Job Description

Hybrid role - Handforth / WFH


Permanent, full-time

About the role

Are you a leader who thrives on delivering impactful change across diverse portfolios? We're looking for a Portfolio Lead to join our Group IT Change Delivery team. You'll play a key role in making sure the right projects are delivered in the right way, bringing structure, clarity, and momentum to a wide range of change initiatives. Alongside overseeing the portfolio, you'll lead and support a team of project managers, helping them navigate complexity, stay focused, and deliver great outcomes. Whether it's shaping how we govern change or helping the business make smart decisions, you'll be at the heart of how we turn ideas into results.

Key responsibilities

Play a crucial role in planning, prioritisation, and delivery of a portfolio of change initiatives across multiple business areas Line manage and support a team of Project Managers, enabling high performance and professional growth Apply strong commercial judgement to ensure initiatives deliver measurable value and align with strategic goals Support contractual negotiations and ensure supplier relationships are well-managed, collaborative, and set up for long-term success Balance robust governance with the flexibility needed to adapt quickly to evolving priorities Provide clear oversight and direction across the portfolio while enabling project teams to deliver effectively Work closely with other Portfolio Leads to ensure alignment, share best practice, and manage cross-portfolio dependencies Monitor portfolio performance, risks, and interdependencies Engage and influence stakeholders to ensure alignment, secure buy-in, and remove barriers to successful delivery Champion continuous improvement in change delivery and portfolio management practices

What you'll bring

Experience managing complex and fast-moving projects across different business areas A strong commercial mindset--you're confident navigating budgets, supporting investment decisions, and contributing to commercial and contractual negotiations A solid understanding of supplier management, with experience building strong relationships that support delivery and long-term success Confidence in leading and developing project managers, helping them grow and succeed The ability to assess and re-prioritise in-flight work as new needs emerge, keeping delivery aligned with business priorities A practical approach to governance--knowing when to apply structure and when to flex to keep things moving Great communication skills and the ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels A solid grasp of risk, dependency management, change control, and delivery frameworks, with the ability to apply them in a way that works for the needs of the project

Key relationships

You'll Work Closely With:

Change Delivery & IT Leadership Teams Project Managers, Business Analysts, Business Change, Test Analysts, Solution Architecture and PMO Operational, Commercial, and Support teams Finance, Risk, and Governance functions External partners and delivery vendors

What we're looking for

A strategic thinker who connects the dots across diverse change initiatives A confident communicator who can influence at all levels A leader who balances empathy with accountability A creative and pragmatic problem solver who thrives in complexity
We take our inspiration from pets in embracing people from all walks of life, and we value, respect and celebrate difference. We encourage our people to be their best selves so that we can create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People. Our ambition is to reflect the diversity of the communities we operate in, and we are intentional in addressing and removing barriers to create opportunities for the exceptional talent and potential in our communities. Even if your skills and experience don't perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you!