Release Manager

Role Description

Join Allianz UK’s Service Delivery Team and play a pivotal role in shaping and maturing Release Management governance across our business. You will lead the operationalisation of a newly designed Release Management Governance & Control Framework, driving best practice, strengthening oversight, and helping to improve release delivery through effective governance, automation opportunities, and centralised release planning.

This role can be based in our Guildford, Bournemouth or Birmingham office. Please note that this is a hybrid working role with the expectation that you attend the office twice a week.

Pay: Up to £78,000 per year.

Pay is based on experience, skills and location and forms part of a competitive total rewards package.

• Own and operate the Release Readiness Assurance (RRA) process, assessing evidence submitted by delivery teams and issuing formal readiness decisions.
• Provide independent governance oversight for high-risk releases, ensuring deployment plans, risk assessments and readiness evidence meet agreed standards.
• Review and maintain oversight of the Forward Schedule of Change and Release Calendar, ensuring planned activity is fully documented and accurately reflected.
• Challenge delivery teams and suppliers where governance documentation, impact assessments or release plans do not meet required standards.
• Ensure Service Acceptance and Operational Readiness evidence is completed before release deployment.
• Produce governance reporting, insight and risk visibility for senior stakeholders and leadership teams.
• Identify trends and drive continuous improvement across release governance practices and controls.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of Allianz UK's Release Management framework, ensuring alignment with Allianz Group standards and regulatory expectations.
• Build trusted relationships with delivery teams, suppliers and business stakeholders, becoming the go‑to authority for release governance and assurance.

• Demonstrable experience in Release Management, Change Management or IT Governance.
• Strong understanding of governance oversight, assurance and control frameworks within technology environments.
• Experience participating in governance forums such as CAB, Release Readiness, Go/No-Go reviews or equivalent decision‑making bodies.
• Ability to make evidence‑based governance decisions, including withholding approval where standards have not been met.
• ITIL v4 qualification or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and challenge across technical, supplier and business audiences.
• Experience using Service Now, including Change Management and Forward Schedule of Change processes, or equivalent tooling.
• Excellent analytical and documentation skills with an evidence‑led approach to governance.
• Experience working in a regulated enterprise environment where compliance, auditability and risk management are key considerations.
• Understanding of Responsible Artificial Intelligence usage and opportunities to improve release management processes through automation and AI‑enabled capabilities.

We support the government scheme "Access to Work". Please feel free to ask us about the Access to Work scheme.

• Experience working within a SIAM or multi‑supplier operating model.
• Experience with in financial services or another highly regulated industry.
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks such as PRA, FCA or DORA.
• Exposure to large‑scale transformation programmes and complex multi‑team release events.
• Understanding of Agile, Dev Ops and modern software delivery methodologies.
• Experience supporting the implementation of governance frameworks and operating models.
• Familiarity with…