Digital & Portfolio Lead
Location: High Wycombe Campus with some remote working. Hours: 37. Responsible to: Head of Digital Transformation.
Job Purpose: The Digital & Portfolio Lead provides operational leadership across the University’s digital delivery and transformation portfolio during the period in which the Head of Digital Transformation is focused on the Nexus Programme. This role is responsible for leading the transformation and day‑to‑day oversight of Systems Development, Business Systems delivery, portfolio management and project/investment governance. The postholder ensures structured prioritisation, disciplined delivery, financial oversight, and sustainable operating practices across all non‑Nexus initiatives. Working closely with senior stakeholders, the role safeguards delivery continuity, strengthens governance maturity and ensures that digital investments deliver measurable value aligned to institutional priorities. The role provides strategic stability and operational control to prevent delivery degradation or portfolio drift while the major programme focus is concentrated on Nexus.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the prioritisation, sequencing and oversight of the University’s digital and systems portfolio, aligning delivery activity to institutional strategy and available capacity.
* Provide operational leadership across Systems Development and Business Systems teams, ensuring disciplined delivery practices and sustainable workload management.
* Oversee portfolio-level risk, dependency and capacity management, maintaining visibility of cross‑project impacts and systemic constraints.
* Maintain financial oversight and investment governance across the digital portfolio, ensuring compliance with Delegated Authority frameworks and approved business cases.
* Engage senior stakeholders to manage competing priorities and provide structured advice on delivery feasibility and resource allocation.
* Drive continuous improvement of portfolio governance, reporting standards and delivery performance frameworks.
* Safeguard continuity and stability of digital delivery while major programme focus is allocated to Nexus.
* Ensure compliance with relevant legislative and other requirements such as the Data Protection Act 2018, GDPR, Health and Safety, UKVI and Equality and Diversity in all working practices.
Education, Qualifications & Training
* Recognised project, programme or portfolio management qualification (e.g. MSP, PRINCE2, APM, Agile PM) or equivalent senior‑level experience.
* Evidence of experience in portfolio governance, investment control or organisational transformation.
* Experience leading digital or technology‑enabled transformation in complex organisations.
* Experience overseeing multi‑project portfolios and balancing demand against delivery capacity.
* Experience implementing or improving governance and investment control frameworks.
* Experience managing senior stakeholders and influencing strategic prioritisation decisions.
* Experience leading technical or systems delivery teams (desirable but advantageous).
Skills
* Strategic thinking combined with operational delivery discipline.
* Ability to balance competing institutional priorities within constrained resources.
* Strong financial awareness and governance literacy.
* Leadership capability with ability to bring teams through change and performance uplift.
Behavioural Indicators
* Finding solutions: Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and develop workable solutions, identifying opportunities for innovation.
* Embracing change: Being open to and engaging with new ideas and ways of working, adjusting to unfamiliar situations, shifting demands and changing roles.
* Achieving results: Consistently meeting agreed objectives and success criteria; taking personal responsibility for getting things done.
BNU is proud to have a diverse community and a strong track record of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace and aim to continue building an environment where everyone thrives and can be themselves. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in BNU’s workforce, including people from global majority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ people, particularly in more senior roles.
If you have the qualities and attributes representative of the University’s values and ambition, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Closing Date: 25th April 2026
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