Guidewire Delivery Director
19 hours ago
Southampton
Guidewire Delivery Director (UK) Location: UK (Hybrid / Remote + Onsite as required) Employment Type: Permanent Industry: Insurance / Digital Transformation Reports to: Programme Director / CIO Overview We are seeking an experienced Guidewire Delivery Director to lead and oversee end-to-end delivery of Guidewire solutions across PolicyCenter, ClaimCenter, BillingCenter, and associated digital, integration, and data workstreams. This is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping delivery strategy, driving execution, ensuring alignment with business needs, and successfully managing cross-functional teams, system integrators, and key stakeholders. The ideal candidate is not required to be a deep technical expert, but must have a strong understanding of Guidewire platforms, insurance operations, and enterprise technology delivery. This person will bring a proven track record of overseeing large-scale transformation projects and managing multiple concurrent workstreams within complex insurance environments. Key Responsibilities: Delivery Leadership • Lead end-to-end delivery of Guidewire products (PolicyCenter, ClaimCenter, BillingCenter) across all phases of the delivery lifecycle., • Own delivery strategy, planning, governance, and execution., • Ensure solutions meet business objectives, regulatory requirements, and agreed SLAs., • Drive programme performance, identifying risks, dependencies, and mitigation options early. Stakeholder & Vendor Management • Act as primary delivery contact for senior internal stakeholders (C-level, Heads of Business, Technology)., • Manage third-party SI partners, Guidewire specialists, offshore teams, and internal teams., • Ensure alignment between business, IT, and delivery partners throughout the project. Financial & Commercial Oversight • Manage programme budgets, forecasts, business cases, and financial tracking., • Ensure commercial value from vendors, contractors, and SI partners., • Report on programme health, progress, resource utilisation, and key KPIs. People & Team Leadership • Lead cross-functional delivery teams including BAs, PMs, Tech Leads, Architects, and Test teams., • Drive a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement., • Support team development, coaching, and performance management. Delivery Excellence • Implement best-practice delivery frameworks (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid)., • Ensure high-quality documentation, governance, compliance, and assurance., • Oversee cutover planning, environment readiness, UAT, release management, and hypercare. Guidewire Knowledge • Maintain an up-to-date understanding of Guidewire applications, configurations, and integration patterns., • Translate business requirements into delivery plans and feasible technical approaches., • Understand the implications of configuration vs customisation, cloud vs on-prem, and integration with experience & Skills Required Experience & Skills Experience • 10+ years’ experience in IT delivery or programme management, ideally within Insurance., • Proven track record delivering large-scale transformation programmes (£5m–£25m+)., • Direct experience overseeing delivery of Guidewire products (PolicyCenter, BillingCenter, ClaimCenter)., • Experience managing SIs, external vendors, and multi-disciplinary delivery teams. Skills • Strong understanding of the Guidewire suite and insurance business processes., • Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills., • Solid financial management and budget oversight., • Ability to make informed decisions under pressure and navigate complex environments., • Strong problem-solving, prioritisation, and governance capability. Desirable • Experience with Guidewire Cloud implementations., • Background working with General Insurance (GI), Specialty, or London Market., • Familiarity with integration middleware, data platforms, and digital front-end technologies. What’s on Offer Competitive salary + benefits package. • Opportunity to lead high-impact transformation across core insurance operations., • A collaborative, forward-thinking technology and delivery environment., • Long-term career progression within a rapidly evolving digital organisation.