Digital & IT Operations Leader

At Mott MacDonald, we are driven by purpose and powered by brilliant people. As a trusted engineering, management, and development consultancy, we work with clients to solve complex challenges and deliver sustainable outcomes that make a meaningful difference for the communities we serve.

When you join us as an experienced professional, you will bring your expertise to work that matters while continuing to grow your career. You will collaborate with talented colleagues across disciplines and geographies, contribute your perspective, and help shape better outcomes through technical excellence, innovation, and integrity.

Build on your experience while helping shape what comes next. At Mott MacDonald, you'll work alongside talented people on complex and rewarding projects that make a real difference. We value fresh perspectives, encourage collaboration, and provide opportunities to expand your skills, take on new challenges, and grow your career. Whether you're deepening your technical expertise, broadening your leadership experience, or exploring new opportunities across our business, you'll be supported by a team that is committed to helping you succeed.

The Head of Digital and IT Operations will lead the management system that enables the North and South America Digital, IT and Information Security functions to operate as an integrated, accountable and business-focused leadership team. The role will operate the regional Digital and IT Portfolio Management Office, bringing together portfolio planning, prioritization, financial management, performance reporting, benefits realization, value planning and continuous improvement.

Reporting directly to the Regional Digital Leader, the role will work as a peer to the Head of IT and Information Security Lead. It will provide the governance, evidence and operational discipline needed to turn agreed priorities into funded plans, measurable commitments and demonstrable business outcomes. The role may deputize for the Regional Digital Leader on agreed operational, portfolio, financial and performance matters, but not for specialist IT or Information Security leadership.

Responsibilities include:

Digital and IT Portfolio Management Office

• Operate and progressively improve the regional Digital and IT PMO, covering all regional Digital work, IT and Information Security priorities, and locally funded contributions to global initiatives.
• Maintain a single portfolio view of ownership, funding, outcomes, milestones, benefits, capacity, risks, dependencies and decisions.
• Coordinate planning and prioritization cycles; translate agreed priorities into clear commitments and proportionate delivery standards.
• Set deadlines, hold functional and initiative leads accountable, and pause work that lacks ownership, funding, an agreed business case or minimum governance.
• Own portfolio action, risk, dependency and decision logs, escalating unresolved priorities or material conflicts to the Regional Digital Leader.

Financial, performance and value management

• Act as formal budget holder for the agreed regional Digital and IT budget, leading budgeting, forecasting, monthly reporting and variance management within delegated authority.
• Maintain transparent reporting of spend, revenue, commitments, forecast, financial risks and investment choices; prepare evidence for business cases, which remain subject to Regional Digital Leader approval.
• Define and operate an integrated KPI framework covering portfolio delivery, IT operational performance, service improvement, financial performance, value and business impact.
• Own the regional value-planning process and maintain a credible view of realized, expected, forecast and at-risk value.
• Ensure every material KPI, benefit and improvement action has a named accountable owner; challenge unsupported claims and track recovery actions.

Service improvement and operational maturity

• Turn service data, recurring issues, stakeholder feedback and control gaps into prioritized improvement actions with clear ownership and outcomes.
• Work with the Head of IT to improve regional IT service performance without assuming technical or people leadership.
• Work with the Information Security Lead to coordinate security-related planning and reporting without assuming security accountability.
• Identify capacity, capability, resilience and succession risks, providing evidence to functional leaders who retain responsibility for their teams.
• Coordinate cross-functional and global dependencies and report whether agreed improvements are producing measurable operational and business impact.

Leadership governance and business alignment

• Prepare the insight, analysis and recommendations that inform the Regional Digital and IT Leadership Meeting, chaired by the Regional Digital Leader.
• Create a reliable governance and reporting rhythm focused on exceptions, decisions, accountability and outcomes.
• Coordinate business engagement across Digital, IT and Information Security while preserving the Head of IT and Information Security Lead as owners of their established functional relationships.
• Provide clear executive reporting and represent the regional operating position in appropriate forums when delegated.
• Create clarity across regional and global interfaces and elevate matters that exceed delegated authority.

We invite applications with candidates with the following experience:

• Leadership of an enterprise PMO, portfolio office or equivalent operational-management function in a complex organization.
• Strong financial planning, budget-holding, forecasting, variance management and executive reporting experience.
• Experience establishing governance, prioritization, KPIs, benefits management and accountability across a matrix organization.
• Ability to challenge senior functional leaders constructively, make operational decisions and influence without relying on line authority.
• Experience working alongside established technical and specialist leaders, with sound judgment about when to decide, facilitate or elevate.
• Ability to convert complex operational and financial information into concise recommendations and measurable outcomes.

Preferred

• Experience in Digital, IT, professional services, engineering or another project-led environment; working knowledge of IT service-management principles.
• Portfolio, programme, project, finance, governance, change or service-improvement qualifications.
• Experience coordinating shared services, global initiatives or operational transformation across multiple locations.

Bring your expertise, curiosity, and drive to make a difference. If you are ready to join a collaborative consultancy where your perspective is valued, your growth is supported, and you are empowered to lead with integrity, we would love to hear from you.

Benefits & Rewards

The expected salary for this position is $155,000-$190,000.

Individual pay is determined based on several factors such as work location, education, experience, and unique skills.

In addition to base salary, Mott MacDonald offers performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package, giving employees a direct connection to our success.

• Eligible employees have access to medical, dental, and vision coverage, FSA and HSA accounts, company-paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, and a competitive 401(k) plan with company matching.
• We also provide paid time off, paid holidays, caregiver leave, employee referral bonuses, professional registration and membership reimbursements, and tuition assistance to support continued learning and career development.

Collaboration at Our Core

At Mott MacDonald, we believe great ideas happen when we're together. Our hybrid approach centers on an in-office culture, with most of your time spent collaborating face-to-face and a minimum of three days per week in the office. We balance flexibility with connection, so you and your manager can choose how to meet clients, team, and personal commitments.

Equal opportunity is the law.

We seek to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

• English version
• Spanish Version
• Chinese version

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status or disability status.

Location(s)

Los Angeles, CA, US New York, NY, US Iselin, NJ, US

Contract Type: Regular (US only)

Work Pattern: Full Time

Market: Various

Discipline: Information technology

Job Ref: 17552