Delivery Principal - (12-month Fixed Term Contract)
Posted 20 days 15 hours ago by Softwire
Permanent
Full Time
Other
Lancashire, Manchester, United Kingdom, M21 0
Job Description
Delivery Principal - (12-month Fixed Term Contract) Softwire is a leading UK technology and strategy consultancy. From enterprise to government, we help visionary organisations turn strategic ambitions into results at scale. Our practices cover AI transformation, data platforms, systems engineering advanced CX and experience design.
Softwire was founded on one simple idea: if we can create the best possible culture and working environment then everything else will fall into place. And it seems to be working - We were recently voted number 1 company to work for in the UK at the Best Company awards, and we have a loyal and growing client base who trust us with their hardest problems and their mission critical projects.
We focus on creating a great culture and working environment and we are looking for people who share our core beliefs about what makes a great place to work:
In brief We're looking for people who have a track record of successfully delivering bespoke software development projects in an agency setting. People who can own all aspects of that delivery: commercial,team, project vision, project delivery, and client management.
We are looking for team-players who are experienced people managers, and whohave strong clientempathy and client management skills. We also valueexposure to pre-sales, and provide opportunities to make use of, or grow, pre-sales and account experience.
In return, we can offer interesting projects with brilliant clients, high levels of autonomy and ownership, and strong, stretching, management support. You'll have the opportunity to try new things, whether they be skills you're developing, or new initiatives that improve our processes or company culture. And you'll receive a competitive package and profit share whilst you do so.
The role We are looking for an experienced delivery principal with a strong track record of delivering complex bespoke software programmes for clients, gained within a consultancy or agency environment. You will bring hands on experience across the full delivery lifecycle - from shaping an engagement through to build, launch and live service - with a solid understanding of user centred design, modern engineering practices and delivering measurable business outcomes.
As a delivery principal, you will lead a portfolio of projects and engagements and be accountable for commercial performance, delivery outcomes, and team success across your work. You'll be comfortable balancing commercial and delivery pressures, able to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage senior stakeholders, and translate technical complexity into clear, confident decisions that drive customer value and business impact.
Delivery principals report to (and work closely with) delivery directors, who are responsible for overall portfolio performance and client account management.
Delivery principals are part of Softwire's senior management team, working together to support the exec board in shaping the company's operation and strengthening its relationship with employees and clients.
The key responsibilities of the role are: Deliveringhigh value services to our clients As a Delivery Principal, you are accountable for the success of projects. You'll lead delivery - either directly, or more often through managing delivery, technical and design leads. You'll be responsible for ensuring client satisfaction, while also meeting Softwire's commercial goals, and ensuring a happy team.
To do so, you'll be empowered to guide clients through the delivery process, shaping the engagement for success from the first meetings, and resourcing the team. You'll inspire trust with senior stakeholders, acting as the most senior line of project escalation for any issues, and have broad discretion on how to solve them.
You may do this on a programme of work spanning thousands of days of effort, or on a portfolio of smaller projects with independent delivery leads. In each case, the majority of your time will be value adding, and chargeable to the projects.
Accelerating the careers of others Delivery Principals are highly experienced people managers. They bring experience in forming and leading multi disciplinary teams. They bring out the best in the people they're responsible for, both through strong line management of Delivery Leads, and by supporting the resourcing and progression of others on their projects.
You are expected to take responsibility for the "performance contract" of multiple employees - setting expectations and challenges, providing support and feedback, and ensuring appropriate reward upon delivery. You will also help your Delivery Leads mentor and manage more junior colleagues of their own.
You may also choose to be involved in providing career mentoring for more junior colleagues, or providing or commissioning knowledge sharing or other training initiatives.
Generating additional business for Softwire As Softwire's most senior delivery staff, Delivery Principals are very capable in front of both existing and prospective clients. You should inspire confidence and impress not only through your expertise, but through seeing the bigger picture. You will look for opportunities to build and expand existing accounts.
For example, this will include:
You have prior agency experience and are familiar with reconciling commercial and quality drivers in a client focused environment. You have excellent client management and relationship building skills. You are used to getting things done to external timetables and can balance competing demands to progress both the strategic and the tactical.
You have experience shaping and delivering work across discovery and delivery, using appropriate approaches such as iterative/Agile delivery, lean experimentation, and evidence led decision making. You can support others to adopt strong delivery practices, and you bring pragmatic judgement about what "good" looks like in different commercial contexts (from fast moving product work to high assurance enterprise delivery).
You appreciate working autonomously within a supportive environment.
You are collaborative and want to create something enduring while having fun doing so.
You are familiar with how software is created. You don't need to be able to write it yourself, but you can have informed conversations with technical team members and understand the technical context and repercussions of project or scope decisions. Ideally, you can also help explain these concepts to less technical clients in a way that keeps them empowered.
Experience and qualifications
Softwire was founded on one simple idea: if we can create the best possible culture and working environment then everything else will fall into place. And it seems to be working - We were recently voted number 1 company to work for in the UK at the Best Company awards, and we have a loyal and growing client base who trust us with their hardest problems and their mission critical projects.
We focus on creating a great culture and working environment and we are looking for people who share our core beliefs about what makes a great place to work:
- That if a job is worth doing, it's worth doing properly.
- That work should be fulfilling but can also be fun.
- That kindness matters and should be extended to employees and clients alike.
- That by being trusting and trustworthy as an organisation and as individuals we can dispense with tedious bureaucracy and rules.
In brief We're looking for people who have a track record of successfully delivering bespoke software development projects in an agency setting. People who can own all aspects of that delivery: commercial,team, project vision, project delivery, and client management.
We are looking for team-players who are experienced people managers, and whohave strong clientempathy and client management skills. We also valueexposure to pre-sales, and provide opportunities to make use of, or grow, pre-sales and account experience.
In return, we can offer interesting projects with brilliant clients, high levels of autonomy and ownership, and strong, stretching, management support. You'll have the opportunity to try new things, whether they be skills you're developing, or new initiatives that improve our processes or company culture. And you'll receive a competitive package and profit share whilst you do so.
The role We are looking for an experienced delivery principal with a strong track record of delivering complex bespoke software programmes for clients, gained within a consultancy or agency environment. You will bring hands on experience across the full delivery lifecycle - from shaping an engagement through to build, launch and live service - with a solid understanding of user centred design, modern engineering practices and delivering measurable business outcomes.
As a delivery principal, you will lead a portfolio of projects and engagements and be accountable for commercial performance, delivery outcomes, and team success across your work. You'll be comfortable balancing commercial and delivery pressures, able to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage senior stakeholders, and translate technical complexity into clear, confident decisions that drive customer value and business impact.
Delivery principals report to (and work closely with) delivery directors, who are responsible for overall portfolio performance and client account management.
Delivery principals are part of Softwire's senior management team, working together to support the exec board in shaping the company's operation and strengthening its relationship with employees and clients.
The key responsibilities of the role are: Deliveringhigh value services to our clients As a Delivery Principal, you are accountable for the success of projects. You'll lead delivery - either directly, or more often through managing delivery, technical and design leads. You'll be responsible for ensuring client satisfaction, while also meeting Softwire's commercial goals, and ensuring a happy team.
To do so, you'll be empowered to guide clients through the delivery process, shaping the engagement for success from the first meetings, and resourcing the team. You'll inspire trust with senior stakeholders, acting as the most senior line of project escalation for any issues, and have broad discretion on how to solve them.
You may do this on a programme of work spanning thousands of days of effort, or on a portfolio of smaller projects with independent delivery leads. In each case, the majority of your time will be value adding, and chargeable to the projects.
Accelerating the careers of others Delivery Principals are highly experienced people managers. They bring experience in forming and leading multi disciplinary teams. They bring out the best in the people they're responsible for, both through strong line management of Delivery Leads, and by supporting the resourcing and progression of others on their projects.
You are expected to take responsibility for the "performance contract" of multiple employees - setting expectations and challenges, providing support and feedback, and ensuring appropriate reward upon delivery. You will also help your Delivery Leads mentor and manage more junior colleagues of their own.
You may also choose to be involved in providing career mentoring for more junior colleagues, or providing or commissioning knowledge sharing or other training initiatives.
Generating additional business for Softwire As Softwire's most senior delivery staff, Delivery Principals are very capable in front of both existing and prospective clients. You should inspire confidence and impress not only through your expertise, but through seeing the bigger picture. You will look for opportunities to build and expand existing accounts.
For example, this will include:
- Ensuring clients receive - and, crucially, feel that they have received - an excellent service fromSoftwire, so they are motivated to bring repeat business and/or recommend our services to others.
- Meeting prospective clients, devising project plans and technical approaches, preparing written proposals and in person pitches.
- Thinking beyond your immediate remit on a project to understand how Softwire can make it a success and where else we might be able to provide value to a client.
- Taking the lead on key sales bids, understanding clients' problems and shaping our response to them
- Attracting business to Softwire through your personal reputation in the industry -e.g.thought leadership, speaking at conferences, and personal networks.
You have prior agency experience and are familiar with reconciling commercial and quality drivers in a client focused environment. You have excellent client management and relationship building skills. You are used to getting things done to external timetables and can balance competing demands to progress both the strategic and the tactical.
You have experience shaping and delivering work across discovery and delivery, using appropriate approaches such as iterative/Agile delivery, lean experimentation, and evidence led decision making. You can support others to adopt strong delivery practices, and you bring pragmatic judgement about what "good" looks like in different commercial contexts (from fast moving product work to high assurance enterprise delivery).
You appreciate working autonomously within a supportive environment.
You are collaborative and want to create something enduring while having fun doing so.
You are familiar with how software is created. You don't need to be able to write it yourself, but you can have informed conversations with technical team members and understand the technical context and repercussions of project or scope decisions. Ideally, you can also help explain these concepts to less technical clients in a way that keeps them empowered.
Experience and qualifications
- A demonstrable track record of successfully delivering challenging projects / programmes.
- Experience working in a delivery leadership role within an agency, consultancy environment or an in house product/technology team
- Experience managing teams, with accountability for the work of 10+ onshore staff
- Strong knowledge of modern software engineering practice (SDLC) and an awareness of technical approaches and trends.
- Experience delivering mobile app development (iOS/Android) would be an advantage
- Transport sector knowledge would be an advantage
- An interest in technology and how things are created
- Lead meetings with senior (e.g.C level) external stakeholders.
- Understand and give context to complex situations, drawing out the key points and driving shared clarity
- Identify and trouble shoot issues that may range from relationships to process, and lead the team in solving them
- Communicate and present, creating strong narratives to inform and empower the audience in support of decision making
- Develop strong working relationships with both client stakeholders and Softwire staff.
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