Director of Delivery & PMO

Merlin Technology | Corporate
London / Hybrid | B1 Level

Contract: 6 months FTC (possibility to extend to perm)

Our Purpose

Bring joy, create connections, and make memories

Our Vision

To be the global leader in branded entertainment destinations and the greatest place to work & play

At Merlin Entertainments, we are on an ambitious Digital and Data transformation journey—reshaping how guests experience our world-famous attractions end to end. To help lead this next phase, we’re seeking a Delivery Director & PMO to drive excellence, consistency and impact across our digital change portfolio.

The Opportunity

This is a senior leadership role at the heart of Merlin’s transformation agenda. Reporting to the SVP, Delivery & Transformation Director, you will be responsible for orchestrating delivery across complex, multi-domain portfolios—ensuring initiatives are prioritised, governed, resourced and delivered in line with strategic business goals.

You will lead the Digital & Data PMO, provide enterprise-wide visibility of digital demand and delivery, and act as a trusted partner to senior leaders—bringing clarity, pace and accountability to how we deliver change.

What You’ll Do

Delivery & Portfolio Leadership

• Lead the successful delivery of programmes and projects across Digital & Data, ensuring outcomes are achieved on time, within scope and budget

• Own portfolio-level planning, prioritisation and governance across product, project and MMM portfolios

• Provide transparent, data-led reporting on delivery performance, risks, dependencies and benefits realisation

• Balance investment, capacity and demand to maximise value creation

PMO & Governance Excellence

• Run the Digital & Data PMO, embedding consistent delivery standards aligned to the Merlin playbook

• Own business case governance, working closely with Strategy and Finance to ensure consistency and value discipline

• Lead the interface into enterprise CIC and PMO processes, surfacing digital dependencies across the wider change portfolio

• Act as the escalation point for delivery risks, issues and delays

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Product, Engineering, Architecture, Design, Marketing, Sales and Corporate teams to ensure aligned execution

• Build strong relationships with senior leaders, enabling informed decision-making on priorities and resourcing

• Manage dependencies across domains and ensure the right work is resourced at the right time

Performance, Insight & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain portfolio-level performance and reporting frameworks

• Use data and insight to identify trends, risks and improvement opportunities

• Drive continuous improvement of delivery practices, tools and methodologies

• Support the ongoing maturity of Merlin’s product and delivery capability

Leadership & Culture

• Lead with clarity, pace and accountability across delivery teams

• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture where teams are empowered to deliver

• Coach and develop delivery leaders, project managers and PMO capability

What Success Looks Like

• A well-governed, transparent Digital & Data portfolio aligned to Merlin’s strategic priorities

• Confident senior stakeholders with clear visibility of progress, risks and value delivery

• Consistent, high-quality delivery across domains with improved predictability and pace

• A mature, trusted PMO function recognised as an enabler of business outcomes

• Continuous improvement embedded into how change is delivered across Merlin

About You

You are a seasoned delivery and portfolio leader who thrives in complex, fast-paced environments and brings structure without slowing momentum.

You’ll bring:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Project Management or a related field (Master’s preferred)

• 5+ years’ experience in portfolio, programme or project management leadership roles

• Strong understanding of portfolio management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid)

• Proven experience managing large, complex portfolios with multiple dependencies

• Expertise in delivery, PMO governance, financial tracking and benefits management

• Confidence using tools such as Jira, MS Project, Smartsheets or similar

• PMP, PgMP or equivalent certification (preferred)

Skills That Set You Apart

• Portfolio and resource optimisation expertise

• Strong, authentic leadership with a focus on accountability and outcomes

• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills

• Sharp analytical thinking and data-led decision-making

• Proactive risk and issue management

• A continuous improvement mindset

How You Lead

You embody Merlin’s leadership behaviours by being:

• Soulfully Curious – open-minded, inquisitive and always learning

• Results Focused – clear on priorities, accountable and outcome driven

• An Extraordinary Teammate – collaborative, supportive and enterprise-minded

• A Developer of People – invested in growing capability, confidence and careers

If you’re excited by the opportunity to shape how large-scale digital change is delivered—at pace, with purpose, and with impact—this is your moment to make a difference at Merlin.