Programme Director

Programme Lead Outside IR35 | 4-month initial contract, August-November 2026 | Up to £1,200/day A well-established UK organisation is seeking an experienced Programme Lead to run the Pre-Discovery phase for a major data platform replacement programme. This is a high-visibility, Board-facing mandate: you'll be accountable for building the evidence base - stakeholder appetite, legal position, cost estimate and delivery plan - that determines whether a significant replacement programme gets the green light in November. What you'll be doing: • Appointing and managing an external consultancy through RFP and delivery • Leading stakeholder engagement to assess appetite, funding willingness and concerns around a replacement solution • Coordinating legal and commercial analysis on exit and transition considerations • Developing the 2027 Discovery & Design phase plan and cost estimate • Producing the Board recommendation, paper and mobilisation roadmap What you'll bring: • Strong track record in stakeholder consultation or market engagement programmes • Experience delivering large-scale technology or data programmes, ideally with TOM or major platform deployment experience • Comfort managing external consultancies/suppliers as well as internal delivery • Confident Board-level report writing and presentation skills • Genuine end-to-end programme ownership - this is a "figure it out and drive it" role, not a BAU delivery seat Process: Single-stage interview, moving quickly (1-2 weeks' notice acceptable).