IT Change and Release Manager

Here is an insight to the Pensions Dashboard Programme:  Pensions dashboards will enable people to access key information about all of their UK pensions, private and State, in one place online, revolutionising how people engage with their pensions throughout their lives. Enabling the delivery of pensions dashboards will require up to 52m adults in the UK to be connected with up to around 43,000 pension providers and schemes to search for their pensions.Development work by industry has already taken place, as a concept. The goal is now to turn it into a delivery solution for the benefit of UK citizens. MaPS has created a Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) which will be responsible for delivering the digital architecture and governance framework that will allow multiple parties to be connected as part of the pension’s dashboards ecosystem. This hugely significant development has the potential to improve the financial wellbeing of millions of people.The programme is comprised of an Industry Steering Group and a supporting Programme team within MaPS. The Programme is working in close partnership with DWP, TPR and FCA who all have related delivery responsibilities. Industry has had, and will continue to have, a crucial role to play in designing and developing the necessary components to make pensions dashboards possible.In this role you will be responsible for the following;

• Responsible for the PDP ecosystem agile ITchange and release management processes, ensuring that suppliers, colleagues and industry adhere to these processes at all times. Seek opportunities for continuous process improvement.
• Work closely with the Money Helper Pensions Dashboard teams and our suppliers to ensure that the change and release strategies are relevant and that we continually explore opportunities to use the best-in-class tools and methodologies.
• Ensure that key stakeholders are engaged in good time for relevant changes/releases and input into communications to industry when changes/releases would impact them.
• Engage internal and external test/assurance resources to ensure changes and releases have gone through the correct assurance steps and that integrity of the highly available production environments are maintained at all times.
• Regularly tracking and reporting on PIRs & KPIs for change and release. Publishing release and change schedule to keep internal and external stakeholders informed.
• Chair regular Operational Change Control Boards and release planning meetings. Provide approval for changes and releases.
• Act as the main point of contact for all changes and release decision as well as acting as an escalation point.

You will need to demonstrate the following skills and experience;

• Ability to manage changes and releases for an organisation, ensuring value for the business and adherence to company policies.
• Experience of managing suppliers to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets.
• Demonstrate broad industry experience in change and release management and can improve change management processes towards full maturity.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a group with internal and external parties, actively networking with others.
• Adapt feedback to ensure it is effective and lasting and identify issues through Agile ‘health checks’ with the team and help to stimulate the right responses.
• Knowledge of how to identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions. Including investigating patterns and trends.
• Experience of diagnosing and prioritising issues with suppliers and colleagues in order to identify root cause and resolutions.
• Experience of owning an issue until a new owner has been found or the problem has been mitigated or resolved.
• ITIL service management qualification or equivalent qualification.
• Strong organisational & communication skills with the ability to meet both specific and unexpected deadlines.
• Excellent judgment and the confidence to proactively identity and assess risk

This vacancy offers hybrid working in Bedford, with occasional travel to the London office currently based in Westminster and easily accessible via public transport.Other About Us The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is based in Bedford, in a recently renovated modern office. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to become an integral part of a dynamic organisation, working to help people across the UK.At the heart of the Money and Pensions Service are our values – caring, connecting, and transforming, which are the foundation of our success. They permeate every area of our work and define all our business relationships and the way we work with each other. We’re not only looking for the best people to come and work for us, but we need people who align themselves with our values:

• Caring We care about our colleagues and the people whose lives we are here to transform.
• Connecting We will transform lives through our ability to make positive connections.
• Transforming We are committed to transforming lives and making a positive societal impact.

Our Inclusive Working Environment By fostering our values, we are immensely proud of the inclusive working environment that we have created. The diversity of our people is a strength that we embrace and wish to build upon, so we are committed to attracting people of all backgrounds. We work hard to ensure that we have a progressive approach to inclusion, equity, and belonging. We really do want our colleagues to “bring their whole selves to work.”Our colleague and ally networks encompass LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, women’s health, men’s health, ethnicity, and diversity.What We Offer

Generous Annual Leave – 30 days plus Bank Holidays

Pension scheme – contributions matched 2 to 1 (up to 10% of your salary)Interest-free loan for season tickets for buses...