Programme Director (SC Cleared)

Job Title: Programme Director Location: Hybrid (up to 4 in-person office days per month in London) Contract Length: 3 months (with scope to extend) IR35: Inside Interview Process: 2 Stage, MS Teams Clearance: SC (with eligibility for NPPV3) We are supporting a public sector client in hiring a Programme Director to lead complex supplier exit, service transition, knowledge transfer and service stabilisation activity across a large-scale insourcing programme. This is a senior advisory and delivery role requiring someone who can operate credibly at the highest levels of client engagement, assess transition readiness across people, process and technology, and shape practical, fundable work packages that protect service continuity while preparing the client for a more stable future operating model. The role sits alongside the client's internal Delivery Lead and requires a trusted adviser who can act as a sounding board, challenge constructively and identify where support genuinely adds value. This role suits a seasoned Programme Director with a strong background in transition, insourcing or supplier exit programmes, ideally with experience in central government, policing or similarly sensitive and regulated environments. Candidates with a consultancy background or demonstrable experience identifying and shaping follow-on work packages are particularly encouraged to apply. Key Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders, acting as a credible and calm adviser throughout the transition programme
• Assess transition readiness across people, process, technology, knowledge, service management, tooling, governance and operational control
• Support structured supplier exit planning, handover activity and knowledge transfer, including documentation, runbooks, playbooks and readiness validation
• Identify and manage key risks around service continuity, operational readiness, capability gaps, cost and service ownership
• Shape practical and fundable work packages aligned to validated client needs, including transition readiness assessments, supplier exit assurance, service stabilisation planning and governance support
• Act as a bridge between the client, delivery capability and wider service lines, providing clear reporting on emerging risks, support gaps and opportunity maturity
• Identify opportunities for longer-term service improvement once immediate transition risk is under control
• Support stabilisation planning once service control has transferred, ensuring the client is operationally ready and sustainable
Essential Skills
• Significant experience as a Programme Director, Transition Director or senior delivery leader with a strong track record in complex service transition, supplier exit or insourcing programmes
• Experience within central government, policing, Home Office, law enforcement or similarly sensitive client environments
• Proven ability to operate credibly at senior client and executive level, building trust quickly in sensitive or politically complex environments
• Strong commercial awareness and experience identifying, shaping and developing fundable work packages or statements of work from within a live programme
• Experience working across programme, service operations, architecture, commercial, governance, risk and delivery teams
• Practical understanding of managed services, ITIL processes, service management and operational control
• Familiarity with GDS standards and experience delivering within or alongside GDS-aligned delivery frameworks
• Strong client-facing presence with demonstrable experience working directly with senior government or regulated sector stakeholders
Desirable Skills
• Familiarity with the Policing sector, Police National Database or related law enforcement data services
• Experience transitioning services from a major incumbent supplier into a client-led or hybrid operating model
• Background in consultancy or business development, with experience identifying and developing follow-on opportunities from within a delivery engagement
• Knowledge transfer and documentation support experience, including runbook and playbook development
• Service health reporting, operational dashboards or Legacy constraint assessment experience
  
  Significant experience as a Programme Director, Transition Director or senior delivery leader with a strong track record in complex service transition, supplier exit or insourcing programmes
• Experience within central government, policing, Home Office, law enforcement or similarly sensitive client environments
• Proven ability to operate credibly at senior client and executive level, building trust quickly in sensitive or politically complex environments
• Strong commercial awareness and experience identifying, shaping and developing fundable work packages or statements of work from within a live programme
• Experience working across programme, service operations, architecture, commercial, governance, risk and delivery teams
• Practical understanding of managed services, ITIL processes, service management and operational control
• Familiarity with GDS standards and experience delivering within or alongside GDS-aligned delivery frameworks
• Strong client-facing presence with demonstrable experience working directly with senior government or regulated sector stakeholders
Desirable Skills
• Familiarity with the Policing sector, Police National Database or related law enforcement data services
• Experience transitioning services from a major incumbent supplier into a client-led or hybrid operating model
• Background in consultancy or business development, with experience identifying and developing follow-on opportunities from within a delivery engagement
• Knowledge transfer and documentation support experience, including runbook and playbook development
• Service health reporting, operational dashboards or Legacy constraint assessment experience