Head: Program Management & Digital Transformation (PMDT)

Job Advert Summary

This executive role leads the Group-wide delivery and transformation function across PPS. The Head of PMDT is responsible for the successful execution of strategic and high-priority programs by providing leadership across Agile delivery, innovation, and transformation governance. The role influences how PPS delivers change at scale, improves organisational agility, and ensures structured, value-based execution aligned to Group priorities.

The role contributes to strategic execution but does not formulate strategy. It supports the Group CIO by converting strategic priorities into executable delivery roadmaps. A core focus is driving maturity, coordination, and cross-functional enablement to ensure consistent delivery across the enterprise.

Minimum Requirements

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in program delivery, transformation, or enterprise-level Agile environments.
• Formal certification in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a mandatory requirement.
• Additional certifications in program or project delivery (e.g., PMBOK, PRINCE2) are advantageous.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience leading large, cross-functional delivery organisations, with direct
• accountability for outcomes.
• Proven expertise in applying the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) or similar enterprise-level
• Agile methodologies.
• Prior experience in the Financial Services and Insurance sectors is a mandatory requirement

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Program & Portfolio Oversight

• Facilitate planning, prioritisation, and alignment of strategic initiatives across Group IT and business units.
• Oversee the end-to-end delivery lifecycle, from intake and resource planning to benefit tracking.
• Ensure integrated reporting and dashboarding to Exco and governance forums.

2. Agile Governance & Enablement

• Provide leadership to Release Train Engineers (RTEs), enabling disciplined execution across Agile Release Trains.
• Implement delivery frameworks that support cadence, governance, Program Increment (PI) planning, and team performance.
• Partner with Sector Chief Information Officers (SCIOs), who retain responsibility for team-level delivery and Product Owners.

3. PO Practice Leadership

• Lead the PO Practice Lead to standardise product management practices across the enterprise.
• Influence product maturity through guidelines, tools, and coaching, without direct authority over Product Owners

4. Innovation & Digital Leadership

• Oversee the Innovation & Digital Lead to drive user-centric innovation and technology experimentation. · Support digital maturity through design principles, tool enablement, and collaboration with architecture.

5. Delivery Maturity & Continuous Improvement

• Embed SAFe delivery principles and improve agile maturity across the enterprise. · Conduct value stream analysis to identify duplication, optimise team structures, and drive capacity efficiency. · Institutionalise feedback loops and delivery reviews to improve execution effectiveness.

6. Governance & Stakeholder Reporting

• Define and run governance forums that support decision-making, risk management, and transparency. · Escalate and resolve cross-cutting program risks while supporting Executive Committee (Exco) visibility on transformation health.

7. People Leadership & Culture

Build and lead a high-performing team of Release Train Engineers (RTEs), Product Managers (PMs), and digital specialists. · Promote a culture of ownership, innovation, and high delivery standards. · Support workforce transformation and leadership succession.