Head of IT Project Delivery

About us

Our story began in the 1940's when the Smith Family started their box making business in East London. Since then, our reputation has grown for quality engineering and dedication to our customers.

As a leading supplier of corrugated packaging and a FTSE 100 business, we operate across 37 countries and employ around 32,000 people. We believe in empowering our people; driving a culture of engagement and continuous improvement to deliver results. So, when you join us, you'll not be surprised to be given the opportunity to create, learn and innovate.

Our vision is very clear – to become the leading supplier of sustainable packaging solutions.

About the role

We have an incredibly exciting opportunity for an experienced IT delivery professional to join DS Smith in a Head of IT Project Delivery capacity. The role will lead in developing processes and standards for the Strategic Delivery function (in collaboration with the Governance and PMO function where overlap exists), ensuring adoption of these expectations whilst being the focal point for engagement regarding delivery of the Strategic portfolio. The will also manage on–boarding and QA of Internal and external PM resources.

Location: Remote

Accountabilities:

• Demand Process Assurance: Presentation of Strategic Delivery requirements into Demand Reviews. Assurance of project readiness to pass Gate 2 and thus enter Delivery phase.
• Project and Programme Delivery: First point of support for PMs working on Strategic Deliverables. Works closely with the key stakeholders to ensure that any obstacles to deliver the proposed solution are removed or mitigated.
• Delivery Standards Generation and Adoption: Instigation of Project Delivery Best Practise, liaison with Governance and PMO to ensure adoption of PMO standards within Strategic Delivery, and feedback to PMO of lessons leant from projects and need for evolution in PMO standards
• Capability Constraint Management: Focal point for resolution of conflicts across Strategic Portfolio and between Strategic Portfolio and wider Portfolio / BAU, ensures all projects are planned and resourced effectively.
• PM Capability Oversight: On–boarding of internal and external PM resources, oversight of delivery to required quality, assistance in navigating through DSS IT and Business structures when troubleshooting.
• Delivery Governance and Control: Ensure effective Governance in place for all projects. Active Risk and Issue management across the Strategic Portfolio.
• Supplier Oversight: Liaison with 3rd party SI partners to ensure effective and successful working arrangements between our businesses, including that specific engagements meet expectations.
• Strategic Delivery Portfolio Recording: Consolidation of Strategic Portfolio including overall budget position, status and plans.
• Service Transition: confirms solution designs are serviceable through the full System lifespan with clearly understood commercial commitments. Ensures all Strategic projects successfully transition into ongoing BAU service

Technical Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written)
• Proven ability to own and troubleshoot significant issues
• Proven analytical and problem–solving abilities.
• Management of multiple ???M projects
• Ability to present ideas in a user–friendly language
• Experience of internal and outsourced delivery models
• Waterfall and Agile methodology experience
• Breadth of knowledge of IT: Applications Service and Infrastructure
• Experience of working with and oversight of 3rd Party SI Partners

Experience and Capability:

• Full lifecycle experience of delivery of many sizable Projects and Programmes
• Leadership experience
• Preferably five or more years of experience in large, multi–national, cross–functional teams influencing senior management and key stakeholders effectively across the organization and within complex contexts.
• Strong experience in multi–site, multi–country manufacturing environment with deep knowledge of ERP (including SAP), MES, CRM, and Business Intelligence technologies, as well as infrastructure.
• Ability to both work with and challenge stakeholders, bringing experience and gravitas from an IT perspective
• Excellent command of written/verbal business English; other European language(s) a plus.