Lead Project/Programme Manager

Here at Volo Commerce, we’re far more than just a software company, we’re set to create the world’s most successful community of online multi-channel sellers, delivering excellence to this multi-million pound market.

Volo enables retailers to distribute their products and seamlessly scale up their operation through the ever increasing number of marketplaces on the web, such as eBay and Amazon. Our solution integrates with our customers online sales process, simplifying and automating tasks such as inventory management, product listing and scheduling, sales order processing, payment and dispatch, customer communications and accounts posting.

Our organisation has had significant investment over the past few years and we are excited by our ambitious plans for expanding our customer base in the UK and also moving into new markets in the USA.

As a hands on lead agile Project/Programme Manager (APM) at Volo you will join a leading Multi-Channel ecommerce company adopting a business wide initiative to take a customer centric approach to better respond to changes in customer behaviour and needs.

Acting as both an overall Portfolio/Programme Manager and hands on agile Project Manager you will ensure all programme budgets are set and managed accurately, and will anticipate and manage any risks or issues. Responsible for planning, leading, organising, risk management, efficient programme schedules and motivating agile project teams to achieve a high level of performance and quality in delivering agile projects that provide exceptional business value to users. It's your job to keep all the players coordinated on the project's progress and deadlines from idea to full market launch. You will be the primary contact for senior external stakeholders with regards to programme delivery, and responsible for managing both internal and external programme and project teams.

You will work on a rolling project portfolio comprising 8 - 10 in flight projects, whilst managing a direct team of Project Managers and Business Analysts. It's a great opportunity to be part of a fresh agile team, who are working on an exciting programme that will propel numerous well-known brands.

• Programme Planning & Management: Leading a team of Project Managers & Business Analysts to shape a successful portfolio of business & technical projects to enable efficient continual delivery. Accountable for the successful delivery of all projects to time, cost and quality.
• Project Planning and Management: Define project scope and schedule while focusing on regular and timely delivery of value; organise and lead project status and working meetings; prepare and distribute progress reports; manage risks and issues; correct deviations from plans; lead decision making forums and perform delivery planning for assigned projects.
• KPI & Success Criteria Report: Develop and deliver measurement, reporting, and analysis to quantify and understand impact of programs.
• Team Management: Assist in direct team and wider team development while holding teams accountable for their commitments, removing roadblocks to their work.
• Leveraging organisational resources to improve capacity for project work; and mentoring and developing team members.
• Product Owner Support: Support the Product Owner in managing customer expectations for project deliverables, managing stakeholder communications, and helping to implement an effective system of project governance.
• Process Management and Improvement: Define, implement and manage a well-defined project management process and champion ongoing process improvement initiatives to implement best practices for Agile Project Management.
• Team building: promote empowerment of the team, ensure that each team member is fully engaged in the project and making a meaningful contribution, and encourage a sustainable pace with high-levels of quality for the team.
• Motivation: Share and weave your contagious positive passion into everything so our customers are truly at the heart of what we do.
• Communications: Providing regular clear communications at all levels throughout the organisation to ensure transparency and quick decision making.
• Demonstrated application of leadership skills as an Agile Coach that resulted in high-performing Agile teams.

• Strong decision and collaboration skills and ability to motivate teams rapidly from concept to execution within aggressive timeframes.
• You will have demonstrable experience in leading and managing teams, and delivering business change.
• Solid understanding of software development life cycle models as well as expert knowledge of both Agile and traditional project management principles and practices and the ability to blend them together in the right proportions to fit a project and business environment to achieve the right balance of agility and predictability.
• A proven track record of successfully implementing software, web development, data integrations or middleware projects using Agile methodologies.
• Balanced business/technical background.
• Sufficient level of technical background (dev, test, infrastructure, support) to provide highly-credible leadership to development teams and to be able to accurately and objectively evaluate complex project risks and issues.
• Ability to provide leadership to business analysts and collaborate with customers and develop strategies and solutions of high business value.
• Strong interpersonal skills including mentoring, coaching, collaborating, and team building.
• Strong analytical, planning, and organizational skills with an ability to manage competing demands.
• Creative approach to problem-solving with the ability to focus on details while maintaining the “big picture” view.
• You will have experienced how best to effectively resource projects and manage relationships with stakeholders, including all project contributors, business sponsors and suppliers.
• Excellent people management skills with a natural ability to proactively give constructive feedback and acts positively on feedback given. Promotes a coaching culture & player/coach mentality.
• Proven ability to encourage and develop teamwork across groups within a matrix organisation
• Naturally accountable and responsible.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills (written and verbal) to all levels of an organisation both business and IT including exec level.
• Strong facilitation skills (requirements sessions, design meetings, progress and status meetings).

• Appropriate Degree or Similar Qualification.
• Knowledge of the Tech and ecommerce / Marketplace industries including: eBay, Amazon & Rakuten.
• Strong technical proficiency (web, Software development, middleware systems, ESB, ETL).
• Industry recognized certifications related to Agile such as Scrum Master, Scrum Coach, etc.
• Solid understanding of and demonstrated experience in using appropriate tools.
• Agile Project Management tools such as Jira, Rally, VersionOne or equivalent.
• Highly motivated self-starter who is a team-player and is passionate about the success of others.
• Previous success in defining, implementing new processes & ways of working across multiple teams.

• Spirit of Adventure.
• Transformational Growth Through Partnership.
• Experience The Difference.
• Pride in our community.

• Competitive salary plus benefits
• 25 days of annual holiday plus your birthday off as well
• Relaxed dress code
• An ever-changing growth environment with plenty of opportunity to develop your career