Business Readiness Lead

Business Readiness Lead (Contract)

Role Title: Business Readiness Lead (Delivery Support)
Location: Mostly Remote (Telford 2 days per month onsite )
Duration: 3 months
Rate: £445 per day/inside IR35
IR35 Status: Inside IR35 ( PAYE/Umbrella only )
Clearance: Active SC Clearance required

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Business Readiness Lead to drive planning, coordination, and execution of readiness activities across a complex transformation programme.

You will ensure new capabilities are usable, stable, and fully adopted by end users, leading on readiness planning, UAT/BAT coordination, change impact, training, communications, and go-live activities.

Key Responsibilities

Business Readiness Planning & Governance

• Define and maintain the Business Readiness Plan, roadmap, and acceptance criteria
• Establish readiness governance including checkpoints, go/no-go criteria, and cutover planning
• Produce dashboards and reporting packs for senior stakeholders

Change Impact & Adoption

• Lead change impact assessments across people, process, technology, and data
• Develop adoption strategies, including operating model updates and SOPs
• Track adoption and benefits realisation post go-live

UAT/BAT Leadership

• Define and manage UAT/BAT strategy, including scope, scenarios, and environments
• Coordinate test preparation, execution, and defect management
• Ensure readiness sign-off and audit compliance

Training, Communications & Stakeholder Engagement

• Own training strategy (TNA, materials, delivery methods)
• Deliver targeted communications plans and measure readiness
• Engage and influence senior stakeholders with evidence-based recommendations

Go-Live & Early Life Support

• Lead cutover planning, rehearsals, and contingency planning
• Coordinate Early Life Support (ELS), including hypercare and stabilisation
• Capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvement

Risk, Assurance & Controls

• Maintain RAID logs and manage readiness risks and mitigations
• Support assurance reviews, audits, and compliance activities
• Ensure security, data protection, and accessibility requirements are met

Data, MI & Tooling

• Manage readiness MI and reporting (RAG status, training completion, test results)
• Utilise tools such as Jira, Confluence, SharePoint, MS Project, Power BI
• Align readiness data with programme delivery and benefits tracking

Key Skills & Experience

Essential:

• Strong experience in business readiness/change delivery within complex programmes
• Background working in government or highly regulated environments
• Proven experience leading UAT/BAT and go-live readiness activities
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence at senior level
• Experience delivering at pace across multiple workstreams
• Excellent communication skills, including producing board-level materials
• Hands-on experience with Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid delivery models
• Previous experience working in the Public and/or Government Sector

Additional Information

• Additional vetting required - onboarding timelines may be extended

If this matches your background and experience, please apply today!