ve got the chops for the job.
✨Leverage University Connections
Many universities have strong tech transfer offices—connect with them! They often have ties to industry and can help you get your foot in the door. Plus, you might find openings or internship opportunities that lead to this full-time role at places like Planet.
✨Engage with Online Communities
Join forums or online communities focused on tech transfer and commercialization. Platforms like ResearchGate or industry-specific Slack channels are great for connecting with professionals, discussing trends, and possibly learning about job openings before they hit the mainstream. Remember, your next opportunity could be just a message away!
We think you need these skills to ace VP Technology Transformation & Delivery in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Tech Transfer Know-How:In the tech transfer and commercialization world, it's crucial to highlight your understanding of intellectual property, patents, and market analysis. Make sure your CV includes relevant projects or experiences where you successfully navigated these areas. Any certifications in commercialisation would also give you a serious edge!
Tailor Your Documents for the Role:Your cover letter should reflect not just your enthusiasm for the position at Planet, but also your knowledge of current trends in technology-transfer. Discuss specific cases where you've contributed to commercialising innovations or enhancing research outcomes—this will show you’re ready to tackle challenges head-on!
Quantify Your Achievements:In this field, numbers count! Whether it's successful licensing deals, funding acquired for projects, or percentage increases in collaboration outcomes, include these metrics in your CV. They not only make your accomplishments more tangible but also demonstrate your impact in previous roles.
Demonstrate Your Business Acumen:Understanding the business side is just as crucial as the tech side! When writing your application, weave in examples that illustrate your strategic thinking and your role in negotiations or partnerships. This balance of skills is what will set you apart for a full-time role at Planet.
How to prepare for a job interview at Planet
✨Demonstrate Your Tech Knowledge
Brush up on key technologies and trends in technology transfer and commercialization. Be ready to showcase your understanding of licensing agreements and the innovation lifecycle, as well as any specific tools or software used in the field.
✨Show Your Business Acumen
This role isn't just about tech; it's also about understanding the market. Be prepared to discuss how you would approach bringing a technology to market, including strategies for assessing commercial viability and potential partnerships.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect case studies or hypothetical scenarios during the interview. Think about how you'd approach real-world challenges in technology transfer, like negotiating a deal or handling stakeholder concerns—this can help us get a sense of your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
✨Highlight Your Teamwork Skills
In a full-time role, collaboration is key. Be ready to share examples of how you've worked with cross-functional teams in the past, particularly in scenarios that involved tech developers and business strategists coming together.
