Program Lead

Our Purpose 

At Xero, we’re here to help you supercharge your business. We do this by automating routine tasks, surfacing actionable insights and connecting businesses with the right data, advisors and apps. When that happens, we’re not only making life better for small business, we’ll be building a stronger economy that can change the world.

The Program, Projects and Portfolio - P3 - team   exists to make sure that the people, processes, and priorities are in place to accelerate the delivery of the key cross functional strategic objectives. 

We deploy the best Portfolio, Program and Project  practices  to effectively prioritise, plan and monitor the execution of our strategic objectives. 

How you’ll make an impact

In this role, you will lead critical Programs and Projects from concept through to delivery and benefit realisation, largely related to Xero’s OKRs.

This role will be the conduit between Xero’s Executive Leadership Team, the Program, project and governance teams, and be responsible for the overall planning and scoping to deliver the Program objectives. You’ll ensure the project teams utilise appropriate project delivery methodologies, frameworks, and processes to deliver the Program successfully. 

Key to the success of this role will be the ability to apply fit-for-purpose structure and process and a flexible approach. You will work with a wide range of stakeholders and teams that work in different ways, and have the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with those stakeholders and teams. You will own the company-wide engagement and commitment to delivering the outcome and benefits of the Program, by being a strong advocate, owning and selling the outcome and benefits, keeping stakeholders engaged, updated and on board with progress.

• Lead the overall strategy and direction of the Program to ensure our OKRs are achieved
• Ensure that the outcomes and deliverables for the Program are well defined and understood by all key stakeholders
• Establish, lead and chair Program and project governance group/s
• Key liaison between Xero’s Executive Leadership Team (XLT), Board, governance/steering groups, senior leadership and Program/project sponsor/s
• Identify internal dependent teams and influence/drive prioritisation for the delivery of your program
• Continuously identify ways to accelerate delivery and define The Ask on behalf of your program
• Collation and simplification of detailed Program plans to senior leadership 
• Ensure that Program benefits are defined and that an appropriate realisation plan is developed to track benefit delivery
• Review and manage overall Program risks
• Lead the development of initiatives and projects into structured Programs 
• Report on the progress of the Program, including risks and issues/problems and solutions
• Embrace and champion the Program and  related projects and drive the delivery of the change to a high standard
• Have sight across the spectrum of project delivery activity from coordination to management, owning the outcome
• Develop repeatable processes where practicable to increase efficiency in Program delivery
• Vendor recruitment and management where required
• Be a part of recruitment, staff induction and training where required
• Be a point of escalation for project staff across the Program
• Leadership and mentoring of project and portfolio teams
• Travel as required, most likely nationally. 

• Experience
• Experience working within a modern software company and understand SaaS models and principles
• Experience leading high-profile, complex transformational programs of work and projects
• Experience using Agile/iterative and waterfall based delivery methods
• Demonstrated experience in working in either Tech, Product or Customer focused areas
• 10+ years demonstrated experience leading and delivering projects 
• 3 + years demonstrated experience of leading and delivering programs
• Demonstrated vendor management
• Demonstrated stakeholder management across C level / senior leadership. 
• Critical competencies
• Leadership. Demonstrates honesty and integrity. Provides objectives and goals with loose guidelines/directions. Clearly communicates expectations. Has an open mind and the flexibility to change opinions. Develops and supports others.
• Strategic thinker who can identify dependencies and upcoming risks
• Influencing skills and stakeholder management
• Understanding of business processes, structures and organisations
• High EQ, with ability to be flexible/find the best suited delivery methods for the teams you are working with
• Strong communication skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Experience working with Executive and C level, demonstrated experience preparing / reporting to Board level
• Experience as part of, or leading Governance groups. 

Why Xero? 

Offering very generous paid leave to use however you’d like (plus statutory holidays!), dedicated paid leave to care for your physical and mental wellbeing as well as an Employee Assistance Program to access mental health care for you and your family, health insurance, life insurance, and income protection, wellbeing and sports programmes, employee resource groups, 26 weeks of paid parental leave for primary caregivers, an Employee Share Plan, beautiful offices, flexible working, career development, and many other benefits that reflect our human value, you’ll do the best work of your life at Xero.