The posting
To lead the effective delivery of SANS EMEA training programmes, acting as the client-facing delivery owner for assigned programmes and ensuring delivery activity is planned, coordinated, tracked and communicated effectively.
The Service Delivery Lead is responsible for managing programme delivery from mobilisation through to completion, including client and stakeholder management, learner experience, instructor and course coordination, programme plans, risks, issues, actions, reporting, financial tracking and delivery outcomes.
Working within agreed PMO governance, the role ensures programme information is accurate, risks and dependencies are visible, decisions are escalated appropriately, and delivery remains aligned to agreed scope, timelines, quality standards and commercial expectations.
The role may provide delivery feasibility input into new or developing opportunities, but primary accountability is for successful programme delivery and client-facing ownership once work is agreed.
Key Responsibilities
Programme Delivery Ownership
- Lead the mobilisation, delivery and close-down of assigned SANS EMEA training programmes, academies, pilots and customer-specific projects.
- Act as the client-facing delivery owner for assigned programmes, ensuring clear communication, agreed expectations and effective follow-through.
- Develop, maintain and proactively manage programme plans, actions, risks, issues, dependencies and delivery milestones.
- Coordinate delivery requirements across learners, clients, instructors, internal teams, partners and external stakeholders.
- Ensure programme activity remains aligned to agreed scope, timelines, quality standards, learner/client experience and commercial expectations.
- Manage multiple programmes or workstreams at the same time, balancing priorities without compromising quality or delivery.
Programme Scoping and Delivery Feasibility Support
- Provide delivery input into the scoping of new or developing programmes, academies and customer-specific projects.
- Support the assessment of implementation requirements, timelines, resources, dependencies, risks and delivery feasibility.
- Contribute delivery insight to proposals, statements of work or planning discussions where required.
- Work with New Business, Centre of Excellence, PMO and relevant stakeholders to ensure proposed delivery models are practical, clearly understood and aligned to operational capacity.
- Use lessons learned from existing programmes to inform future programme planning and delivery improvements.
Client, Learner and Stakeholder Management
- Provide a professional single point of contact for assigned clients and programme stakeholders.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with clients, sponsors, learners, instructors, internal teams, contractors and delivery partners.
- Ensure learner and client communications are timely, accurate and aligned to programme requirements.
- Coordinate or oversee key delivery touchpoints, including kick-off meetings, update meetings, learner communications, delivery briefings and close-out activity.
- Escalate risks, issues, decisions or client concerns promptly through the agreed route.
PMO Governance, Reporting and Delivery Control
- Work within agreed PMO governance, using standard templates, reporting rhythms, RAID processes, action logs and documentation standards.
- Ensure assigned programmes have accurate and up-to-date plans, trackers, RAID inputs, decision logs, lessons learned and supporting documentation.
- Provide regular reporting to the Senior Programme and Strategic Operations Manager, Head of Programmes, PMO and relevant stakeholders as required.
- Maintain appropriate version control and ensure programme information is stored in the agreed location and format.
- Ensure lessons learned are captured, reported and turned into actionable improvements.
Financial, Resource and Operational Management
- Monitor and report on programme spending associated with assigned activity, escalating variances early.
- Coordinate delivery requirements including instructor availability, course scheduling, licences, materials, collateral, webcasts, venues, logistics and external support.
- Maintain visibility of resource requirements, operational dependencies and delivery constraints.
- Work with internal teams and external partners to ensure delivery requirements are understood, planned and completed on time.
- Support go / no-go decisions by providing accurate delivery information, risks, options and recommendations.
Delivery Improvement and Lessons Learned
- Identify opportunities to improve delivery processes, documentation, communication and handoffs.
- Contribute to consistent and scalable ways of working across the Programme team.
- Support post-programme review activity, including lessons learned, case studies, statistics and impact reporting where required.
- Share learning and good practice with Service Delivery Leads, Project Coordinators and the wider Programme team.
Other Responsibilities
- Assist in wider industry engagement activity where linked to assigned programme delivery.
- Manage relevant external event staff, contractors or suppliers where required.
- Carry out other reasonable duties consistent with the nature and level of the role.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
Essential Experience
- Demonstrable experience of working on both small and large scale projects/programmes
- Strong experience of risk and issue management within a project/programme environment.
- Experience of organising and prioritising multiple activities, managing completing prioritise and working to agreed deadlines.
Knowledge/Skills
- Strong client relationship management skills both external and internal.
- Critical thinking, analytical, problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and professionally with a range of audiences.
- Ability to build positive working relationships and work collaboratively with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders.
- Strong presentation skills.
- Strong planning, organisation skills with the ability to prioritise workloads and resources to optimise delivery, quality and meet customer needs.
- Ability to negotiate with effective conflict management skills.
- PC literate with good MS Office skills.
- Ability to adapt plans and priorities in response to changing programme requirements while continuing to meet agreed deadlines.
Personal Attributes
- Enthusiastic, proactive and solution-focused, with a positive “can-do” attitude and willingness to go the extra mile when required.
- Able to work in high pressure situations, deadline driven with excellent time management skills.
- Works collaboratively as part of a team while being able to manage individual responsibilities effectively.
- Flexible and adaptable approach to responsibilities and working hours.
- Committed to providing a professional and responsive service to colleagues, partners and programme stakeholders.
- Able and willing to travel as required by the role.
Education/Qualifications
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
Desirable Experience
- Demonstrable monitoring, evaluation, impact and learning experience.
- Experience working across different countries, regions, cultures and/or time zones.
- Experience supporting education, training, skills development or similar programmes.
- Background and/or interest in Cyber Security.
Education/Qualifications
- Project Management qualification such as Prince 2 or Agile
