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- Tasks: Lead strategic portfolio management and drive change initiatives within a global tech environment.
- Company: Join a leading technology firm focused on innovation and transformation in financial services.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working with 3 days onsite and 2 days remote, plus competitive pay up to £600 p/d.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team shaping the future of technology while influencing C-suite strategies.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in strategic portfolio management, ideally in financial services, with strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Contract role until November 2025, offering a chance to work on multi-million dollar global initiatives.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 84000 £ per year.
Duration: contract to run until 28/11/2025
Location: Sheffield, 3 days onsite 2 days remote
Rate: up to £600 p/d Umbrella inside IR35 with flexibility
Role purpose / summary:
Within our Chief Technology Office, the COO function supports the evolving needs of the CTO organisation through expert financial, business and resource management. Within COO, the change portfolio management function supports the alignment of CTO strategic priorities to execution by:
- Enabling decentralised delivery, minimising dependencies, and maximising collaboration across CTO Areas
- Managing demand more effectively, ensuring we are working towards the right strategic priorities.
- Supporting alignment of funding and capacity to drive delivery of our strategic outcomes and OKRs.
- Delivering streamlined governance and reporting through a simplified operating model.
We are currently seeking an experienced professional to join our Change Portfolio team in the role of Portfolio Strategy and Planning Lead. The role will report to the Head of CTO Change Portfolio Management and work closely with the CTO Transformation and Change Leads and wider teams/stakeholders to deliver common objectives.
Key Skills/requirements:
- Responsible for the overall delivery of strategic portfolio outcomes supporting business vision and purpose through complex and global change portfolios.
- Owns CTO portfolio strategy and ensures organisational strategic requirements and priorities are understood, documented and are supported by technology architecture roadmaps and vendor strategy.
- Ownership and delivery of strategic planning cycles across change portfolios to ensure financial investment decisions support CTO long term strategy, risk appetite and align to the client’s strategy and future business/customer needs.
- Development of business cases and benefit validation to support transformation, strategic initiatives and to support fast paced business responses to emerging threats and opportunities.
- Develop and drive regular engagement with senior stakeholders at C-suite and director level, to influence and deliver CTO vision and strategy.
- Support the management of risks across CTO by ensuring portfolio risks, issues and dependencies are managed effectively and senior stakeholders are informed/updated where appropriate.
- Own and deliver portfolio level reporting associated with strategy and planning.
- The role includes supporting leadership development within the CTO Change portfolio management team.
- Supporting management of portfolio budgets to help CTO meet its annual operating plan of approx. $2bn P&L across 65 countries, including identification and delivery of savings opportunities across portfolios as required.
- Ensuring that CTO is able to meet committed outcomes by working with engineering teams to align supply to meet forecasted demand pipelines.
- Ensure CTO programmes are well interlocked with other programmes within the client’s Technology and dependencies are well understood and managed.
Essential Skillset/Experience:
- 8 years plus strategic portfolio management or relevant experience, ideally within Financial Services technology functions and working with C-level executives.
- Strong emotional intelligence and leadership: Navigate organisational complexities, foster a positive work culture, and lead teams effectively.
- Proven experience of large-scale transformation.
- Knowledge of portfolio management principles and practices.
- Excellent communication/presentation skills required.
- Proven ability to articulate complex issues concisely, suitable for all levels across the client’s group.
- Pro-active problem solving skills, able to work under pressure to challenging timescales and deliver at pace.
- Strong stakeholder management capability and excellent communication at all levels of seniority.
- Detailed understanding of the financial & strategy planning.
- Experience working with annual operations plans and multi-million dollar global programs and initiatives.
- Excellent commercial awareness and proven ability to develop multi-year business cases worth over $100m.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of the infrastructure technology landscape and industry.
- Experience of working in a diverse global team.
- Flexible and adaptable to changing activities, schedules, workloads and priorities that are potentially highly restricted in nature, unpredictable, wide ranging, complex and time sensitive requires the simultaneous handling of a broad range of issues.
- Proven leadership & strong teamwork skills, seeking to influence within and outside of the team and successfully encourage teams to work together.
- Experience of continuous improvement.
All profiles will be reviewed against the required skills and experience. Due to the high number of applications we will only be able to respond to successful applicants in the first instance. We thank you for your interest and the time taken to apply!
Chief Operating Officer employer: Undisclosed
Contact Detail:
Undisclosed Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Chief Operating Officer
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the financial services technology sector. Attend industry events or webinars where you can meet C-level executives and other key stakeholders. Building these connections can provide valuable insights and potentially lead to referrals.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in portfolio management and transformation strategies. Being well-versed in current methodologies will not only boost your confidence but also demonstrate your commitment to staying ahead in the field.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with large-scale transformations and how you've successfully navigated complex organisational challenges. Use specific examples that highlight your leadership skills and ability to influence at senior levels.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your emotional intelligence during interviews. Be ready to discuss how you've fostered positive work cultures and led teams through change. This will resonate well with the values of a Chief Operating Officer role.
We think you need these skills to ace Chief Operating Officer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in strategic portfolio management, especially within financial services technology. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to manage complex change portfolios and deliver strategic outcomes.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, address the key skills and requirements listed in the job description. Explain how your background aligns with the role of Portfolio Strategy and Planning Lead, and showcase your leadership experience and stakeholder management capabilities.
Highlight Relevant Achievements: When detailing your work experience, focus on achievements that relate to large-scale transformations and strategic planning cycles. Quantify your successes where possible, such as mentioning the financial impact of your initiatives or the size of the teams you led.
Prepare for Potential Questions: Anticipate questions related to your experience with C-level executives and managing multi-million dollar global programmes. Be ready to discuss specific challenges you've faced and how you navigated them, showcasing your problem-solving skills and emotional intelligence.
How to prepare for a job interview at Undisclosed
✨Understand the Role Inside Out
Make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities and expectations of the Chief Operating Officer role. Familiarise yourself with the key skills required, such as strategic portfolio management and stakeholder engagement, so you can confidently discuss how your experience aligns with these needs.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Given the nature of the role, be ready to answer scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and ability to manage complex change portfolios. Think of examples from your past experiences where you've successfully navigated challenges and delivered results.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a COO, strong leadership is crucial. Be prepared to discuss your leadership style and provide examples of how you've fostered a positive work culture and led teams through transformation. Highlight your emotional intelligence and ability to influence at all levels.
✨Demonstrate Financial Acumen
Since the role involves managing significant budgets and financial planning, be ready to discuss your experience with financial management and developing business cases. Show that you understand the financial landscape and can make informed decisions that align with strategic goals.
