Strategic Operations & Governance Manager

Job Description Summary

Job Description

Strategic Operations & Governance Manager

Permanent

Location: Edinburgh (We believe in the power of in-person collaboration, and our hybrid model requires colleagues to be in the office a minimum of 40% of their time)

Salary: A competitive salary from £57,600 – £86,400 depending on the experience you can bring

Closing date: Friday 18th April 2025

We’re Aegon – a company of ambitious, collaborative, problem-solvers who get things done. We strive to make sure everyone that works for us feel seen, heard, and valued – so we’re looking for like-minded people to join us. We have three behaviours that are central to how we operate as a team and a business: we step up, we tune in and we’re a force for good.

We help people live their best lives. We help them with the big stuff, for the moments that matter: Pensions, Savings, Investments. At Aegon, we strive in creating a diverse organisation that plays a meaningful role in driving greater equity, inclusion and belonging.

We have identified the need for a Value Management Office (VMO). To support this strategic initiative, we are seeking a Strategic Operations & Governance Manager to join our team on a permanent basis in Edinburgh.

Reporting directly to the VMO Director, the Strategic Operations & Governance Manager is responsible for ensuring the VMO drives strategic alignment, governance effectiveness, and value-based decision-making across Aegon UK’s transformation portfolio. This role plays a critical function in embedding data-driven portfolio management, ensuring that all reporting, governance, and control mechanisms are designed to enhance visibility, accountability, and decision-making effectiveness.

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Design, create and implement real-time dashboards including strategic KPIs for executive and senior leadership, to enable effective strategic risk mitigation and decision-making.

• Standardise reporting frameworks to ensure consistent performance and value measurement across transformation initiatives.

• Work closely with data and analytics teams to integrate AI-driven predictive analytics into portfolio reporting, enabling proactive risk management and performance optimisation.

• Establish and oversee the implementation of OKRs at the portfolio level, ensuring that transformation efforts are aligned with strategic objectives.

• Develop and manage a benefit realisation tracking framework to measure the impact of transformation initiatives, ensuring continuous alignment with business goals.

• Lead the adoption of Portfolio Canvas Management, ensuring that all investment decisions are based on clear business value propositions.

• Collaborate with the VMO Leadership to create value-based funding models that support strategic prioritisation

• Enhance VMO portfolio operational governance and guardrail frameworks by leading the development and enhancement of governance structures that guide decision-making and oversight with the VMO. 

• Implement a structured approach to reviewing and optimising portfolio management practices, focusing on reducing inefficiencies, improving resource allocation and increasing the overall effectiveness of delivery.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• Expertise in using data analytics to inform portfolio decisions, track performance and optimise resource allocation.

• Strong background in designing and implementing reporting frameworks that enhance visibility, accountability and executive decision making.

• Extensive experience in transformation delivery, with a strong track record of leading and contributing to successful change initiatives.

• Knowledge of VMO and PMO methodologies and how they interlink.

• Deep understanding of products and services as well as the vision or target state. 

• Practical knowledge of multi-modal delivery approaches including experience of Agile delivery methodologies.

• Knowledge of Regulatory demands and how they apply across a transformation investment portfolio.

• Experience of engaging senior stakeholders to educate and explore digital transformation opportunities.

• Knowledge of traditional project management, including tracking and reporting metrics (budget, schedule, quality), configuration management, status reporting (both to client organisation and own organisation), risk and issue management, and ensuring there is a clear process and governance for all these points.

• Practiced and well-developed research and analytical capabilities, strong problem-solving skills, and creative thinking.

• Proven ability to support development of a strategy as well as execute the tactical implication of that strategy.

What’s in it for you?

• A non-contributory pension between 8%-12%

• A discretionary bonus, depending on personal and company performance

• Annual car allowance

• 38 days leave per year (including bank holidays, pro-rated for part-time)

We also offer private medical cover, life assurance, critical illness cover, enhanced parental leave and a variety of lifestyle benefits to help our employees live their best lives, including retail discount vouchers, cycle2work scheme, subsidised restaurant and online GP appointments.

Join us at the forefront of shaping our Value Management Office.

The legal bits

We’ll need you to confirm you have the right to work in the UK. If we offer you a job and you accept, there are some checks we need to complete before you can start with us. This will include a credit