Company Description

Version 1 has celebrated over 29 years in Technology Services and continues to be trusted by global brands to deliver solutions that drive customer success. Version 1 has several strategic technology partners including Microsoft, AWS, Oracle, Red Hat, OutSystems and Snowflake. We're also an award-winning employer reflecting how employees are at the heart of Version 1.

We've been awarded: Innovation Partner of the Year Winner 2023 Oracle EMEA Partner Awards, Global Microsoft Modernising Applications Partner of the Year Award 2023, AWS Collaboration Partner of the Year - EMEA 2023 and Best Workplaces for Women by Great Place To Work in UK and Ireland 2023.

As a consultancy and service provider, Version 1 is a digital-first environment and we do things differently. We're focused on our core values; using these we've seen significant growth across our practices and our Digital, Data and Cloud team is preparing for the next phase of expansion. This creates new opportunities for driven and skilled individuals to join one of the fastest-growing consultancies globally.

Job Description

Achieving our customer success ambition is fundamentally based on the excellence of the solutions we deliver. We have a huge amount of talent in our delivery function and to support them and ensure a consistent customer experience we must apply world-class methodologies and processes in a consistent way across Version 1.

We are seeking a highly motivated Projects Assurance Bid & Proposal Partner to ensure the continued success of our engagements. This role will report into the Delivery Assurance Lead and will play a pivotal role in the preliminary review and assurance of bids, proposals, and contracts across all practices for Accounts to ensure projects are planned efficiently, effectively, and in alignment with business and customer objectives. This role is responsible for ensuring that all project documentation - including financial models (Fixed Price/ T&M / Capped T&M), resource profiles, and project approach (Waterfall, Agile and Hybrid plans) - are thoroughly reviewed, all obligations and responsibilities are clearly defined, and risks and dependencies are identified and appropriate responses and owners captured. The successful candidate will collaborate extensively with Technical, Delivery, Commercial and Workforce Management teams to validate project activities and estimates, ensuring all assumptions and risks are documented prior to issuance. As part of ongoing professional development, cross-training in assurance audits and reporting will be provided so that the successful candidate has the knowledge and ability to provide additional cover/ absorb assurance activities from Delivery Business Partners as appropriate.

The ideal candidate should have hands-on experience in drafting and reviewing preliminary project documentation (project business cases, bids, proposals, contracts/ project initiation documents) as well as first-hand delivery of projects, with a solid background in delivering successful agile engagements. Familiarity with the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) framework, or equivalent process maturity models, is highly desirable. A proven track record of successful cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Technical, Delivery and Enterprise PMO functions will be highly beneficial, as will experience working in an IT consulting company, either internally or customer-facing. This is an individual contributor role focused on providing strategic oversight and assurance, with no direct team management responsibilities. The ideal candidate will possess a strong understanding of governance and assurance principles, coupled with a proven ability to track and report on both the financial and operational performance of projects.

Duties & Responsibilities

Lead the preliminary review of bids, proposals, and contracts, ensuring all documentation is complete and accurate.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Technical, Delivery, Commercial, and Workforce Management teams to validate project activities, resource profiles, and financial models at pre-sales/ pre-contract stages.
Collaborate with the internal Enterprise PMO to provide insights and recommendations based on opportunities or gaps identified during the review process. This includes suggesting improvements to processes, procedures, or internal training to strengthen the quality of both primary documents and supporting collateral.
Ensure all known risks are identified, captured, and appropriate mitigations or responses are planned.
Ensure all dependencies and obligations are listed, with clear due dates and responsible parties.
Validate that project scope is clearly defined and all supporting collateral is aligned.
Facilitate the validation of project activities and estimates by appropriate Technical/Delivery representatives prior to document issuance, ensuring all assumptions and risks are clearly identified.
Support the setup for project success by ensuring all pre-initiation checks and reviews are completed.
Escalate concerns regarding documentation quality, risk, or non-adherence to processes to relevant stakeholders.
As part of ongoing professional development, produce assurance reports and participate in assurance audits of live engagements

Person Specification

Experience working in an IT consulting company, internally or customer-facing, would be highly beneficial.
Hands-on experience in the delivery and assurance of both Waterfall and Agile projects, with a clear understanding of Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid models.
Extensive experience in project pre-initiation checks and reviews of documentation (e.g., project initiation documents, business cases, project plans).
Strong background in risk management, with proven ability to identify, capture, and mitigate risks in project documentation.
Working knowledge of fixed price and time and materials engagements, ensuring optimal alignment between project plans and financial models.
Demonstrated success in working collaboratively across Technical, delivery, Sales, and Finance functions.
Demonstrated success in collaborating with Enterprise PMO functions to ensure alignment of projects governance and delivery.
Proficiency in tools such as SharePoint, Microsoft Project, Jira, Azure DevOps, and Power BI.
A formal qualification in projects management (e.g., PRINCE2, PgMP, PfMP, or equivalent) is desirable.
CMMI (or similar maturity framework) experience – highly advantageous.

Qualifications

Candidates with direct, practical experience implementing CMMI (or equivalent) frameworks in live project environments will be at a distinct advantage.
Highly organised, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and guide senior stakeholders in decision-making.
Proactive problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify risks early and suggest effective mitigation strategies.
Highly organised, with a keen eye for detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Additional Information

At Version 1, we believe in providing our employees with a comprehensive benefits package that prioritises their well-being, professional growth, and financial stability.

One of our standout advantages is the ability to work with a hybrid schedule along with business travel, allowing our employees to strike a balance between work and life. We also offer a range of tech-related benefits, including an innovative Tech Scheme to help keep our team members up-to-date with the latest technology.

We prioritise the health and safety of our employees, providing private medical and life insurance coverage, as well as free eye tests and contributions towards glasses. Our team members can also stay ahead of the curve with incentivized certifications and accreditations, including AWS, Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat.

Our employee-designed Profit Share scheme divides a portion of our company's profits each quarter amongst employees. We are dedicated to helping our employees reach their full potential, offering Pathways Career Development Quarterly, a programme designed to support professional growth.

Delivery Assurance Business Partner