UK IT Programme Manager

DP World in the UK is at the heart of Britain’s trading future, providing world-class port infrastructure, smart logistics solutions and the benefits of freeport status to our customers.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within our UK Information Technology team for a UK IT Programme Manager. This is a senior, business-critical role with responsibility for the end-to-end oversight, coordination and governance of complex, multi-disciplinary IT programmes that support DP World’s terminal operations and strategic objectives.

The UK IT Programme Manager plays a pivotal role in driving the successful delivery of a portfolio of interdependent initiatives spanning systems, applications, development, infrastructure, networks, service delivery, operational technology, and cyber security. The role provides structure, governance, and leadership from early discovery and planning through to design, delivery, deployment, and post-implementation stabilisation — ensuring outcomes are operationally resilient, secure, and aligned with business priorities.

The incumbent is accountable for programme direction, dependency management, risk and issue control, stakeholder engagement, and supplier performance, ensuring delivery across both DP World London Gateway and DP World Southampton meets agreed scope, cost, timeline, and quality expectations. The role is located in the UK and may be based at either facility, with regular travel required between both terminals.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end leadership and governance for a UK IT programme portfolio, ensuring initiatives across systems, applications, infrastructure, networking, cyber security, and service delivery align with business objectives.
• Set clear programme direction, priorities, and delivery structure, managing interdependencies, risks, issues, and change across multiple workstreams.
• Oversee the full programme lifecycle, including discovery, requirements definition, planning, design and architecture approvals, delivery, testing, deployment, and benefits realisation.
• Maintain robust programme governance artefacts, such as integrated plans, RAID logs, dependency maps, change controls, readiness assessments, and cutover plans.
• Coordinate delivery across IT teams, operations, engineering functions, and external suppliers to ensure cohesive planning, testing, transition, and implementation.
• Ensure technical, security, and operational readiness standards are met, securing necessary approvals prior to go-live and handover to BAU.
• Monitor programme performance against milestones, budgets, quality, and risk thresholds, taking early intervention to resolve blockers and maintain momentum.
• Lead programme-wide testing coordination (including functional, UAT, performance, resilience, and integration testing) to ensure dependencies and readiness criteria are met.
• Support secure-by-design delivery by collaborating with Architecture, Cyber Security, and Engineering teams to address risks, controls, and compliance.
• Manage third-party vendors and delivery partners, ensuring accountability for outcomes and adherence to contractual/service obligations.
• Provide structured programme reporting to sponsors and senior leadership, highlighting progress, risks, dependencies, and actionable decisions.
• Foster cross-terminal and regional alignment by building strong working relationships with UK terminals, regional IT, and Group IT to support broader organisational objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to optimise delivery approaches, infrastructure outcomes, and operational readiness.