Payroll Implementation Engagement Manager

The Implementation Engagement Manager will support the Engagement Directors, responsible for Implementation project governance, customer relationship management and supporting sales growth in one of three market segments - strategic and enterprise, mid market or public sector.

A highly external facing role, you'll support the Implementation project teams and the commercial/sales teams on an engagement by engagement basis to achieve the outcomes committed to the customer. You'll be extremely credible with customers, have a strong growth and governance track record and be able to energise and motivate a team who has come together for the specific engagement.

Under the overall governance of the Engagement Directors, the Engagement Manager will own the project P&L, customer satisfaction and achievement of customer benefits and implementation quality measures. You'll be able to manage customer dissatisfaction swiftly and effectively without creating unnecessary commercial exposure. The Engagement Manager is expected to have close working relationships with the Engagement Director, Commercial, Technology and Managed Services.

Key responsibilities include:

• Market-facing involvement with key clients; specifically to participate in selling and closing major engagement bids and initiatives in services.
• Under the guidance of the Engagement Director, identifying and pulling together the right project team with the right mix of skills for each engagement and project managing simple projects without the need for a project manager.
• To embrace the Delivery methodology and ensuring every engagement complies with the agreed approach, whilst also contributing to how the methodology could be improved.
• Pricing for each project ensuring we are competitive and do not act as a barrier to switch, with general sentiment post implementation that we offer value for money.
• Under the overall governance of and reporting progress on key measures to the Engagement Director:
• Manage the P&L of a job-by-job basis.
• Ensure the achievement of customer success outcomes and quality and Implementation measures.
• Bring accountability for customer satisfaction, customer benefits and quality KPI achievement.
• Deliver in line with target margins.
• Accelerating time to value over time until implementations are consistently 1-3 months.
• Leading on post implementation reviews and implementing lessons learnt in other engagements but also sharing with colleagues.
• Help support In Life Solutions division by proactively identifying opportunities and pulling in colleagues to capitalise post go live.
• Engage your virtual teams.
• Contributing to performance management conversations and skills development focus in the service lines.
• Readily embrace new product features and the opportunity this presents.
• Cross-functional influence, relationship building, and project management skills toward a broad constituency.

Skills and experience required

• Experience of working as a Project Manager, Portfolio Manager or Programme Manager working on large scale and highly complex Implementation/Transition projects with large scale employee volumes (over 10,000 EEs) and £0.5m+ budgets.
• Experience of engaging on programmes with Enterprise and Strategic customers, in particular FTSE100 and FTSE250 companies.
• Experience working in the HR & Payroll software and/or outsourcing industry.
• Exceptional communication and ability to develop robust and enduring relationships with stakeholders.
• Outstanding leadership and presentation ability.
• An action oriented and collaborative team player by nature. Passionate, driven and with defined leadership qualities enabling you to gain confidence and buy-in from peers.
• Sets extremely high standards for self and team.
• You need to be both strategist as well as strong operator, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Capable of conveying complex concepts in simple terms and of tailoring your presentation style of delivery to suit the audience.
• Must be able to work effectively at all levels, with the gravitas, charisma and knowledge to be credible in all business situations.
• Strong stature and presence, must be highly credible both internally and with business partners.
• Excellent interpersonal skills will be needed in order to build strong relationships and to sustain confidence with other colleagues and customers.