Associate Director- Head of programme Management Office

Acuity Knowledge Partners (Acuity) is a leading provider of bespoke research, analytics and technology solutions to the financial services sector, including asset managers, corporate and investment banks, private equity and venture capital firms, hedge funds and consulting firms. Its global network of over 6,000 analysts and industry experts, combined with proprietary technology, supports more than 500 financial institutions and consulting companies to operate more efficiently and unlock their human capital, driving revenue higher and transforming operations. Acuity is headquartered in London and operates from 10 locations worldwide.

The company fosters a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment, nurturing talent, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

Acuity was established as a separate business from Moody's Corporation in 2019, following its acquisition by Equistone Partners Europe (Equistone). In January 2023, funds advised by global private equity firm Permira acquired a majority stake in the business from Equistone, which remains invested as a minority shareholder.

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Position Title: Head of Programme Management Office (PMO)

Designation- Associate Director

Experience Level-15 yrs

Department- IT

Location- Gurgaon / Bangalore

Job purpose:

The Head of PMO will lead Acuity Knowledge Partners' enterprise-wide Programme Management Office, ensuring strategic programmes, business transformation initiatives, and technology projects are successfully delivered on time, within budget, and with measurable business value.

This role is accountable for defining, implementing, and embedding best-in-class programme and project management practices, portfolio governance, and change management disciplines. Acting as a strategic partner to the Global CIO and senior leadership, the Head of PMO will drive execution discipline, transparency, and benefits realisation across the enterprise portfolio, enabling Acuity's growth and transformation agenda.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Establish and own the enterprise-wide PMO strategy, methodology, frameworks, and tools in alignment with Acuity's business strategy and technology roadmap.
• Partner with the Global CIO and Executive Committee to prioritise, govern, and monitor the strategic programme portfolio.
• Ensure robust governance, risk management, and reporting structures are in place to enable data-driven decision-making at the ExCom and Board level.
• Act as the central authority on project/programme management standards, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and accountability across all initiatives.

Programme & Project Delivery

• Lead and oversee the successful delivery of complex, cross-functional programmes spanning technology transformation, M&A integration, process optimisation, regulatory compliance, and client-facing initiatives.
• Monitor and actively manage programme risks, dependencies, and issues, escalating appropriately to ensure timely resolution.
• Champion benefits realisation tracking to ensure programmes deliver tangible business outcomes.
• Drive continuous improvement in delivery methodologies (e.g., Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall) tailored to initiative type.

People Leadership

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of programme managers, project managers, change managers, and PMO analysts across global offices.
• Build strong internal delivery capability, reducing reliance on external consultants over time.
• Act as a mentor and coach to senior programme managers, instilling a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Champion diversity, inclusion, and leadership development within the PMO function.

Change & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with business sponsors, functional heads, and technology leaders to ensure stakeholder alignment, engagement, and adoption of change.
• Drive a strong change management capability, ensuring effective communication, training, and adoption strategies accompany major programmes.
• Represent the PMO in executive forums, providing clear, concise updates on portfolio status, risks, and priorities.

Operational Excellence

• Implement portfolio management dashboards and KPIs to track delivery performance, resource utilisation, and budget adherence.
• Ensure all projects and programmes adhere to defined compliance, InfoSec, and regulatory standards.
• Drive efficiency by introducing automation, digital PMO tools, and advanced analytics into portfolio management processes.
• Benchmark PMO capabilities against best practices and continuously evolve maturity to a world-class standard.

Key Relationships

• Internal: Global CIO, ExCom, Functional Heads, Technology Leaders, Finance, HR, Legal & Compliance.
• External: Key technology vendors, strategic partners, consultants.

Key Competencies:

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• 15+ years of experience in programme/project management, with at least 7+ years in senior leadership roles in global PMO or transformation offices.
• Proven track record of successfully delivering large-scale, complex, multi-year programmes in financial services, professional services, or technology-led environments.
• Expert level Microsoft Project
• Strong leadership of diverse, global teams, with ability to inspire, coach, and develop senior programme leaders.
• Expertise in portfolio management, benefits realisation, and governance frameworks.
• Deep understanding of multiple delivery methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid) and ability to pragmatically apply them.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills, able to influence at ExCom/Board level.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets.

Desirable

• Prior experience in a professional services, financial research, or technology-driven environment.
• Oracle Fusion, Salesforce, Jira and Microsoft Azure DevOps knowledge
• M&A integration programme leadership.
• Professional certifications: MSP, PgMP, PMP, PRINCE2, Agile certifications (e.g., SAFe, Scrum Master).
• Exposure to digital transformation, cloud migration, and enterprise technology programmes.