The Head of implementation role is accountable for end-to-end implementation outcomes, strict adherence to the SOP, and formal transition to Client Success post go-live.

You will be the custodian and authority on scope, timelines, dependency enforcement, escalation, and delivery readiness.

Core Accountability (Non-Negotiable)

- Own implementation predictability, not just customer satisfaction

- Enforce SOP across all enterprise implementations

- Act as the final escalation point for delivery risk, scope creep, and customer-induced delays

- Protect platform integrity and engineering focus

- Ensure sales promises are executable before delivery starts

Key Responsibilities

1. Implementation Governance & Delivery Ownership

- Own delivery outcomes across all active enterprise implementations

- Ensure mandatory phase sequencing: Discovery & Blueprint

- Configuration, Integration, Custom Development (only if approved), UAT, Go-Live & Hypercare

- Enforce no shortcuts, no parallelism outside SOP-defined paths

- Ensure minimum viable flow go-live, pushing non-critical scope to Phase 2

2. Scope Control & Change Governance

- Enforce Change Request (CR) discipline: No new requirements post-blueprint without CR

- CRs must include cost, timeline, and approval, prevent mid-project scope creep driven by: Sales pressure

- Client escalation

- Own final decision on go/no-go for custom development

3. Dependency & Delay Management

- Ensure all customer dependencies (APIs, policies, UAT bandwidth, approvals) are: Clearly documented

- Tracked weekly and timestamped, enforce automatic timeline extensions for customer-induced delays. Categorize and log into all delays as: Customer-induced

- External dependency, trigger escalation strictly as per SOP timelines

4. Sales-to-Delivery Enforcement

- Block project kickoff unless complete sales handover is received: Signed contract & SOW

- Approved timelines, integration list, custom requirements, customer stakeholders & escalation contacts and push back on uncommitted, under-defined, or unrealistic sales promises

- Partner with Sales-but never absorb sales risk into delivery

5. Leadership & Team Ownership

- Directly manage: Implementation Program Managers and client Success Managers (post go-live)

- Ensure clear ownership boundaries: Implementation PM owns delivery and client Success owns post-go-live outcomes

- Build a governance-first culture, not hero-based execution. Coach teams escalate early, document always, and avoid silent risk accumulation

6. Customer Engagement (Strategic, Not Accommodative)

- Act as a trusted advisor, while maintaining delivery discipline

- Lead weekly governance forums with: R/Y/G dashboards; dependency tracker and UAT status, CR log, Risk register and engage customer leadership when required-not just delivery teams

Required Experience & Profile

- 15+ years in enterprise SaaS / platform implementation leadership

- Proven experience running multi-client, parallel implementations

- Strong background in: Platform-led delivery (not bespoke IT projects)

- Scope control & CR enforcement

- Enterprise customer escalation handling

- Experience in Fintech / Banking / Lending platforms strongly preferred

Skills & Capabilities

- Exceptional delivery governance and escalation judgment

- Ability to say no with clarity and evidence

- Comfort enforcing timeline freezes and re-baselining

- Strong written documentation discipline

- Calm under pressure; not conflict-avoidant

Certifications (Optional, Not Deciding Factor)

- PMP / PRINCE2 / SAFe / Agile preferred

Working Model

- 5 days work from office

- Role requires daily cross-functional coordination