Delivery Manager

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Application Delivery Manager Permanent Manchester Salary : 77,100 - 87,200

Working arrangements:
Hybrid, with two days a week in the office including Thursday as the team anchor day Shape how enterprise applications change is delivered across AQA.This is a new senior leadership role with the scope to shape AQA’s Enterprise Applications delivery approach. You’ll bring internal teams, specialist partners and matrix-managed resources together to deliver high-quality, impactful change across a growing software portfolio that includes Dynamics 365, Power Platform and enterprise AI.

Your decisions will help AQA maximise our growing technology investment and support the services colleagues and customers rely on to deliver fair assessment for learners.

You’ll join the Enterprise Applications leadership team and lead the functional technology change delivery teams. This is an IT leadership role focused on building Product development delivery capability and achieving business outcomes.  You’ll own the view of delivery demand, capacity and capability, make evidence-led choices about priorities and sourcing to optimise the blended operating model that can grow with AQA’s  this role, you'll be responsible for:leading multidisciplinary internal Functional teams, supplier partners and matrix-managed business analysis and testing resources as one coordinated delivery function agreeing priorities and allocating capacity across strategic projects, product enhancements and releases resolving resource pressures, challenging unrealistic demand and escalating material risks with clear options holding internal teams and delivery partners to account for quality, pace, value, risk and agreed outcomes strengthening Agile delivery, governance, quality assurance, testing, release management and documentation building a forward view of demand, skills, capacity and sourcing needs as the application portfolio grows coaching your direct reports, developing capability and creating clear ownership for successful transition into live service

You’ll thrive in this role if you have:

You’ll be comfortable making decisions across a complex portfolio while bringing people with you and keeping the focus on achievable outcomes.demonstrable experience leading enterprise SaaS application delivery teams, including internal specialists and third-party partners knowledge of cloud SaaS change delivery, ideally across Dynamics 365, Power Platform or enterprise AI, or closely transferable platforms knowledge of optimal uses of AI within enterprise solutions and to enhance software delivery processes expert applied knowledge of change delivery methods, including Agile, and tools such as Azure Dev Ops evidence of prioritising competing demand, allocating constrained resources and turning strategy into realistic delivery plansthe ability to influence senior stakeholders, challenge constructively and lead people through change

What’s in it for you?

The opportunity to shape an evolving function, influence important technology decisions and make a meaningful contribution to education while growing your leadership impact.a 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working
25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30, plus Christmas closure daysa benefits package including up to 11.5% pension contribution, Bupa healthcare support, wellbeing programmes and volunteering opportunities the chance to lead change across a growing enterprise SaaS portfolio and help embed AI-enabled improvement an inclusive, values-led culture with employee…