Innovation Delivery Lead

The Innovation Delivery Lead reports to the Head of Innovation & Emerging Technology, within the IT CTO function, ensures the successful delivery of technical solutions, prototypes and proposals that are aligned with our Innovation strategies.

This role is pivotal in managing delivery and operational aspects, driving significant business value from the Innovation function. The Delivery Lead oversees all innovation initiatives, removes blockers, facilitates progress, and maintains a focus on achieving quarterly targets and managing demands.

Additionally, the role involves engaging with external suppliers to ensure optimal delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain a high-level plan, across all Innovation initiatives, to deliver within budgetary constraints, regularly reviewing and updating it as necessary. This includes planning and coordinating with SI / suppliers.
• Track, remove, and escalate impediments and blockers at the department level to maintain value flow.
• Develop and monitor OKRs and key performance indicators, for the Innovation team, maintaining control on delivery performance and costs.
• Inspire and lead the technical team, embodying high standards of product delivery, whilst maintaining the spirit of building prototypes in an Innovation / Experimental environment.
• Foster a positive team culture reflecting communication, equality, reward, recognition, and enjoyment.
• Manage and forecast resource plans in collaboration with the Innovation Technical Lead, ensuring alignment with future resourcing strategies.
• Monitor and review progress on the strategy and plan, updating and evolving as required with senior stakeholder support.
• Ensure project initiatives follow the Admiral Governance Gateway processes for delivery.
• Uphold values of productivity, quality, transparency, and openness over internal politics.
• Ensure team ceremonies such as Monthly Planning, Weekly Scrum of Scrums, and Sprint Demos are conducted with a focus on value return.
• Drive collaboration and a continuous improvement mindset across the team.   

Experience and Skills Required

• Excellent Project Management knowledge and experience, particularly in an agile environment.
• Extensive experience in Solution delivery, preferably in an Innovation setting.
• Excellent communicator with ability to negotiate, influence and explain, particularly to large business teams and geographically distant area
• Able to lead calmly through periods of high pressure whilst inspiring people and teams to achieve excellence and grow their skills
• Experienced budget management skills Experience of designing and delivering business solutions
• Experience in SLA development & management
• Good knowledge and experience with line management through both coaching and mentoring techniques
• Knowledge and experience of Agile development techniques like: User Stories, Continuous Integration, ATDD - Acceptance Test Driven Development, TDD - Test-driven development, Continuous Testing, Pairing and Automated Testing
• Knowledge and experience in Scrum development practices and continuous integration & deployment
• Knowledge and experience with 3rd party service providers including facilitation of RFP, onboarding, and performance management (design of SLA and overall KPI)
• Experience and awareness of IT architectural governance, standards and methodology
• Knowledge and understanding of cross-function and shared service dependencies and levers available to address those dependencies
• Knowledge of identification and management of engineering, design and testing standards and practices that comply with internal organisation IT governance and architectural standards within a heavily regulated environment.
• Knowledge and experience in the use of tools such as: Jira, Confluence etc.

Training Requirements

• SAFe® 5 Agilist certification
• Agile Management Foundation
• Scrum Master certification (CSM Certified Scrum Master, PSM – Professional Scrum Master)

Admiral: Where You Can

We take pride in being a diverse and inclusive business. It's a place where you can Be You, and show up as you are. We’re committed to fostering a people-first culture where everyone is accepted, supported, and empowered to be brilliant. You can, Grow And Progress at a pace and direction that suits you, Make A Difference for our customers and each other, and Share in Our Future with all colleagues eligible for up to £3,600 of free shares each year after one year of service.

Everyone receives 33 days holiday (including bank holidays) when they join us, increasing the longer you stay with us, up to a maximum of 38 days (including bank holidays). You also have the option to buy or sell up to an additional five days of annual leave.

We’re proud of our people-first culture. In fact, we've been recognised as a Great Place to Work for Women, a Great Place to Work for Wellbeing, and an overall Great Place to Work for over 25 years! We’re fully committed to making sure your progression is not slowed or halted by barriers related to race, gender, age, sexuality or any of the protected characteristics.

Our fantastic benefits make sure our colleagues have a great work-life balance; You can view some of our other key benefits here.

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