Lorien
Senior Program Director
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Senior Programme Director - Core Banking Transformation
Contract-to-Permanent Opportunity
Edinburgh / London (Hybrid) | Executive Leadership Role | Competitive Day Rate + Permanent Option
Lead One of the UK's Most Ambitious Banking Transformations
We're seeking an experienced Programme Director to spearhead a large-scale Core Banking Modernisation programme for a leading retail banking organisation.
This is a unique contract-to-permanent opportunity for a senior transformation leader who thrives in complex environments and wants to leave a lasting legacy. You'll initially join on a contract basis to lead a strategic transformation programme, with a clear pathway into a permanent leadership position as the programme evolves.
Working closely with executive stakeholders, technology leadership, architecture teams, and business leaders, you'll be responsible for shaping and delivering the future banking platform that will underpin the organisation's growth, innovation, and customer experience for years to come.
The Role
This is a high-profile leadership position with responsibility for driving a multi-year transformation programme focused on modernising core banking capabilities, simplifying legacy platforms, and enabling next-generation digital banking services.
You will own programme strategy, delivery governance, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and benefits realisation while ensuring business continuity throughout a complex transformation journey.
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Key Responsibilities
- Lead the end-to-end delivery of a major Core Banking Modernisation programme.
- Define and execute the transformation roadmap aligned with business and technology strategy.
- Drive migration from legacy banking platforms to modern cloud-enabled architectures.
- Build strong partnerships across Technology, Operations, Product, Risk, and Executive leadership.
- Establish effective programme governance, controls, and reporting at Board and Executive level.
- Manage large multidisciplinary teams, third-party vendors, and systems integration partners.
- Ensure regulatory, operational resilience, and risk requirements are embedded throughout delivery.
- Deliver business outcomes through simplification, automation, and platform transformation.
- Create a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and delivery excellence.
What We're Looking For
Essential Experience
- Proven experience leading large-scale Core Banking or Banking Platform transformation programmes.
- Extensive background within Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, or Financial Services.
- Demonstrable success delivering complex technology transformation initiatives exceeding £50m+ budgets.
- Strong understanding of modern banking architecture, cloud technologies, APIs, and platform modernisation.
- Experience operating at Executive, CIO, CTO, and Board stakeholder level.
- Exceptional programme leadership, governance, and commercial management capability.
- Track record of leading large teams through significant organisational and technology change.
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Highly Desirable
- Core Banking migration experience.
- Banking platform replacement or modernisation programmes.
- Cloud transformation experience across large enterprise environments.
- Payments, Ledger, Deposits, Lending, or Customer Platform transformation expertise.
- Knowledge of modern engineering practices, automation, and AI-enabled operating models.
Why Join?
- Opportunity to lead a genuinely business-critical banking transformation.
- Significant influence over technology and business strategy.
- Direct engagement with senior executives and key decision makers.
- Contract flexibility with long-term permanent leadership prospects.
- Hybrid working with offices in Edinburgh and London.
- High-profile programme with substantial investment and executive sponsorship.
Ideal Background
We are particularly interested in candidates who have previously operated as:
- Programme Director
- Transformation Director
- Portfolio Director
- Core Banking Director
- Enterprise Transformation Lead
- Technology Delivery Director
within major retail banking, challenger banking, or financial services organisations.
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