Head of Strategic Planning

Job Introduction
*** At Saga we’re radically flexible which means our colleagues have total autonomy over where they work - home, hybrid or hub. This role has a hybrid element which means our team come together when we need to collaborate.**

As we embark on our ambitious 5-year plan to become THE super brand for the Experienced Generation, we are looking for a highly skilled Head of Strategic Planning to provide the insight and assurance that gives us confidence our plans remain both on-track and achievable.

Playing a key role in the annual planning process, you will work with all business unit CEOs to understand their deliverables and dependencies, and then use your expertise to foresee how these plans can be achieved amongst a busy change agenda. You will take all the individual plans to create THE Saga strategic delivery plan, which will act as the single source of truth.

You will provide regular insight and assurance to the Group CEO & COO on the health of our strategic deliveries, making suggestions for mitigation where risks are emerging, flagging where key prioritisation decisions are required or where improvements could be made. You will use your network and influencing ability to solve problems at pace.

Main Responsibilities
- The design, effectiveness & operation of the strategic planning framework for Saga
- Day-to-day management of the annual planning process across all business units
- Creating succinct & achievable resource delivery plans to enable Saga to achieve its 5-year growth targets
- Reporting on key strategic KPI’s including but not limited to costs, benefits & KPI movements that support growth
- Facilitation of strategic activity prioritisation through effective capacity planning across the Business Units and Enterprise Teams, including facilitation of related governance fora, ensuring all outputs and inputs are fit for purpose and that asks, options, recommendations are clear
- In conjunction with business units, creating effective planning, monitoring & delivery of strategic change, ensuring that strategic changes are planned, executable and do not conflict with draw on Enterprise or other resource
- Supporting the Innovation Director and CISO in establishing effective and pragmatic strategic change governance
- Day to day management, oversight & reporting on strategic change delivery
- Day to day management, oversight & reporting on cost control programmes
- Provide business case support to all projects arising from the Innovation & Strategy teams
- Ensuring well planned and executed change in the Innovation and Strategy teams
- Use lessons learned to continuously improve Saga’s ability to deliver change at precision pace
- Track benefits declared and report on realisation of benefits over time, feeding insight into lessons learned for future change
- Ensure portfolio risks are actively managed in line with risk appetite
- Provide independent risk assurance to project managers and their projects, ensuring adherence to a define change risk framework (scalable governance)
- Effective control gate management throughout the change lifecycle ensuring that all aspects (e.g. scoping, development, testing and release) are delivered in line with best practice and tracked against a defined health tracker (RAG)
- Leadership skills
- Value Management
- Change Management
- Commercial Acumen
- Reporting and analytics
- Communication skills
- Stakeholder management
- Service management

Our Saga Values:

- Precision Pace - Always owning and making things happen.
- Empathy - Always aware of others.
- Curiosity - Always asking why.
- Collaboration - Always one team, the Saga team

About The Company
Over the past 70 years we have become the UK's specialist provider of products and services to people aged over 50 in the UK. The Saga brand has become one of the most recognised and trusted brands amongst UK consumers in this demographic, recognised for its high quality products and exceptional standards of service. These include cruises and holidays, insurance, personal finance and the Saga Magazine.

At Saga we are committed to treating all employees fairly and to offering equal opportunities in all aspects of employment and advancement. We value diversity not just because it is the right thing to do, but because diverse teams perform better.

**_Saga does not accept agency CVs unless specifically engaged on the role by the Talent Acquisition Team. Please do not forward CVs to our recruiters, employees or any other company location. Saga will not be responsible for any fees related to CVs received in this unsolicited manner._**

LI-Remote”

Package Description
The standard benefits when you join Saga include:

- Remote working available where possible
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays with the choice to buy a further 5 days annual leave per year
- Free private medical insurance after 1 years' service
- Workplace Pension
- AXA Be Supported
- A range of reductions and offers from