Programme Manager – Business Readiness & Launch
Contract
Outside IR35
6 Months intially
£600.00 p/d
2 / 3 days a week onsite in Huddersfield Intially (Must be within an hour of Huddersfield)
ASAP
We are seeking an experienced Programme Manager to lead the business readiness and operational launch of a new technology platform ahead of a planned client go-live in September.
While the technology build is largely complete, this role is focused on ensuring the wider business is fully prepared to support, operate, and embed the platform into BAU operations. The successful candidate will act as the central coordinator across multiple business functions, driving accountability, readiness, and alignment ahead of launch.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the end-to-end business readiness programme for the launch of a new platform and client onboarding initiative.
- Coordinate cross-functional departments including Legal, Finance, Customer Service, Operations, and other key stakeholders to ensure launch readiness.
- Establish clear ownership across departments, ensuring each function understands and delivers its required activities.
- Drive progress, manage dependencies, remove blockers, and ensure all business workstreams remain on track for launch.
- Facilitate regular readiness meetings, governance forums, and stakeholder updates.
- Work closely with the technology delivery team to align business readiness activities with the technical delivery timeline.
- Develop and manage launch readiness plans, risk logs, action trackers, and operational handover activities.
- Ensure processes, support models, documentation, and operational procedures are fully embedded ahead of transition into BAU.
- Support the first client introduction in August and coordinate activities leading to the planned go-live in late September.
- Act as the key point of coordination between business stakeholders and external delivery partners.
Skills & Experience Required
- Proven experience delivering complex business readiness or operational launch programmes.
- Strong stakeholder management skills across both technical and non-technical teams.
- Experience coordinating multiple departments within a fast-paced delivery environment.
- Ability to drive accountability and progress without directly managing all functional teams.
- Excellent programme governance, planning, and organisational skills.
- Comfortable operating within technology-enabled transformation or platform launch environments.
- Strong communication and influencing skills at all levels of the business.
- Experience transitioning programmes into stable BAU operations.
Desirable Experience
- Experience working on platform launches, SaaS implementations, or customer-facing technology rollouts.
- Exposure to operational readiness within regulated or customer service-led environments.
- Experience working with offshore or external technology delivery teams.
Project Timeline
- Technology platform delivery targeted for end of July.
- Initial client introduction planned for August.
- Full go-live targeted for late September.
This is a high-impact role requiring a proactive and delivery-focused Programme Manager who can bring structure, momentum, and cross-functional alignment to a critical business launch.