Project Manager

Direct Online Services is undertaking Project APEX, a major ecommerce transformation programme that will replace our existing ecommerce platform with Shopify Plus.

We are looking for an experienced Project Manager to lead the delivery of Project APEX from the DOS side of the programme. The role will ensure that our people, processes, technology, data and third party partners remain aligned throughout the implementation.

The Project Manager will work closely with the Technology Director, implementation partner, ecommerce team, product owners, developers and leaders across Commercial, Operations, Finance, Customer Services and Technology.

This is a hands on delivery role. The successful candidate will bring structure, pace, visibility and accountability to a complex programme involving significant business change and multiple system integrations.

Project planning and control

• Develop and maintain the integrated end to end project plan, covering both DOS and implementation partner activities

• Define key milestones, dependencies, deliverables and critical path activities

• Maintain clear governance, reporting and decision making arrangements

• Track delivery against agreed scope, budget, timeline and quality expectations

• Ensure actions, decisions and commitments are recorded, owned and completed

• Identify emerging delays or delivery issues and intervene before they affect key milestones

Stakeholder and partner management

• Act as the central coordination point between DOS and the implementation partner

• Build strong working relationships with senior leaders, business owners, technical teams and third party suppliers

• Ensure the right DOS people are involved at the right time

• Coordinate business input, requirements, decisions, approvals and sign offs

• Challenge assumptions and commitments constructively

• Prepare clear, concise updates for the Executive Team and project governance forums

• Escalate issues promptly where decisions or support are required

Risk, issue and dependency management

• Own and maintain the programme risk, issue, assumption and dependency log

• Ensure risks and issues have clear owners, mitigations and resolution dates

• Manage dependencies across Shopify Plus, Athena ERP, PVX WMS, the Bespoke Worktop Tool, data, payments, logistics and other connected systems

• Identify resource or capacity constraints and agree appropriate solutions

• Support effective scope and change control throughout the programme

Business readiness and change

• Develop and coordinate the business readiness plan

• Ensure impacted teams understand what is changing, when it is changing and what is required from them

• Coordinate process design, operational readiness, communications and training activities

• Work with business owners to define and agree acceptance criteria

• Ensure new processes have clear ownership and are ready to operate from launch

• Support the transition from project delivery into business as usual operation

Testing, launch and transition

• Coordinate system integration testing, user acceptance testing and business validation

• Ensure test plans, scenarios, results and defects are properly managed

• Track defects through to resolution and retesting

• Coordinate launch readiness reviews and go live decision making

• Develop the cutover plan with internal teams and implementation partners

• Ensure support, incident management and contingency arrangements are in place for launch

• Coordinate post launch stabilisation, issue resolution and project closure

• Approved integrated project plan

• Clear governance and reporting structure

• Maintained risk, issue, action, decision and dependency logs

• Controlled scope, budget and timeline

• Agreed business readiness and change plan

• Completed testing and acceptance process

• Approved cutover and go live plan

• Effective post launch stabilisation and handover

• Documented lessons learned and project closure report

Essential

• Demonstrable experience managing complex digital, ecommerce or technology transformation projects

• Experience working with external implementation partners and third party suppliers

• Strong project planning, governance and delivery control experience

• Experience managing projects involving multiple business functions and system integrations

• Experience coordinating testing, business readiness, cutover and go live activities

• Strong risk, issue, dependency and change control capability

• Experience producing clear reports for senior leadership and governance forums

• Ability to manage competing priorities and maintain momentum in a fast moving environment

Desirable

• Experience delivering a Shopify or Shopify Plus implementation

• Experience within ecommerce, retail, manufacturing, distribution or logistics

• Experience integrating ecommerce platforms with ERP, WMS, payment and fulfilment systems

• Recognised project management qualification such as PRINCE2, APM, PMP or an equivalent qualification

• Experience of agile and traditional project delivery approaches

• Highly organised, structured and delivery focused

• Confident working with senior stakeholders and technical specialists

• Able to challenge constructively and hold people accountable

• Clear and concise communicator

• Commercially aware and focused on business outcomes

• Comfortable working through ambiguity and complexity

• Proactive in identifying and resolving problems

• Able to translate technical information into clear business language

• Collaborative, pragmatic and calm under pressure

Success in the role will be measured by:

• Delivery against agreed milestones, budget and scope

• Quality and accuracy of programme reporting

• Timely resolution and escalation of risks and issues

• Completion of DOS actions, decisions and deliverables

• Stakeholder and implementation partner alignment

• Business readiness for launch

• Quality of testing, cutover and transition arrangements

• Stability of the platform following go live