Head of Business Change – Contract (Inside IR35)
Duration: 6 Months
Location: Stockport, Hybrid (2–3 days per week on site)
Overview
A large, nationally recognised transport and services organisation is undergoing a significant transformation, shifting from decision‑making driven by gut feel or volume of voice to an organisation powered by data. Operating in a commercially tight environment with low margins, the business is embedding technology at the core of its ethos to support transformation and accelerate change.
We are seeking a Head of Change – a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing and delivering a portfolio of strategic change initiatives to achieve defined business outcomes and benefits.
This is a high‑impact role requiring credibility at executive level, strong delivery expertise, and practical business change experience.
Reporting Line & Stakeholder Environment
* Reporting directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO)
* Operating at Senior Leadership Team (SLT) level
* Interacting with leaders across: Architecture, Infrastructure, Performance & Governance, Cyber Security and Executive Leadership
* Leading and influencing change committees with authority and credibility
Principal Accountabilities
* Strategic Leadership – Setting the vision and ambition for change, developing strategy, and horizon‑scanning for future transformation opportunities.
* Portfolio Management – Overseeing the entire portfolio of change programmes, managing interdependencies, risks, and ensuring alignment with business strategy and objectives.
* Project Delivery – Ensuring that complex projects and programmes are effectively planned, coordinated, delivered at pace, and meet their defined outcomes.
* Financial Oversight – Managing and overseeing budgets for the change portfolio, identifying cost efficiencies, and ensuring fiscal responsibility.
* Stakeholder Management – Collaborating with and influencing senior leaders and stakeholders across the organization and with external partners.
* Team Leadership & Development – Leading, mentoring, and developing change delivery teams, enhancing their capabilities, and fostering a culture of performance and continuous improvement.
* Risk Management – Proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks and issues that could impact programmes and projects.
* Quality Assurance – Ensuring that changes are embedded successfully within the organisation and that quality and best practice standards are maintained.
Culture & Environment
* Working cross‑functionally to deliver change
* Developing business capabilities to remain relevant for the future
* Supporting the development of technological capabilities that make systems safe for all users
* Focusing change on initiatives that are inclusive and deliver value for customers and communities
Knowledge, Experience & Skills
* Strategic & Financial Acumen: Ability to translate strategy into actionable plans and manage significant budgets.
* Portfolio Management Expertise: Strong delivery capability with experience working within Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) and Agile teams and ideally a relevant qualification in LPM.
* Leadership & People Management: Proven ability to lead, inspire, and develop high‑performing teams.
* Communication & Influence: Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.
* Commercial Acumen: Strong supplier management capability with experience managing complex supply chains.
* Transformation: Extensive experience delivering business and technology transformation through change initiatives.
Skills & Experience Required
* Driving transformational change through technology and business change
* Implementing frameworks
* Strong business change background
* Experience working within a corporate environment (organisation of c.25,000 employees – similar scale of operating)
Top Essential Requirements
* Must have delivered business change, not just technology change
* Must have worked within an Agile environment using Lean Portfolio Management
* Able to hit the ground running
* Strong practical, hands‑on experience
Tech / Tools / Systems
* Workday
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