Job Description

The VP of Programmes

The VP of Programmes is an executive leadership role with overall responsibility for the successful delivery, performance and strategic development of the organisation’s programme across the Leonardo Helicopters product portfolio. This role combines full programme lifecycle accountability with commercial, financial, and customer leadership.

Your Impact

As the VP of Programmes you will be accountable for the portfolio, P&L between £0.5bn - £1bn annually, and for ensuring that programmes are delivered in line with agreed business, customer, technical and financial objectives.

• Working across a geographically dispersed matrix organisation, the VP provides executive leadership and integration across functions, sites and countries, ensuring effective engagement, alignment, decision-making and delivery.
• This role is a senior point of contact for key customers across the UK and international markets and plays a leading role in business growth through the transition of successful bids into execution.
• Alongside responsibility for programme delivery, as the VP of Programmes, you will shape product investment priorities and programme strategy, ensuring that investment decisions support customer needs, business growth, technology development and long-term portfolio profitability.

For the awareness of internal applicants, this role is a JFF level 10.

In this position, you will be predominantly based on site with regular International travel.

What you will do as the VP of Programmes

• Own the overall delivery and performance across the Leonardo Helicopters UK Portfolio, accountable on behalf of the company for the successful delivery of allocated programmes and associated scope across technical, schedule, cost, quality and business performance.
• Provide strategic leadership to Programme Management, directing the Programme Management organisation and, where applicable, Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) to deliver contractual commitments, programme objectives and wider business requirements.
• Lead and influence across the enterprise, building effective relationships with internal stakeholders, customers, suppliers and partners to ensure alignment, resolve issues and drive successful programme outcomes – across geographies.
• Maintain the overall integrity, coherence and strategic direction, establishing and sustaining the environment, governance and management framework required to enable the successful delivery of individual programmes and projects, supported by the Programme Management Office (PMO).
• Ensure compliance with company policies, processes and governance, while promoting a culture of accountability, operational excellence, continuous improvement and high performance.
• Own programme authorisations and financial performance within the delegated level of accountability, ensuring effective control of expenditure, costs, commitments and benefits throughout the programme lifecycle.
• Drive programme profitability and business performance, taking appropriate action to optimise financial outcomes and ensure programmes deliver their expected value.
• Establish strong stakeholder alignment and integrated ways of working, ensuring effective collaboration across functions, business units, IPTs, customers and suppliers to achieve consistent quality and seamless programme integration.
• Ensure successful delivery of products, services and capabilities, meeting agreed requirements for quality, schedule, cost and performance in accordance with programme plans and governance arrangements.
• Lead effective executive-level communication, ensuring clear, timely and consistent communication with key stakeholders and maintaining confidence in programme performance and direction.
• Provide transparent performance reporting and executive oversight, reporting programme status, progress, risks, opportunities, financial performance and key decisions to appropriate internal management and customer forums.
• Own the management of programme risks and opportunities, ensuring robust mitigation, contingency and exploitation strategies are in place to protect programme outcomes and maximise value.
• Proactively intervene where performance, delivery or business objectives are at risk, initiating appropriate corrective actions, additional activities and management interventions to address gaps and maintain programme momentum.
• Define and maintain effective programme governance, establishing appropriate decision-making, accountability, assurance and escalation mechanisms in conjunction with the PMO.
• Build and develop high-performing Programme and Project teams, facilitating the appointment and deployment of the right leadership, expertise and capability to deliver programme objectives.