Project Manager - Technical Readiness Lead

Overview

The Project Manager - Technical Readiness Lead will coordinate technology, application, environment, configuration, testing and technical readiness activity required for new client onboarding. The role bridges client requirements, business readiness, operations, change management and technical teams to ensure applications, interfaces, access, fund setup and model office dependencies are ready to support launch or conversion.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical readiness planning across application onboarding, environment setup, configuration and system dependency management.
• Coordinate due diligence and requirements gathering related to client interfaces, application setup and technical operating model impacts.
• Work with Business Readiness, Operations Readiness, Change Management, Development and testing teams to identify technical gaps and solutions.
• Oversee readiness for application set-up, fund/account/broker configuration, reporting matrix mapping and self-service/product functionality where relevant.
• Ensure business requirements, design walkthroughs, functional test plans, implementation sessions and technical readiness actions are completed.
• Coordinate UAT/model office dependencies for system enhancements, new operating models and connectivity requirements.
• Manage technical risks, issues, triage activity and escalation where delivery dependencies threaten onboarding milestones.
• Support development of execution plans, questionnaires, setup forms and implementation documentation.
• Provide progress reporting on technical readiness activities to project governance forums.
• Ensure transition and go-live readiness includes access, environment, configuration and production support handover considerations.

Deliverables:

• Technical readiness plan and action tracker.
• Application/environment setup checklist.
• Client interface and connectivity requirements log.
• Configuration and fund setup readiness tracker.
• Technical gap analysis and solution decision log.
• UAT/model office technical input pack and defect/triage tracker.
• Access requirements matrix and evidence of completion.
• Implementation support plan and transition/go-live technical readiness inputs.
• Technical risk, issue and dependency reporting pack.

Governance Responsibilities:

• Maintain technical readiness governance across requirements, design, test, setup, access and implementation checkpoints.
• Contribute technical readiness status to client-facing and internal governance forums.
• Ensure technical risks, issues and dependencies are visible in the programme RAID process.
• Maintain evidence of completed setup, testing, sign-off and readiness controls.
• Support compliance with internal control, legal, regulatory and client requirements as part of technical implementation activity.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or relevant professional qualification.
• PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent project/programme management certification.
• Experience with implementation lifecycle, SDLC documentation, UAT, model office, transition planning or business readiness activity.
• Knowledge of compliance, AML, data protection, financial crime prevention, client asset or regulated operating environments.
• Experience with Transfer Agency applications, iFast or similar financial services platforms, fund setup, interfaces, reporting setup or product testing.

Essential skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to simplify complex delivery information for senior stakeholders and clients.
• Strong organisation, prioritisation and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams under tight deadlines.
• Proactive problem solving, issue resolution, escalation management and the ability to create momentum across teams.
• Confident use of Microsoft Office tools, project plans, status reports, RAID logs, runbooks and governance materials.
• Ability to bridge business requirements and technical delivery, ensuring requirements are clear, testable and traceable.
• Strong analytical and documentation skills, particularly for requirements, gaps, dependencies, access, configuration and test readiness.

Experience

• Experience delivering complex client-facing onboarding, conversion, launch or transformation projects in a regulated financial services environment.
• Strong project delivery discipline, including planning, dependency management, risk and issue management, reporting and stakeholder communications.
• Experience operating in a matrix environment with multiple internal functions, senior stakeholders, client contacts and third-party dependencies.
• Practical experience managing documentation, sign-offs, governance packs, workstream status and delivery artefacts through the project lifecycle.
• Experience coordinating technical, application, configuration, testing or environment readiness activity in financial services onboarding/change programmes.
• Experience supporting UAT, model office, SDLC documentation, implementation sessions, defect triage or production readiness activities.
• Understanding of Transfer Agency operations, mutual fund products, operating models, fund setup, client servicing and distribution channels.
• Familiarity with regulated financial services controls, quality standards, operational risk, legal/risk/compliance review and client governance.
• Awareness of onboarding concepts including due diligence, gap analysis, TOM design, fund flow, reporting matrix, SLA/KPI/MIS and handover planning.
• Knowledge of TA applications, fund setup, client interfaces, reporting matrices, operational applications, model office and testing dependencies.

Stakeholder Management Requirements:

• Coordinate closely with Business Readiness, Operations Readiness, Operations, Change Management, Development, testing, client technology contacts and vendors where applicable.
• Translate client and operational requirements into clear technical readiness actions and accountabilities.
• Facilitate conversations between business SMEs and technical teams to resolve gaps, configuration questions, testing issues and implementation dependencies.
• Escalate readiness issues clearly with impact, owner, target date and decision required.
• Maintain transparent communication with programme/project management on technical critical path items.

Benefits

At Expleo, we are committed to providing a competitive salary and substantial benefits offering with unique wellbeing, financial and employee recognition programmes.

We pride ourselves on our diverse and inclusive culture and offer a variety of family friendly policies and enhanced leave to help you achieve a healthy work life balance.

By providing significant learning and development opportunities, we encourage individual growth and success throughout your career with us.

• Collaborative working environment - we stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients and our peers through good times and challenges
• We empower all passionate technology loving professionals by allowing them to expand their skills and take part in inspiring projects
• Expleo Academy - enables you to acquire and develop the right skills by delivering a suite of accredited training courses
• Competitive company benefits such as medical and dental insurance, pension, life assurance, employee wellbeing programme, sports and social events, birthday hampers and much more!
• Always working as one team, our people are not afraid to think big and question the status quo.

"We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age".

At Expleo, we understand that many people experience impostor syndrome throughout their lifetime, please do not let this discourage you from applying for this role. Our Talent Acquisition Team welcomes all CV's and will consider your application in line with the values, requirements and role competencies.