Programme Manager

Job Introduction

Selfridges has always been much more than a shop. We’re a social space where everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging, a creative playground where culture and commerce collide, and an experimental hub where you can discover the most innovative and sustainable ideas in retail. We’re here to help make the world brighter. And you can be an important part of this. We’ll talk more about the role below, but before we get to that, let’s share with you the good stuff…  

Rewards and benefits 

Life at Selfridges is dynamic, exciting, and always evolving. As well as working with some of the most cutting-edge, iconic and boundary-pushing brands, designers and creatives, we also offer our team members opportunities to help make a positive difference through our network of communities, both within and outside Selfridges. Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or working remotely 

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• Annual travel pass and cycle-to-work schemes  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme 

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Role Responsibility

The Programme Manager is accountable for the successful delivery of all elements of IT programmes under their remit on behalf of Selfridges. Programme Managers will engage closely with stakeholders across the business to manage overall delivery, budgets, timelines, risks and issues, handover of services to support and the realisation of benefits.  Programme Managers will line manage Project Managers and matrix-manage individuals in other areas of the delivery organisation. This is a role requiring strong leadership and flexibility of approach to deliver the best outcomes for the Selfridges business.

As the Programme Manager you will:

• Deliver complex programmes with multiple business and technical risks that will impact the success of key Selfridges business priorities.
• Initiate and shape programmes with ambiguous scope and uncertain delivery approach.
• Track project/programme finances, balancing spend to release benefit and ensuring that Selfridges obtains value for the investment it makes.
• Add value to vendor selection processes (tendering, SLAs, warranty, outsourcing etc.).
• Be able to foresee potential risks and issues, establish a process, facilitate discussion and manage escalations.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on programme delivery (mentoring project managers and supporting other teams across IS and the business).
• ØBe able to understand a technical architecture to be able to foresee the impact on dependencies, delivery timelines and implementation plans.
• Have a good knowledge of software integration, engineering and infrastructure practices and implementation to appreciate delivery challenges.
• Understand modern technology concepts, grasp new ones quickly and appreciate their implications on delivery.
• Build positive relationships with suppliers & external stakeholders to deliver software or professional services.

This guide represents a summary of the role, however all team members are expected to be flexible in the work they undertake, which may change from time to time, according to the needs of the business

The Ideal Candidate

• Already successfully led complex technology and business change programmes. These will have been achieved across multiple teams and most probably multiple locations.
• Worked for a retailer with a strong digital and physical presence and you will understand what the customer experience needs to look like across channels.
• The ability to explain & influence why the customer journey needs to be understood end-to-end, so that we can drive out the best customer experience.
• An understanding of what it means to be the conscience of the customer and consider the customer in all of your decisions and interactions.
• A track record of building strong relationships across senior stakeholders and of positively influencing senior management and leadership teams.
• Experience as part of the Senior Management group within your current role and are looking to develop your career further. You will be comfortable with engagement from team members on the shop/warehouse floor, to the exec team.
• Leadership skills, you will balance the delivery of programmes with the development of your teams, ensuring that we live the Selfridges values.
• Been leading a team – whether direct reports or a matrix. You understand what it takes to build a high-performing team and make your team a great place to work.
• Retail experience that is strong, with exposure across the value chain and channels.
• Seen first-hand how customers are being more technology led in their decision making and also that the experience matters as much as the transaction.  
• Experience of coaching peers and other roles, teaching where required, on methodologies and programme management tools and coach/mentor on leadership.
• Played an active role in previous programme delivery communities – you are able to proactively influence your team, building on capabilities and increasing the capacity to deliver change

About the Company

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges