Project Manager

Background

Schroders Wealth Transformation team is a newly established team with a remit across the transformation lifecycle from strategy to execution. We collaborate with our business and technology partners across the Schroders Group to enable our Cazenove and Schroders International Wealth business to thrive in an increasingly competitive, regulated and margin pressured global landscape by shaping, mobilising and delivering both transformational and essential change to allow the business to grow profitably while providing high levels of investment performance and client experience.

Role Purpose

The projects led by the successful individual will enable continuing corporate growth and transformation through the effective delivery of projects that, in partnership with business stakeholders, enable more flexible and efficient services, ensure compliance to regulations, improve use of technology, onboard new business solutions, realise target operating models and deliver leaner processes. 

The role holder will be able to interact with internal and external parties, be a credible change professional and engender trust in both the change process and Schroders as an exemplary partner for our external clients.

We require an individual with an excellent track record of delivering large or complex projects across Business and Technology disciplines, either as individual projects or within a programme of work.  It is expected that the individual will manage business analysts and potentially Subject Matter Experts via a matrix management approach.

Key Work Level Accountabilities

• Lead and support the shaping, initiation and mobilisation of projects and programmes as required.

• Lead the delivery of complex/mulitple projects across a range of Wealth transformation initiatives and jurisdictions, within a programme or portfolio context or as a stand-alone initiative, taking full ownership for end-to-end delivery.

• Collaborate with and influence senior and other business stakeholders to define and deliver against business outcomes and ensure clear, consistent reporting.

• Consider the impacts to the whole of Schroders Wealth as a division, as well as our clients, when planning and managing delivery, including focus on commerciality

• Challenge decisions when appropriate, safeguarding the project/ programme and its objectives. 

• Co-ordinate resources as allocated within matrix management frameworks aligned to the domains and functions from where there will be provided.

• Effective project planning, including the construction, presentation and communication of roadmaps and detailed plans to required audiences.

• Manage communication of progress and changes to the programme or portfolio team as well as the wider organisation when required. Either management of financial diligence & reporting of the projects budget or contribute to the programme / portfolio budgeting framework to secure delivery within budget. 

• Pro-active and effective risk and issue management, escalating through agreed channels when appropriate, but also act as a point of escalation for stakeholders and change resources on projects both directly and indirectly.

• Pro-actively manage dependencies.

• Understand and manage, where appropriate, the discipline and cadence of business readiness activities.

• Create, own and manage project artefacts as necessary.

• Understand organisational challenges as these impact projects under management and agree strategies to address these.

• Deputise for Programme Manager(s) and Portfolio Lead(s) where appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

• Practice and promote the use of agreed standards for change, meeting all minimum standards, whilst adapting agreed methodologies, templates and artefacts to effectively support a range of scenarios.

• Mentor and support the development of change expertise across Corporate Services Change and the wider Schroders community.

• Support recruitment and onboarding process for internal and external hires

• Provide change leadership in a range of scenarios and circumstances.

• Contribute pro-actively to the evolution of a collaborative Wealth Transformation Team culture.

Personal Profile: Skills and Competencies

• Experience working as a project manager in a wealth management organisation.

• Understanding of a range of delivery methodologies, both Agile and Waterfall.

• Knowledge of a range of change tools and techniques and the demonstration of their appropriate usage. 

• Proven delivery record of transformational projects in complex environments.

• Ability to manage and motivate diverse sets of teams across multiple functions. 

• Excellent judgement and decision-making skills

• Evidence of multiple stakeholder management, including ability to build consensus and overcome challenges.

• Excellent consultative skills and able to effectively collaborate and influence across a broad stakeholder base, including senior stakeholders.

• An understanding of the application of target operating models, design frameworks and Business Architecture capabilities.

• Ability to deliver difficult messages where necessary and the ability to explain complex concepts in a clear and concise manner to stakeholders, including c-suite.

• Evidence of resolving challenging issues, escalating where appropriate or necessary, and contributing to end state solutions.

• Able to negotiate trade-offs to ensure priority value items are delivered.

• Can facilitate and drive effective decision-making.

• Strong commercial mindset, including navigating complex budget negotiations to meet business outcomes, with consideration of group-wide challenges.

• Financial acumen and budgeting experience.

Advertised Salary: Competitive