Mainframe Project Manager - Banking

Key responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of mainframe infrastructure and technology projects.
• Develop and maintain practical delivery plans, milestones and dependencies.
• Coordinate activity across engineering teams, service owners, suppliers and wider technology stakeholders.
• Manage project risks, issues, dependencies, budgets and governance.
• Work closely with technical teams to remove blockers and maintain delivery momentum.
• Provide clear and concise updates to senior stakeholders.
• Build strong working relationships across a complex matrix organisation.
• Adapt the project approach to suit the environment rather than applying process unnecessarily.
• Support the delivery of work being brought forward from the wider technology roadmap.

Key requirements

• Strong experience as a Project Manager delivering mainframe-related projects.
• Good understanding of mainframe technology and engineering environments.
• Experience delivering infrastructure migrations, upgrades, modernisation or service implementation projects.
• Proven ability to manage difficult or resistant stakeholders and build credibility with technical teams.
• Pragmatic, delivery-focused approach with the ability to explain clearly what actions you would take in a given situation.
• Comfortable operating within a large, complex and highly governed organisation.
• Strong project controls experience, including planning, RAID management, dependencies, governance and reporting.
• Able to work effectively with established engineering teams without taking an overly prescriptive or process-heavy approach.
• Previous experience delivering within a Tier 1 bank would be highly desirable.
• Wider financial services experience is beneficial but not essential.

Location

The mainframe engineering teams are primarily based in South Yorkshire.

Candidates must therefore be able to attend the Sheffield location 3 days per week.

Birmingham may be considered for an exceptional candidate with particularly strong mainframe experience, although Sheffield is the clear preference.

This role is not available on a fully remote basis.

Contract details

£600–£650 per day inside IR35

Initial contract, with good potential for extension throughout 2027

One-stage Zoom interview expected.