Head of Programme - P&O IT Domain

Location : London or Paris

About the role

We are looking for an experienced programme leader to lead the delivery of technology-enabled transformation across People & Organisation (P&O), translating HR priorities into successfully implemented solutions and sustainable operational outcomes.

Working in close partnership with P&O leaders and Technology teams, you will shape, mobilise and deliver programmes across an evolving HR landscape, encompassing areas such as core HR, talent, learning and employee experience. You will be accountable for end-to-end technology delivery, bringing together internal teams, specialist functions and external partners across Global, Divisions and Regions.

Alongside programme delivery, you will build and develop the team and capabilities needed to support P&O transformation over time. You will establish clear accountabilities, strengthen delivery practices and foster a collaborative environment that supports learning, ownership and continuous improvement.

Your first programme will be Learning Experience Evolution (LXE), leading technology delivery within the wider transformation to create a connected, scalable learning ecosystem. The role’s remit extends beyond LXE to support future priorities across HR/P&O.

Key responsibilities

Lead end-to-end programme delivery

·        Work hand-in-hand with the Programme Director and other workstream leads.

·        Translate agreed technology strategy, architecture and programme outcomes into executable programme plans, with clear scope, milestones, resources and outcomes.

·        Mobilise and lead delivery from programme definition through implementation, testing, deployment, stabilisation and transition to operations.

·        Maintain accountability for delivery quality, timelines, investment and resources, actively managing risks, dependencies and trade-offs.

·        Ensure technology delivery is integrated with business process, change management and operational readiness activities.

·        Establish effective governance, providing clear visibility of progress and enabling timely decisions and issue resolution.

Build and develop the team

·        Build and lead an integrated delivery team across internal Technology functions, specialist teams, vendors and implementation partners.

·        Establish clear roles, responsibilities and ways of working, creating shared ownership of programme outcomes.

·        Coach and develop team members, strengthening programme leadership, delivery capabilities and confidence in managing complexity.

·        Anticipate capacity needs, working with functional leaders to mobilise the right expertise.

·        Embed knowledge sharing, lessons learned and continuous improvement to build delivery capability beyond individual programmes.

Partner across P&O and Technology

·        Build trusted partnerships with P&O leaders, programme sponsors and business stakeholders, maintaining alignment on priorities, scope and expected outcomes.

·        Bring together Technology teams across Global, Divisions and Regions, specialist technology functions, software vendors and implementation partners, creating the structure, connections and delivery environment required for successful execution.

·        Connect Global, Divisional and Regional teams, ensuring requirements and dependencies are understood early and managed throughout delivery.

·        Align architecture, data, security, integration and service management expertise to support coherent, sustainable solutions.

·        Lead delivery relationships with software vendors and implementation partners, setting clear expectations and maintaining accountability for commitments.

Support the broader P&O transformation agenda

·        Contribute delivery expertise to the shaping and sequencing of future HR/P&O technology initiatives.

·        Identify cross-programme dependencies and opportunities to reuse capabilities, approaches and lessons learned.

·        Ensure solutions can operate effectively at global scale while accommodating justified regional, regulatory and local requirements.

·        Partner with business and service owners to support adoption, operational ownership and the realisation of agreed benefits.

The impact you can create

·        Define the overall deployment strategy for the program, including planning, budget and resources.

·        Put in place and run the governance of the program

·        Build the team to run the program, out of internal and external headcount and strong strategic partner

·        Advocate a “people centric” approach, nurture the cultural shift and build the change management program associated.

You are energized by

·        Leading a program, harmonizing data practices worldwide and deploying high-quality standards

·        Implementing a program in a transformation context on all the dimensions

·        Working in a worldwide and multicultural environment with multiple partners, at different organizational levels.

·        Setting up and building technologies, solutions, organization and projects with Chanel business and TECH teams.

·        Technology and the new way of working and sharing.

·        Taking the lead, collaborating & coordinating.

What you will bring

Essential experience and capabilities

·        Significant experience leading complex, global technology transformation programmes, with direct accountability for execution and delivery outcomes.

·        A track record of mobilising programmes and leading them through implementation, deployment and transition to operations.

·        Experience delivering technology-enabled transformation within HR/P&O, with an understanding of the connections between people processes, technology, data and employee experience.

·        Demonstrated ability to build, lead and develop multidisciplinary teams, including colleagues working across organisational boundaries.

·        Strong programme leadership across planning, governance, resources, investment, risks and dependencies.

·        Experience managing delivery across internal Technology teams, software vendors and implementation partners.

·        The ability to build alignment and influence decisions in a complex global matrix.

·        Clear communication, sound judgement and a pragmatic, hands-on approach to resolving issues and maintaining delivery momentum.

Additional experience that would be valuable

·        Delivery across multiple HR domains, such as core HR, talent, learning or employee experience.

·        Global SaaS implementation and integration with Workday or comparable HR platforms.

·        Multi-platform technology ecosystems involving data, analytics, digital experience or AI-enabled capabilities.

·        Global retail or frontline environments with significant regional and local requirements.

What is LXE?

Learning Experience Evolution (LXE) is Chanel's transformation programme to create a Future-Fit Learning Ecosystem: a connected, governed and scalable ecosystem designed to deliver a more personalised, immersive and unmistakably Chanel learning experience.

The technology transformation within LXE will bring together learner experience and mobile capabilities, learning and training management, content and authoring, integrations, data and analytics, AI, security and service management. Retail-first but House-wide in impact, it is designed for global scale while accommodating justified regional, regulatory and market requirements.

At Chanel, we are focused on creating an inclusive culture that nurtures personal growth, contributing to collective progress. We believe the uniqueness of each individual increases the diversity, complementarity and effectiveness of our teams. We strongly encourage your application, as we value the perspective, experience and potential you could bring to Chanel.