Job Title: IT Programme Manager
Contract Type: Contract, Inside IR35
Contract Length: 6 months (Dec - May)
Location: 3 days on-site in Ipswich
We are seeking an IT Programme Manager with proven delivery leadership across complex, multi-year transformations within travel, transport or hospitality. You will lead the final and most critical phase of a major strategic programme: the replacement of the long-running customer system, alongside a revenue management integration.
This role requires someone who can operate at both strategic level and hands-on delivery level, equally comfortable shaping direction with C-level leaders as rolling up their sleeves to unblock delivery, support project managers, manage vendors, and drive cutover readiness.
The programme is at a pivotal stage. After years of challenges, resets, and delays, confidence needs to be rebuilt. you'll be instrumental in restoring momentum, strengthening governance, aligning teams, and ensuring a successful phased go-live.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Strategic Programme Leadership
* Lead the end-to-end delivery of complex, multi-stream programmes aligned to business and customer strategy.
* Own programme objectives, scope, KPIs, milestones, and success measures, ensuring alignment with executive sponsors.
* Combine high-level strategic oversight with hands-on delivery engagement.
* Provide clarity, structure, and leadership across all programme workstreams, ensuring outcomes align with critical business pillars.
* Apply strong knowledge of cruise, travel, and hospitality to ensure decisions reflect operational realities and customer impact.
* Track, communicate, and report progress to Director- and C-level stakeholders, restoring confidence in programme direction.
* Act as the key link between delivery teams and executive leadership, ensuring alignment and credible challenge where required.
2. Hands-On Delivery Management
* Step in operationally when required, supporting project managers, driving detailed planning, RAID management, and delivery clarity.
* Oversee planning, scheduling, and execution across multiple interdependent projects with demanding seasonal delivery windows.
* Directly support PM by covering strategic, stakeholder, and vendor-delivery responsibilities.
* Lead cutover planning, readiness, and transition to BAU for upcoming phases.
* Ensure integration of revenue management capability into the new platform, including transfer of pricing logic and operational workflows.
* Drive continuous improvement, refine delivery frameworks, and embed strong governance discipline across teams.
* Maintain end-to-end budget responsibility across c. £7.5m
3. Customer App/System Programme Ownership
* Lead the final stages of a system replacement; a complex, multi-year programme requiring reset and stakeholder re-engagement.
* Oversee offshore vendor delivery and hold them accountable for product completeness, testing quality, and accurate communication of issues.
* Manage ongoing UX and customer experience refinements post Phase 1 go-live.
* Drive delivery realism in a context where the product is incomplete, vendor timelines are slipping, and internal teams need clear direction.
* Rebuild confidence in the programme across the business, reinforcing ownership, alignment, and belief in the transformation.
4. Business Change & Transformation
* Own and deliver the cross-programme change plan, ensuring adoption of new systems, processes, and ways of working.
* Champion customer experience improvements and technology adoption across guest and operational journeys.
* Lead communication, training, and readiness activities to ensure successful and sustainable change.
* Collaborate with operational teams to drive behavioural change and ensure the why behind transformation is consistently understood.
5. Stakeholder & Partner Engagement
* Engage confidently with senior leadership, offering clear communication, informed challenge, and solution-led thinking.
* Navigate a stakeholder landscape where confidence has been eroded and expectations must be reset.
* Build strong relationships across technology, operations, product, finance, and third-party partners.
* Facilitate timely decision-making, governance forums, steering committees, and programme boards.
* Push teams respectfully but firmly to maintain pace in an environment where things can stall.
Required Skills & Experience
* 8+ years experience leading large-scale, technology-enabled transformation
* Industry expertise in travel, hospitality or transport
* Experience managing revenue management or guest-facing system rollouts
* Proven success steering under-pressure programmes back on course
* Strong blend of strategic leadership and hands-on delivery capability
* Expert stakeholder management up to C-level, confident, credible, and resilient
* Strong financial control, governance, and commercial acumen
* Demonstrable vendor management experience with offshore suppliers
* Bachelors degree in Business, Tourism, Information Systems, or related discipline
Desirable
* Travel industry experience
* PRINCE2, MSP, or Agile delivery certification
* Experience delivering international or multi-brand transformations
* Masters degree/MBA in Strategy, Operations, or Project Management
* Driven transformation of programmes with multi-year histories or stakeholder fatigue