Business Readiness Manager

Business Readiness Manager 6 Month Contract with possibility to extend
Competitive Day Rate
Location

Birmingham/Leeds/Preston with hybrid working arrangements.

Role Purpose

The Business Readiness Manager will be responsible for leading the design and delivery of a business readiness framework for the Unity Programme. This will include criteria and measures, governance and ways of working to ensure that the approach is embedded and aligned with go-live preparations. It will also include risk analysis and resource modelling.

Key Responsibilities

Business Readiness Strategy and Planning

• Develop Business Readiness Strategy including proposed models for delivery across the Unity Cluster.
• Establish and implement readiness frameworks, methodologies, governance and reporting mechanisms.
• Define readiness criteria, acceptance measures and deployment requirements for business areas.
• Ensure readiness planning is embedded within programme and departmental delivery plans and stage gates.

• Lead readiness reviews and challenge business areas where gaps are identified.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with senior leaders, business representatives and programme stakeholders.
• Facilitate engagement activities to secure commitment, sponsorship and ownership of change.

Essential Criteria

Experience

• Significant experience leading business readiness within large-scale transformation programmes.
• Experience of working with senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Significant experience of leading stakeholder engagement events such as workshops.

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of business readiness and change management methodologies.
• Knowledge of programme and project management frameworks including MSP, PRINCE2 or Agile approaches.
• Understanding of governance, assurance and risk management processes.

Skills

• Strategic planning and organisational leadership.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Effective communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to interpret complex information and translate it into practical business actions.
• Excellent facilitation and workshop management skills.
• Strong report writing and briefing skills.