Head of Strategy & Portfolio Office (Maternity cover)

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 100,000 talented people dedicated to doing extraordinary work for our clients. We operate in over 100 countries, with corporate headquarters in New York, London and Singapore.

WPP is a world leader in marketing services, with deep AI, data and technology capabilities, global presence and unrivalled creative talent. Our clients include many of the biggest companies and advertisers in the world, including approximately 300 of the Fortune Global 500.

Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow. 

WPP is at the forefront of the marketing and advertising industry's largest transformation. Our Global CIO is leading a significant evolution of our Enterprise Technology capabilities, bringing together over 2,500 technology professionals into an integrated global team. This team will play a crucial role in enabling the ongoing transformation of our agencies and functions.

Why we're hiring:

As Head of Strategy & Portfolio Office, you will lead the effective and efficient operation & optimisation of the Technology Operations transformation sub-portfolio & provide decision support & assurance to the Strategy & Transformation Director. ​

What you'll be doing:

• Champions Enterprise Technology Portfolio Global Discipline (incl tools, templates and processes) across Technology Operations and fosters an energised change culture that embraces change and collaboration, to enable the agency clusters to become more agile and responsive to future technological advancements and the priorities of WPP as a whole.​
• Drafts the Technology Operations sub-portfolio strategy and delivery plan for the S&T Director, ensuring alignment with the Tech Ops Technology Strategy and the Enterprise Technology Strategy.​
• Ensures that the sub-portfolio continues to reflect and balance the goals of the Tech Ops Business and Enterprise Technology priorities and Strategic Outcomes to maximise consumption, ROI and WPP outcomes.​
• Owns the roadmap of technology change for Tech Ops ensuring that business impacts are understood, facilitating smooth transitions, preventing change fatigue, avoiding interference with key business activities (e.g. Pitches) and ensuring adoption / consumption of new technology. ​
• Analyses the portfolio progress against this roadmap and prepares regular sub-portfolio dashboard and reports for the Cluster Check-In and Portfolio Progress Committee ensuring anomalies or areas of concern are highlighted and making recommendations to decision makers, as required.​
• Provides delivery assurance within the Tech Ops transformation scope, ensuring Programme and Projects are delivered in line with the confirmed guidelines and delivery standards including programme financial and benefit mgt.​
• Supports with preparing and administering the Tech Ops sub-portfolio initiatives, through the gated Transformation Delivery Lifecycle.​
• Co-ordinates all ‘transform’ demand into Enterprise Technology governance and assurances processes to ensure new initiatives are consistently commissioned and communicated to key stakeholders.​
• Support in the early mobilisation of new initiatives and assembling the required squads within Tech Ops, partnering with the relevant Tech Ops SMT as well as the strategic portfolio office and involved programme disciplines.​
• On behalf of the S&T Director, monitors transformation resources within the Cluster Delivery Squad and reports allocation and requirements regularly to the Strategy and Portfolio Office.​
• Maintains the Tech Ops sub-portfolio cost and benefits forecast, updating regularly to reflect actuals and new initiatives being approved.​
• Ensures Tech Ops Business cases and other Enterprise Technology artefacts are prepared consistently with Enterprise Technology financial standards, governance, assurance and benefits eligibility rules.​
• Establish and maintains the Tech Ops sub-portfolio-level RAID register, ensuring entries are appropriately analysed, managed and escalated as required.​
• Co-ordinates sub-portfolio planning, estimation and prioritisation exercises and reports changes to the Strategy & Portfolio Office to approve.​
• Ensure dependencies into, out of and within the sub-portfolio are effectively managed and issues escalated as required.​
• Identifies constraints within the sub-portfolio and works to overcome them.​
• Acts as secretariat for any Tech Ops level strategy & transformation governance.​
• Identifies improvements in portfolio management practices through PIRs, periodic sub-portfolio reviews and health checks and champion's best practice.

What you'll need:

• 5-10 years strategy and portfolio management experience ​
• Excellent knowledge and experience of strategy development and portfolio management ​
• Excellent knowledge and experience in Information Technology
• Strategic Thinking and Design​​
• Business Planning​
• Data Analysis & Reporting​​
• Demand Planning & Management​
• Business Case Development​
• Value and Benefits Tracking​
• Stakeholder Management​​
• Financial/Budget Management​​
• Change Management​
• Customer-centric Thinking​​
• Team Management & Leadership

Who you are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

 

What we'll give you:

Passionate, inspired people – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?

#LI-Onsite

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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