Head of Delivery - IT Managed Services in Leeds

About the Business

A UK-based IT managed services and cloud engineering provider specialising in regulated sectors including public sector, energy, and financial services. The organisation manages end-to-end technology environments for customers operating within critical infrastructure — including cloud, security, networking, CCTV, and managed IT support. The business employs approximately 60–70 people across the UK and offshore locations, with revenues in excess of £10M and a clear strategic growth plan, including a pathway to private equity investment within the next three years. The team holds relevant government security clearances and operates to recognised industry standards, including ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials accreditation.

The Opportunity

A newly created Head of PMO role, responsible for leading project management and engineering functions under a single leadership structure. This is part of a wider organisational restructure and not a replacement hire. The role will initially report into the CEO, with a future transition to a COO as part of the evolving leadership team.

Current Delivery Challenges

• Lack of a standardised delivery methodology
• Inconsistent project execution across teams
• Engineering utilisation below target levels
• Inconsistent billing of change requests and project management time
• Limited structure between pre-sales, delivery, and BAU handovers

The successful candidate will be responsible for building and embedding the systems, structure, and discipline required to deliver consistently and profitably.

What We’re Looking For

This role requires a builder — someone who can design and implement delivery frameworks, enforce standards, and then empower teams to execute.

Key Traits

• Sets high standards and drives accountability
• Action-oriented, with a focus on practical implementation over perfection
• Strong decision-maker who avoids unnecessary delay
• Comfortable leading both project management and engineering functions

You will directly manage Project Managers and have responsibility for the wider engineering function (circa 20 staff across UK and offshore locations). A strong level of technical literacy is required to effectively challenge engineering decisions and assess risk, cost, and delivery impact — while ultimately owning the commercial and delivery outcomes.

What Success Looks Like

You will inherit an active and complex delivery portfolio across multiple regulated sectors. The priority is not to personally run projects, but to build a high-performing, structured delivery function.

First 30 Days — Assess

• Meet PMs and engineers to understand workloads and challenges
• Observe current project governance approaches
• Review key live projects (commercials, delivery status, client health)
• Understand existing systems and reporting capability
• Deliver a written assessment of the current delivery function

First 60 Days — Design

• Define a standardised delivery lifecycle (stages, gates, artefacts)
• Implement consistent project reporting and health metrics
• Set clear expectations across the PM function

First 90 Days — Implement

• Roll out delivery methodology across all projects
• Implement consistent billing processes for change requests and PM time
• Deliver first performance report covering delivery and commercial metrics

12-Month Outcomes

• Consistent, enforced delivery methodology across all projects
• Improved engineering utilisation toward target levels
• Clear project-level P&L visibility with improved margins
• Defined team structure with performance standards and development pathways

Practical Details

• Working Pattern: Full-time
• Location: North West England, with travel to UK offices and client sites as required
• Clearance: Security clearance required or eligibility to obtain
• Notice Period: Structured handover planned with existing leadership