Programme Manager (Technology, Data & AI)

Hiscox • Lisbon, NY

20h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Programme Manager works in Hiscox’s Group Transformation Office and partners with an assigned cluster of transformation workstreams to support delivery of plans and intended outcomes. Reporting to the Transformation Office Director, the role builds a clear view of delivery, tests whether plans are realistic, and helps leaders address risks, dependencies and resource pressures early.

This is not a reporting-only PMO role. The Programme Manager provides independent delivery assurance, practical support and focused intervention when a workstream is at risk. The role works closely with workstream leads and sponsors while maintaining clear accountability: sponsors own outcomes, benefits and adoption; workstream leads own day-to-day delivery; and Programme Managers provide oversight, challenge and support to unblock delivery.

The role partners with sponsors and leads, assesses delivery health, manages cluster dependencies and capacity, leads targeted recovery or acceleration interventions, supports clear decision-making, and checks readiness for adoption and transition into business as usual. It also keeps attention on intended customer, colleague, control, operational and financial outcomes and shares recurring delivery issues and lessons.

Requirements

• Strong experience leading, assuring or recovering large and complex programmes.
• Ability to assess whether plans are realistic and identify the underlying causes of delivery risk.
• Confidence working with senior sponsors and workstream leads, including providing clear and respectful challenge.
• Strong planning, dependency management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to turn complex information into simple choices, recommendations and actions.
• Good understanding of business cases, financial control, benefits, readiness and adoption.
• Comfort working across programme, project, product, agile and hybrid delivery approaches.
• Collaborative, practical and calm under pressure, with strong ownership and follow-through.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships with sponsors and leads across the assigned workstream cluster and understand objectives, outcomes, plans and challenges.
• Provide constructive challenge and practical support while leaving day-to-day delivery ownership with workstream leads.
• Connect workstreams with appropriate support from Finance, Technology, People, Risk, Procurement and other teams.
• Assess whether scope, milestones, resources, risks and dependencies are clear and realistic.
• Provide the Transformation Office Director with an honest, evidence-based view of delivery confidence.
• Identify issues early, explain likely impacts, agree actions with owners and dates, and follow actions through to resolution or escalation.
• Maintain the cluster dependency and capacity view and agree owners and dates for hand-offs between workstreams.
• Work with other Programme Managers and the TO Planning & Operations Manager to resolve cross-cluster dependencies and shared resource conflicts.
• Escalate unresolved conflicts to the Transformation Office Director with options and a recommendation.
• Lead targeted recovery or acceleration interventions when delivery confidence falls or a workstream needs focused support.
• Agree recovery plans with the sponsor, workstream lead and Transformation Office Director, bring together people to remove blockers, track recovery measures and end the intervention once delivery is stable.
• Use a peer Programme Manager for independent assurance when directly leading a recovery.
• Write concise cluster updates covering progress, risks, dependencies, options and decisions needed, and focus governance discussions on decisions and actions.
• Provide timely plan updates to the TO Planning & Operations Manager and delivery evidence and forecasts to the Transformation Strategy Manager and Finance Transformation Office.
• Check that workstreams have plans for business readiness, adoption and transition into business as usual; identify gaps and ensure owners and actions are assigned.
• Keep focus on intended customer, colleague, control, operational and financial outcomes rather than activity alone.
• Capture recurring delivery issues and lessons and share them with the Head of Transformation Practice & Capability.

Benefits

• Hybrid working intended to support a healthy work-life balance.
• A team-set hybrid working model offering structure and sociability alongside independence and flexibility.
• An inclusive culture committed to diversity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed