Role: Senior Programme and Delivery Manager
Division: Assessment & Qualifications Delivery
Location: London, Manchester, Oxford or Rotherham, UK; Bangalore or Chennai, India
Role type: Permanent, full-time role. For UK-based applicants the option exists to work part-time; 80% or 90% hours across a number of potential working patterns.
About Pearson
Our purpose: At Pearson we ‘add life to a lifetime of learning’ so everyone can realize the life they imagine. We do this by creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. . Our Purpose | Add Life to a Lifetime of Learning
Our company: Pearson was founded in 1844 and has been built on our ability to grow with and adapt to a constantly evolving market. Our 20,000+ employees are dedicated to creating the high-quality, digital-first, accessible and sustainable resources for lifelong learning.
Diversity: At Pearson we value the power of an inclusive culture and a strong sense of belonging. We promote a culture where differences are embraced as strengths and opportunities are equal and accessible.
Flexible working: Pearson is committed to hybrid working practices and has adopted flexible remote and virtual working. Where possible our employees can choose to manage their attendance to the office more flexibly.
About UK Assessment & Qualifications: We are responsible for the delivery of nearly 4 million examination results per annum, including A-Level, GCSE, BTEC and T-levels for students in UK and International centres. Our in-house systems process every learner from registration to marking and certification, in a highly regulated business. We currently operate a hybrid estate of predominantly bespoke systems, with an ongoing strategic transformation programme to migrate from on-prem to cloud based, cost effective, scalable, and resilient services.
About the Job
Delivering transformation in a fast-paced, high-stakes, regulated environment and working closely with senior decision makers to ensure we manage change well and mitigate risks. This role will suit those with strong leadership and deep experience of transformational change – tech modernisation, digital transformation, people and process change to deliver the business objectives of growth and efficiency.
The Senior Agile Programme and Delivery Manager is responsible for ensuring successful delivery of complex and transformational products and services by multiple projects and teams. The role's principal function is to ensure, through effective leadership and collaboration, that programme teams have everything they need in order to deliver including resources, and proactive management of risks, issues and dependencies. The role’s remit includes feasibility assessment and investment approvals for projects, and budget management. They are also responsible for coordinating with programme stakeholders to remove any impediments to successful delivery of the product or service.
Key Skills & Experience Required
Successful track record of high-profile delivery in edtech sector or relevant tech sector
Experience in regulated environments
Experience of leading complex programmes of enterprise level transformation across technology, process and people
For this role, we require a range of skills at SFIA Level 6:
Feasibility Assessment: Defining, evaluating and describing business change options for financial, technical and business feasibility, and strategic alignment.
Organisational Change Management: Planning, designing and implementing activities to transition the organisation and people to the required future state.
Stakeholder Relationship Management: Influencing stakeholder attitudes, decisions, and actions for mutual benefit.
Programme Management: Identifying, planning and coordinating a set of related projects and activities in support of specific business strategies and objectives.
Delivery Management: Ensuring successful delivery of new or updated products and services through effective leadership and collaboration within defined delivery cycles.
Organisational Change Enablement: Facilitates cultural and behavioural change by enabling individuals and teams to embed new ways of working and adapt to changes.
Strategic Methods and Tools (Agile): Ensuring methods and tools are adopted and used effectively throughout the organisation.
Risk Management: Planning and implementing organisation-wide processes and procedures for the management of risk to the success or integrity of the enterprise.
Pearson Behaviours
Challenge: We Ask Why - We challenge the status quo by challenging ourselves.
Innovate: We Ask What If - We spark curiosity to innovate new possibilities for everyone.
Integrity: We Earn Trust - We build credibility by acting with integrity every day.
Quality: We Deliver Quality - We hold our customers in the highest regard, and our work to the highest standards.
Delivery: We Make Our Mark - We execute with speed and agility to leave lasting impact on everyone we serve.
Relevant Certifications
Agile Delivery Management, eg Professional / Certified Scrum Master, SAFe
PgMP Programme Management Professional
Change Management
AWS, GCP or Azure Cloud Practitioner
ITIL Foundation
Further information on the relevant SFIA levels and skills can be found on the SFIA Framework website.
Job Location and Hours
All our roles are hybrid working; for this role that means visiting your base office no more than once a week with the possibility of occasional travel to other Pearson sites, however, candidates must be a suitable commute from their base office.
For successful candidates within the UK, the role can be aligned to our Rotherham, Oxford, Manchester or central London offices, working a 37.5 hour week. Our team are free to flex their day around our core hours, which are Monday to Friday, 10 to 4 GMT/BST. School runs, etc can be accommodated. Other flexible working patterns can be considered, including part-time working and non-traditional hours. As we regularly work with global teams, particularly in India and the US, there may be the occasional need to accommodate meetings outside of core hours.
For successful candidates in India, the role is aligned to our Bangalore or Chennai offices, working a 45 hour week, Monday to Friday 9 to 6 IST. As we regularly work with global teams, particularly in the UK and US, there may be the occasional need to accommodate meetings outside of core hours.
Benefits UK benefits details can be found on the Pearson benefits website.
Our India Talent Advisor team are happy to share benefits details during the application process.
What to expect from Pearson
Did you know Pearson is one of the 10 most innovative education companies of 2022?
At Pearson, we add life to a lifetime of learning so everyone can realize the life they imagine. We do this by creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are on a journey to be 100 percent digital to meet the changing needs of the global population by developing a new strategy with ambitious targets. To deliver on our strategic vision, we have five business divisions that are the foundation for the long-term growth of the company: Assessment & Qualifications, Virtual Learning, English Language Learning, Workforce Skills and Higher Education. Alongside these, we have our corporate divisions: Digital & Technology, Finance, Global Corporate Marketing & Communications, Human Resources, Legal, Strategy and Direct to Consumer. Learn more at We are Pearson.
We value the power of an inclusive culture and also a strong sense of belonging. We promote a culture where differences are embraced, opportunities are accessible, consideration and respect are the norm and all individuals are supported in reaching their full potential. Through our talent, we believe that diversity, equity and inclusion make us a more innovative and vibrant place to work. People are at the center, and we are committed to building a workplace where talent can learn, grow and thrive.
Pearson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. We want a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We strive for a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities.
To learn more about Pearson’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, navigate to: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Pearson.
If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing TalentExperienceGlobalTeam@grp.pearson.com.
Note that the information you provide will stay confidential and will be stored securely. It will not be seen by those involved in making decisions as part of the recruitment process.
Job: PROJECT/PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
Organization: Assessment & Qualifications
Schedule: FULL_TIME
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Req ID: 17515