Delivery Director – Public Sector

About Softwire

Softwire is one of the UK’s leading digital technology consultancies, offering services in data, AI, cloud, CX, innovation, design and software engineering. We deliver high-profile, mission critical, and transformational projects for household names across the public and private sectors.

Softwire was founded on one simple idea: be the outstanding place to work for smart, passionate people who want to make an impact. Attract the best, create a culture where people thrive, and offer our customers access to capabilities that are truly market leading.

And it seems to be working – We were recently voted number 1 company to work for in the UK at the Best Company awards; we employ outstanding people across all capabilities (typical destinations after Softwire include Google, DeepMind, start-up founder, algorithmic trading, and AI research roles); and we have helped our clients deliver some of the hardest, most interesting tech programmes, across private and public sectors.

A big part of this is our culture and values and we are looking for people who share our core beliefs about what makes a great place to work:

• That if a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing properly
• That work should be fulfilling but can also be fun
• That kindness matters and should be extended to employees and clients alike
• That by being trusting and trustworthy as an organisation and as individuals we can dispense with tedious bureaucracy and rules

The Opportunity

We’re looking for an experienced Delivery Director to lead and shape delivery across our Public Sector portfolio. This is a key leadership role, reporting to the Senior Delivery Director, and working in close partnership with the Public Sector Director and Business Unit leads.

You will oversee a portfolio of government and public service technology projects, ensuring clarity of accountability, rigorous delivery governance, and the development of high-performing delivery teams. You will work closely with Delivery Principals to enable both successful delivery and effective account management, supporting growth and client satisfaction across key government departments.

Portfolio and Delivery Leadership

• Accountable for the success of all projects in the Public Sector portfolio — covering delivery outcomes, commercial KPIs, quality, client satisfaction, and team performance.
• Embed clear accountability in project teams: ensuring each engagement has strong, empowered leadership and well-defined roles across disciplines.
• Act as escalation point for delivery issues, intervening early and decisively to resolve risks to timelines, quality, morale, or commercials.
• Ensure robust internal and external governance structures are in place and actively used to maintain delivery excellence.

Public Sector and Client Strategy

• Bring a deep understanding of the UK public sector delivery context, including procurement models, GDS standards, accessibility, and assurance.
• Build strong relationships with senior public sector clients, acting as a trusted delivery and strategy partner.

• Take accountability for on-sell and up-sell within existing engagements, driving account growth.
• Collaborate with the Public Sector Director and Business Unit leadership to align delivery performance with account growth strategies and broader go-to-market planning.
• Support Principals in identifying and progressing on-sell and upsell opportunities, leveraging delivery excellence to drive account expansion.
• Providing support and expertise to Go to Market teams throughout the presales lifecycle. And ensure a smooth transition from sales process into delivery.

Team Leadership and Capability Development

• Line/Task manage a team of Principals, ensuring they are empowered, well-supported, and held to high standards.
• Lead performance and progression processes, including setting development plans, coaching, feedback, and promotion decisions.
• Support hiring of Delivery Leads and Principals, including final-stage interviews and offer decisions.
• Identify skill gaps across the client delivery function and ensure appropriate training and knowledge-sharing are in place across all capabilities.

Reporting and Operational Insight

• Maintain high-quality, timely reporting across the portfolio, enabling early visibility of risks, opportunities, and trends.
• Collaborate with the Senior Delivery Director to shape continuous improvements in measuring and managing project/account performance.

About You

Essential

• Significant experience delivering public sector and central government digital programmes in a consultancy or agency setting.
• Track record of leading managers and large delivery teams across complex portfolios of work.
• A firm commercial understanding, including understanding of commercial models such as fixed price and time & material contracts.
• Proven ability to create and enforce accountability frameworks in multi-disciplinary project teams.
• Confident working with senior client stakeholders across Central Government, with strong political awareness and stakeholder empathy.
• Strategic thinker who can align delivery performance with account and growth objectives.
• Hands-on, proactive, and comfortable intervening when necessary to protect delivery.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills — clear, persuasive, and empathetic in 1:1, written, and group settings.
• Experience working with Agile and hybrid delivery models, and with varied commercial approaches (e.g. T&M, Fixed Price, Retainer).

Desirable

• Experience supporting or contributing to sales and pre-sales activity (bids, pitches, proposal shaping).
• Familiarity with adjacent capabilities such as user research, policy, design, or advisory.

Our Culture and Values

We are proud of our unique, values-led culture. At Softwire, we:

• Work collaboratively, supportively, and without ego
• Take ownership and hold ourselves and others accountable
• Strive to always improve outcomes — for clients, colleagues, and citizens
• Have fun and treat each other with kindness and respect

What We Offer

• Basic salary is based on experience and ranges from £105,600-£118,800
• You can expect to receive an average profit share of between £19,000 & £36,000 depending on company performance.  
• Pension: Additional 5% of salary.
• 25 days annual leave (with the option to buy and sell).
• Time off for company-wide morale events, time off for charitable activities.
• Free annual eye test, income protection, cycle to work, electric vehicle lease schemes, and payroll charity donations.
• The opportunity to shape one of the UK’s top tech consultancies at a pivotal moment of growth and evolution.

Flexibility

We are a flexible employer who understand that being committed to a job is not the same as sacrificing everything for it: holiday is holiday; if you need flexibility for life stuff that’s not a problem; and we don’t expect (or want) long hours – we believe in a good work/life balance.
 
Read here for further details on benefits