Transformation Portfolio & Automation Lead

Transformation Portfolio & Automation Lead

Role Purpose

Vital Energi is delivering a significant portfolio of people, systems and process‑efficiency change to support business growth, operational excellence and the transition to a more digitally‑enabled, data‑driven organisation.

The Transformation Portfolio & Automation Lead will shape and run a high‑performing PMO, ensuring disciplined governance, transparent reporting and strong delivery control across all change initiatives. Alongside PMO leadership, the role will directly manage selected programmes and lead the development and delivery of Vital Energi’s AI and automation roadmap — identifying opportunities to streamline operations, enhance decision‑making and unlock efficiency through intelligent technologies.

A key part of the role is to drive innovation across the change portfolio, challenging existing ways of working, introducing modern delivery practices, and identifying new digital, automation and process‑optimisation opportunities that strengthen Vital Energi’s competitive position. The postholder will act as a catalyst for new ideas, ensuring the organisation continually evolves, adopts emerging technologies and embeds smarter, more efficient operational models.

This role is central to ensuring Vital Energi’s change portfolio delivers measurable value, improves operational efficiency and builds the capabilities needed for future growth.

Key Responsibilities

PMO Leadership & Portfolio Governance

• Lead and develop the PMO function, embedding consistent standards, tools and methodologies across all change activity.
• Maintain portfolio‑level governance including integrated planning, RAID management, dependency mapping, resource forecasting and benefits tracking.
• Produce clear, insight‑driven reporting for senior leadership, enabling informed decision‑making and proactive risk management.
• Ensure change activity aligns with Vital Energi’s strategic priorities, commercial objectives and operational constraints.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in PMO processes, reporting and delivery frameworks.

Change Delivery & Programme Management

• Lead the delivery of selected strategic change programmes, ensuring clear scope, structured plans, disciplined execution and measurable outcomes.
• Deliver programmes covering people change, digital systems implementation, process optimisation and operational efficiency.
• Oversee business readiness, change impact assessment, training, communications and adoption planning to ensure change lands effectively.
• Work with operational teams to design future‑state processes that improve efficiency, reduce waste and enhance customer experience.
• Manage suppliers and delivery partners, ensuring commercial value, quality and performance.
• Track and realise benefits, ensuring programmes deliver tangible improvements in cost, efficiency, performance or customer outcomes.
• Introduce innovative delivery approaches, tools and techniques to accelerate progress and improve outcomes.

AI, Automation & Digital Innovation

• Develop Vital Energi’s AI and automation roadmap, identifying opportunities to apply intelligent automation, workflow optimisation and data‑driven decision‑support tools.
• Lead discovery activity to assess current processes, pain points and automation potential across operational and back‑office functions.
• Work with IT, data and operational teams to design and deliver automation solutions (e.g., RPA, workflow automation, AI‑enabled analytics, machine‑learning‑driven optimisation).
• Establish governance, standards and controls for automation delivery to ensure quality, scalability and risk management.
• Build business cases and benefits models for automation initiatives, ensuring clear value and measurable outcomes.
• Promote a culture of innovation, encouraging teams to identify opportunities for digital enablement and smarter ways of working.

Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership

• Build strong relationships across Vital Energi’s operational, commercial and technical teams to ensure change is well‑understood and supported.
• Provide expert guidance on programme delivery, governance, risk management, automation opportunities and change adoption.
• Facilitate decision‑making through concise, evidence‑based recommendations and options analysis.
• Influence senior stakeholders to maintain delivery discipline and resolve issues that impact progress.
• Act as an ambassador for innovation and digital transformation across the organisation.

Continuous Improvement & Capability Building

• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve reporting, enhance delivery tools and strengthen governance maturity.
• Support the development of project, change and automation capability across the organisation through coaching, guidance and knowledge‑sharing.
• Champion a culture of structured delivery, transparency, digital enablement and continuous improvement.
• Encourage experimentation, learning and iterative improvement across change teams.

Skills, Experience & Behaviours

• Extensive experience leading PMO functions and delivering complex change programmes in a fast‑paced commercial environment.
• Proven experience delivering people, systems and process‑efficiency change, ideally within engineering, energy, utilities or infrastructure sectors.
• Strong understanding of automation technologies (e.g., RPA, workflow automation, AI‑enabled analytics) and their application in operational environments.
• Ability to develop and deliver digital or automation roadmaps, including business case development and benefits modelling.
• Demonstrable experience introducing innovative delivery practices, tools or technologies.
• Deep understanding of programme and portfolio management methodologies (MSP, P3O, PRINCE2, Agile).
• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to balance governance discipline with pragmatic delivery.
• Excellent analytical, organisational and communication skills, able to distil complexity into clear, actionable insight.
• Confident influencing senior stakeholders and driving accountability.
• Curious, forward‑thinking and improvement‑focused, with a passion for innovation and digital enablement.

Applicants must have the unrestricted and ongoing right to work in the UK for the duration of employment , without the need for sponsorship. Due to the nature of this role, we are unable to support visa sponsorship or employ individuals with time‑limited permission or conditions attached to their right to work in the UK

The company is opposed to all forms of discrimination and will select for employment, training and promotion on the basis of suitability for the job and/ or merit. It is company policy that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of sex, race, colour, age, ethnic or national origins, political affiliations, religious beliefs, marital status, physical disability or is disadvantaged by unjustifiable conditions or requirements.

Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives:

Vital Energi Utilities Ltd is not accepting unsolicited CVs from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. CVs submitted to any Vital Energi Utilities Ltd employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written & signed search agreement, will become the sole property of Vital Energi Utilities Ltd. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Full job description from WhatJobs. Apply for this role →