Programme Controls Lead - Finance Systems Replacement Project in Sandy

The RSPB is seeking a Programme Controls Lead for the Finance Systems Replacement Project. This role will ensure the Programme is planned, governed, and controlled in a way that enables confident decision-making and predictable delivery. This role provides the structure, insight, and discipline required to stabilise the programme and support successful delivery beyond the technical go-live date.

This role will operate within a formal recovery phase of the Programme and is expected to work at pace, prioritising clarity of plan, risk and issue management, decision transparency, and delivery assurance over documentation-heavy or theoretical programme activity.

The role is required to establish and maintain robust programme controls, including planning, RAID management, governance support, reporting, and financial forecasting, ensuring senior leaders have a clear and accurate view of programme status, risks, and dependencies at all times.

This role is responsible for delivering:

• Programme planning and controls - Maintain a single integrated programme plan covering milestones, dependencies, and critical paths across all workstreams.
• RAID and dependency management - Own and operate the programme RAID and dependency framework, ensuring active management and timely escalation.
• Governance and decision support - Support Programme Board, Steering Board, and Design Authority meetings with clear, accurate reporting and decision support.
• Delivery assurance - Provide objective insight on delivery progress, identifying emerging risks and required corrective actions.
• Financial and resource tracking - Support tracking of costs, resourcing, and forecast impacts arising from delivery decisions or delays.
• Change and scope control - Ensure scope changes are assessed, controlled, and reflected in plans, risks, and delivery forecasts.
• Milestone and go-live readiness - Provide structured readiness views at key milestones, including go-live.
• Transition to BAU - Support the handover of programme controls and reporting into BAU post go-live.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Experience of establishing and operating programme controls within a complex transformation or systems implementation, ideally in a Finance Systems or Finance Transformation context.
• Experience working in a programme recovery or high-risk delivery environment, balancing pace, pragmatism, and control.
• Strong working knowledge of programme control disciplines, including integrated planning, RAID management, dependency management, governance reporting, and delivery assurance.
• Experience supporting formal governance forums (e.g. Programme Board, Steering Board, Design Authority), including preparation of status reporting and decision papers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex delivery information clearly to senior stakeholders.
• Good understanding of financial processes, controls, and operating practices relevant to a medium-sized organisation.
• Ability to rapidly acquire a working understanding of a new finance system and delivery lifecycle in order to challenge plans, risks, and assumptions.
• Demonstrable ability to influence and challenge stakeholders without line management authority.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, track progress, and escalate risks and issues.
• Able to work under pressure and adapt to changing delivery circumstances.

This is a fixed-term role for a minimum of 6 months, full-time for 37.5 hours per week. This role is home-based with fortnightly (minimum) travel to the Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL.

The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature's side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

As part of this application you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete a short form. If you wish to provide a cover letter with your application, please include this at the end of your CV document upload.

Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application. No agencies please.