Head of Portfolios

Job Title: Head of Programmes and Portfolios Brand/ Function: IT

Job Holder Reports to: Head of Change Delivery

JD Completed By: Head of Change Delivery Date: 01/08/2021

What is the main purpose
of the job?

 Leadership role, with accountability for the successful delivery, to time and budget, of all functional
programmes of work and roadmaps across Whitbread’s transformation and digital agenda
o This will include delivery accountability over the functional roadmaps for Hotel Ops, Restaurants,
Finance, Supply Chain, International, Commercial and Security

 Regular ExCo level stakeholder management to report on progress, risks and issues. The role may also be
required to represent Change Delivery at PLC Board when reporting key programme progress
 Definition of end to end delivery approaches for future programmes of work
 Role will also drive enhancement to Whitbread’s delivery capability and long term high performance model
for developing project and programme managers
 Part of Change Delivery leadership team, and deputy for Head of Change Delivery at key Exec and
Governance forums (including facilitation of the Technology Committee)

Who are the Job holder
main customers?

 ExCo
 Head of Change Delivery
 Head of Strategy and Architecture
 Head of Service
 CISO
 Directors and Heads of roles across other business functions as applicable

Scale & Authority
(e.g. size of budget / team
etc):

Financial:
 Accountable for Programme & Project budgets ranging from £1M to £20M+
People
 No of internal people management:
o Internally: Ranging from 5 - 20
 No of people managed on a programme: ranges from 10 – 40.
 3rd party supplier management (multiple)
 No of stakeholders:
Will vary by project size.
Range from 5 - 20 at Head of department level.
May include 5 at Director level
Complexity / Authority:
 Reporting directly to the Head of Change Delivery, with direct line to the Group Operations Director
 Will report to ExCo on an as required basis for decisions to progress delivery
 Will hold direct responsibility for overall change delivery across all functional IT programmes of work

Org Charts

(TEAM ORGANISATION CHART REFLECTING THIS ROLE)

This document has been marked as Non-Confidential

Head of Change
Delivery
Head of Programmes
and Portolios

Delivery /
Programme Mgr - B19
Project Manager(s)

Delivery /
Programme Mgr -
B19
Project
Manager(s)

Delivery /
Programme Mgr -
B19
Project Manager(s)
Delivery /
Programme Mgr -
B19
Project
Manager(s)
Portfolio Manager
- B19

What are the main Key Tasks & Activities Specifics, With Whom/ What What’s the end result?
 Deliver all functional IT roadmaps of change within
time and budget tolerances
 Single leadership point of contract for all functional
delivery roadmaps, representing IT and
Transformation to internal and external exec
stakeholders
 Provide strategic thought leadership to best delivery
practice
 Direct, steer and influence programmes with
effective engagement with senior stakeholders and
3 rd parties
 Full accountability for programme delivery scope
across roadmap portfolios
 Drive the definition of business case
 Monitor overall benefits tracking and report back
performance against benefits post initial deployment
prior to handover to service
 Drive communities of practice across programmes of
work
 Develop and maintain close working relationship
with Strategy and Architecture, Service and Security
teams
 Ensure portfolios, programme and projects are
planned and resourced effectively, and have robust
and clear delivery approaches
 Ensure all programmes of work are delivered in
accordance to Whitbread’s governance
arrangements
 Ensure commercial arrangements with partners are
set effectively and are competitive
 Ensure all programme and project finances are
tracked end-to-end and in line with Whitbread
methodology
 Ensure all resource forecasting for programmes are
managed correctly
 Drive consistency and high standards across the
delivery function
 People manage direct reports
 Assure programme transition successfully from
delivery into managed support/service
 Manage, direct and motivate key IT resources
(project managers, solution architects, business
analysts, testing resources) and other key resources
across the technology function in a matrix style
organisational structure

 Influence and manage senior stakeholders (up to
ExCo and PLC Board level) for all key programmes
within scope of role
 Directly oversee large scale transformation
programmes
 Coordinate overall planning of programme
delivery amongst team members, resource
owners and other delivery teams (e.g. Digital,
BART, Fusion, BI)
 Act as Whitbread leadership point of contact to
represent functional programmes of work with
3 rd party suppliers in order to drive quality
programme implementation
 Ensure alignment around programme objectives
and clarity on scope with all stakeholders
 Consideration and coverage as required of
broader programme change implications,
working closely with Change Programme
Manager(s) and/or relevant functional teams.
 Chair IT Governance forums as required,
including the Whitbread Technology Committee
 Manage and control governance standards
across all programmes
 Ensure change management standards are
applied consistently and to a high quality across
all delivery stages
 Manage large/complex RFP and contracting
processes in conjunction with Procurement

 All functional roadmap programmes
delivered to time and budget
 Creation of a high-performance
delivery teams
 Definition and enforcement of best
practice delivery standards
 All Portfolio & Programme objectives
met through new capabilities being
introduced into Whitbread,
 New IT solutions and platforms
implemented into the Whitbread
business to enable and support the
Whitbread strategic agenda
 Enhancement of existing IT capability
to meet strategic objectives
 Consistent and clear metrics to
measure and drive improvements to
delivery
 Measurable benefits from outcomes
of programme delivery
 Minimal business disruption to all
deployment activities

This document has been marked as Non-Confidential

What Key Performance Indicators will be
measured to evaluate success?

 IT Functional Roadmap programmes delivered to baselined timelines and budget
 Programmes delivered to agreed KPIs
 Benefits realised through post implementation reviews
 Compliance with PMO governance processes
 Compliance with Financial processes
 Compliance with WHB methodology standards
 Compliance with Change Management methodologies
 Alignment to original design concepts from S&A (avoiding scope creep)
 Sponsor/Customer feedback
 Creation, and development of, internal talent and succession
 Feedback during programmes, programme closure reviews/reports and
programme post investment reviews

Knowledge
(Expert understanding)

Skills
(Expert ability)

Experience
(Proven expertise)

Essential:

 In-depth knowledge and understanding
of Project / Programme / Portfolio
management practices and
methodologies
 Deep technology, change and PMO
management knowledge and ability to
adopt new skills and techniques as they
emerge in the fast-moving technology
sector
 Maintains professional and technical
knowledge
 Understanding of the broader
technology trends outside of Whitbread,
but relevant to the hospitality industry

Essential:
 Enhanced Leadership and General
Management skills
 Proven senior stakeholder management
skills with significant experience of
dealing with internal, external, and third-
party supplier senior-level decision
makers as well as reporting up to ExCo
and PLC board level
 Proven ability to manage multiple
complex programmes of work
 Deep planning and portfolio
management skills
 In-depth understanding of managing
complex programmes budgets across
multiple programmes of work
 Strong problem-solving skills and
organisational skills
 Strong written and verbal
communication skills
 Self-drive – responds to challenging
priorities with a sense of urgency and
pace
 Staff development and coaching –
respected by peers, actively participates
in training and mentoring

Essential:
 Deep programme management
background with more than 10 years
programme and project management
 Experience in a leadership role within an
IT function
 Experience of C-level stakeholder
management
 Experience of delivering enterprise
change programmes in a complex
corporate environment
 Multi-year experience of Supplier
Management, RFI and RFP processes
 Demonstrable experience of delivering
multiple large technology integration
projects from concept through to
operational use
 Proven experience of directing and
motivating project teams in complex
matrix management environments
 Strong understanding of Enterprise
software and smaller-scale SaaS/software
products
 Strong understanding of the underlying
business processes required to trade,
operate and support a Hotel business or
equivalent business
 Relationship Management – ability to
build, establish and maintain influential
relationships to drive effective decision
making

Desirable:
 Advanced Programme/Project
Management certification
 Hospitality Sector knowledge or a close
equivalent (Travel/Retail)
 Other IT certifications applicable to role
(Agile skills, Analysis & Design, Risk
Management)

Desirable: Desirable:

 Leadership role in similar organisation

Signed: Date:

This document has been marked as Non-Confidential