Programme Director

Programme Lead

Outside IR35 | 4-month initial contract, August-November 2026 | Up to £1,200/day

A well-established UK organisation is seeking an experienced Programme Lead to run the Pre-Discovery phase for a major data platform replacement programme. This is a high-visibility, Board-facing mandate: you'll be accountable for building the evidence base - stakeholder appetite, legal position, cost estimate and delivery plan - that determines whether a significant replacement programme gets the green light in November.

What you'll be doing:

• Appointing and managing an external consultancy through RFP and delivery
• Leading stakeholder engagement to assess appetite, funding willingness and concerns around a replacement solution
• Coordinating legal and commercial analysis on exit and transition considerations
• Developing the 2027 Discovery & Design phase plan and cost estimate
• Producing the Board recommendation, paper and mobilisation roadmap

What you'll bring:

• Strong track record in stakeholder consultation or market engagement programmes
• Experience delivering large-scale technology or data programmes, ideally with TOM or major platform deployment experience
• Comfort managing external consultancies/suppliers as well as internal delivery
• Confident Board-level report writing and presentation skills
• Genuine end-to-end programme ownership - this is a "figure it out and drive it" role, not a BAU delivery seat

Process: Single-stage interview, moving quickly (1-2 weeks' notice acceptable).