Head of Professional Services (Projects)

• Hire, professionally develop, and retain a high-quality, high-intensity team that ensures on-time, on budget, high quality delivery;

• Develop and execute a strategic vision for the professional services department, aligned with the company's overall objectives and growth plans.

• Constantly assessing and monitoring performance and proactively taking steps to improve the department performance.

• Collaborate with sales and business development teams to support the growth of professional services business, including participating in client meetings, proposals, and contract negotiations.

• Drive operational efficiency by implementing best practices, process improvements, and automation initiatives within the professional services department.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define service offerings, pricing models, and contractual agreements for professional services, ensuring profitability and customer satisfaction.

• Monitor and analyse key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the professional services and support operations, identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions.

• Establish and maintain strong client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor and escalation point for key clients, addressing their concerns and ensuring their needs are met.

• Attend management meetings, annual events, and other activities directed by the CEO.

• To look outwards towards the market and industry for key trends in delivery methodology and technology, and consider how these could benefit the team and the business.

• To lead the PS teams capability and manage the supplier relationship, ensuring solutions are high quality and satisfy the expectations of our customers.

• To be responsible for all functional and non functional delivery of projects and programmes.

• To support projects in resource management including where there are conflicts.

• To liaise with customers with regards their delivery expectations.

• To manage deliveries to agreed criteria and own and report on KPIs to the broader business.

• To act as product ambassador to key partners and customers.

• To produce metrics and analyse these metrics to identify areas for continuous improvement.

• To provide high quality estimates in line with the timescales of the project.

• Where applicable management of customer and partner engagement on key programmes.

• To work, on occasion, at customer and commercial partners' sites to expedite agreed project tasks.

• To assist in Pre Sales support where appropriate.

• To manage budget for the PS team including salary reviews, overtime approval, training requirements, travel requests.

• Awareness and compliance of ISO9001, ISO27001, ISO22301, PCI and Daat Protection regulations.

• Portfolio Contribution
• Support portfolio IP Bootcamps with lesson learnt use cases.

• Provide support for M&A Due Diligence if called upon.

Skills

• Strategic mindedness with a view on future strategy, balanced with tactical delivery, at all times with advanced level in complex strategy, approach and management

• Advanced level in systems integration test approach and management

• Advanced level in user acceptance test approach and management

• Experience of both waterfall and agile delivery approaches

• Highly customer outcome focused with a solution orientated mind-set

• Excellent presentation and communication skills

• Meticulous, structured with excellent attention to detail

• Adaptable, can conform to shifting priorities, demands and timelines whilst retaining control

• Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources, a strong negotiator

• Strong interpersonal skills with a professional attitude

• Commercially aware and politically astute

• Work estimation and planning

• Resource management

• Conflict management and resolution

• Budget management

Originally posted on Himalayas