Group Portfolio Owner - Back Office

Rentokil Initial Careers; Crawley; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 90,000

Job description

The Digital Products Portfolio Owner is a strategic leadership role responsible for maximising the value of a portfolio of digital products that align with the overall business strategy of our global, decentralised organisation. This individual will have a global remit, likely based in the UK (given the "Group" context), and will be accountable for the portfolio's vision, strategy, and performance across multiple countries and lines of business.

Purpose of the role:

• Portfolio Vision and Strategy: Define and communicate a clear vision and strategy for the digital product portfolio, ensuring alignment with the overarching business goals and considering the nuances of different global markets, particularly the significant North American presence.
• Value Maximisation: Prioritise and manage the portfolio backlog to optimise value delivery, considering return on investment, strategic alignment, and customer needs across all regions.
• Stakeholder Management: Collaborate with diverse stakeholders across the Group, North America, and other regions (including business leaders, product managers, technology teams, and regional IT) to ensure alignment and buy-in on the portfolio strategy and roadmap.
• Investment Governance: Oversee the allocation of resources and budget across the portfolio, making data-driven decisions to optimise investments and manage risks.
• Performance Monitoring: Track and analyse key performance indicators (KPIs) for the portfolio, providing regular updates to leadership and identifying areas for improvement.
• Market Awareness: Stay informed about industry trends, competitive landscape, and emerging technologies relevant to the digital product portfolio in different global markets.
• Guidance and Enablement: Provide guidance and support to Product Managers within the portfolio, fostering a consistent and effective product management approach aligned with agile principles.
• Collaboration with Group and Regional Functions: Effectively navigate the complexities of a decentralised organisation, ensuring strong collaboration between the global "Group" functions and the regional IT teams.

Tasks & Responsibilities

• Plans, directs, and co-ordinates activities to manage and implement a programme from contract/proposal initiation to final operational stage; plans, schedules, monitors, and reports on activities related to the programme. Ensures that programmes are managed to realise business benefits and that programme management is informed by an awareness of current technical developments.
• Takes responsibility for investigative work to determine business requirements and specify effective business processes, through improvements in information systems, information management, practices, procedures, and organisation change. Applies and monitors the use of required modeling and analysis tools, methods and standards, giving special consideration to business perspectives. Conducts investigations at a high level for strategy studies, business requirements specifications and feasibility studies. Prepares business cases which define potential benefits, options for achieving these benefits through development of new or changed processes, and associated business risks. Identifies stakeholders and their business needs.
• Develops and maintains one or more defined communication channels and/or stakeholder groups, acting as a single point of contact. Gathers information from the customer to understand their needs (demand management) and detailed requirements. Facilitates open communication and discussion between stakeholders, using feedback to assess and promote understanding of need for future changes in services, products and systems. Agrees changes to be made and the planning and implementation of change. Maintains contact with the customer and stakeholders throughout to ensure satisfaction. Captures and disseminates technical and business information.
• Has defined authority and responsibility for a significant area of work, including technical, financial and quality aspects. Establishes organisational objectives and delegates responsibilities. Is accountable for actions and decisions taken by self and subordinates.
• Influences policy formation on the contribution of own specialism to business objectives. Influences a significant part of own organisation. Develops influential relationships with internal and external customers/suppliers/partners at senior management level, including industry leaders. Makes decisions which impact the work of employing organisations, achievement of organisational objectives and financial performance.
• Performs highly complex work activities covering technical, financial and quality aspects. Contributes to the formulation and implementation of IT strategy. Creatively applies a wide range of technical and/or management principles.
• Absorbs complex technical information and communicates effectively at all levels to both technical and non-technical audiences. Assesses and evaluates risk. Understands the implications of new technologies. Demonstrates clear leadership and the ability to influence and persuade. Has a broad understanding of all aspects of IT and deep understanding of own specialism(s). Understands and communicates the role and impact of IT in the employing organisation and promotes compliance with relevant legislation. Takes the initiative to keep both own and subordinates' skills up to date and to maintain an awareness of developments in the IT industry.

Requirements

Experience:

• Has achieved proficiency in the Task of Business analysis.
• Has excellent interpersonal skills and is fully experienced at dealing with clients/users. Has a good understanding of alternative software engineering life cycles for development and the concepts and practices required to implement effective information systems. Possesses a broad understanding of business and business Skills, and understands the significance of commercial constraints. Is able to recognise potential assignments outside own areas of specialisation and bring to bear appropriate expertise as necessary.
• EITHER: Has achieved proficiency in the Task of Project management - Level 5, OR: Has gained experience (typically seven years) in a relevant business environment involved in the introduction and use of IT, including demonstrable success in managing multiple projects.
• Has proven project management and leadership skills, and a good knowledge of business analysis, system development and IT service management. Knows own organisation's policy framework, management structures and reporting procedures for all aspects of the programme's environment. Has strong planning, communication and presentation skills, and is proficient in project quality management.
• Understands the principles of business and markets and has experience of relevant business sectors. Has proven project management and leadership skills, and a good knowledge of how to make and sustain a business case (the benefits that will be delivered and the investment cost). Demonstrates up to date knowledge of the organisation's business environment, policy framework, organisational relationships, business processes, and reporting procedures. Displays good inter-personal skills at all levels of contact and in a wide variety of situations, demonstrating the ability to listen and influence, and to relate to customers in their own language. Demonstrates sound practical knowledge of associated technical disciplines e.g. process re-design, systems development and service delivery. Uses high level of technical understanding to interpret technical issues for the business and sustain credibility with IT.
• Takes responsibility for investigative work to determine business opportunities, and specify effective business processes. Specifies their implementation through improvements in information systems, data management, practices, organisation and equipment. Applies and monitors the use of required modelling and analysis tools, methods and standards in an intelligent and effective way.
• Co-operates with senior client and IT staff as required, conducting investigations at a high level for strategy studies, requirements specifications and feasibility studies.
• Maintains technical awareness at a level where alternatives can be analysed, modelled and classified according to technical feasibility and non-functional characteristics. Ensures that views of all parties are considered, verified and validated within the stakeholder community. Ensures appropriate prioritisation is applied to meet business objectives.
• Utilises business experience and skills to assess and advise on the practicability of alternatives, marrying up technical limitations with operational realities.
• Takes responsibility as needed for the detailed specification and modelling of recommended solutions using resources, standards, methods and tools as required. Maintains links with appropriate counterparts within both software engineering and service delivery functions and plays a full part in bringing systems to implementation as detailed by organisation policies and methods.
• Plans, arranges and facilitates meetings, workshops and relations with client/user staff during system investigations and throughout subsequent development work.
• Defines, plans and justifies (in business terms) projects to develop/implement automated and non-automated components of new or changed processes.
• Assists clients/users in defining acceptance tests for automated systems, and takes responsibility for their proper execution.
• Within a small to medium scale change programme, plans, directs, and co-ordinates the programme's projects and other activities, from contract/proposal initiation to benefit realisation, on behalf of senior management, to ensure optimum efficiency in the allocation of common resources and skills.
• Determines, monitors, and reviews all programme economics to include programme time & costs, projected operational costs, staffing requirements, programme resources, and programme risk.
• Leads the programme team(s) in determining business requirements and translating requirements into service design and operational plans, developing and maintaining the appropriate environment to support project managers, including the processes and practices for managing projects and the training and coaching of project managers and teams.
• Plans, schedules, monitors, and reports on overall progress and initiates corrective action, as appropriate, to ensure that programme deliverables are produced on time and within budget.
• Manages exceptions, slippage and issues of priority, and initiates extra activities wherever gaps in the programme are identified.
• Ensures coherence of the programme, by monitoring changes within the programme scope. Reassesses whether projects continue to meet business objectives.

Qualifications

• Educated to bachelor degree level or holds a relevant professional qualification.

Relevant Qualifications:

• IS Project Management (Higher Level)
• Business Analysis Diploma (Higher Level)
• Practitioner Certificate in Managing Successful Programmes
• Chartered IT Professional (CITP)

Benefits

• Competitive salary and bonus scheme
• Hybrid working
• Rentokil Initial Reward Scheme
• 23 days holiday, plus 8 bank holidays
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Death in service benefit
• Healthcare
• Free parking

At Rentokil Initial, our customers and colleagues represent diverse backgrounds and experiences. We take pride in being an equal opportunity employer, actively encouraging applications from individuals from all walks of life. Our belief is that everyone irrespective of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs, has the potential to thrive and contribute.

We embrace the differences that make each of our colleagues unique, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can be their authentic selves and feel a sense of belonging. To ensure that your journey with us is accessible if you have any individual requirements we invite you to communicate any specific needs or preferences you may have during any stage of the recruitment process. Our team is available to support you; feel free to reach out to ([e-mail]) if you need anything.

Be Yourself in Your Application! At Rentokil Initial, we value innovation, but we want to see the real you! While AI can help with structure and grammar, make sure your application shows your true passion and understanding of the role. A personal touch will help you stand out.