Mainframe Project Manager - Banking

• Location: Sheffield Hybrid, 3 days per week onsite (Birmingham location may also be considered subject to client approval)
• Rate: £600£650 per day (inside IR35)
• Initial contract, with expected continuity throughout 2027

We are looking for 3x experienced Project Managers to support a portfolio of mainframe infrastructure and technology change within a Tier 1 global bank.

The roles sit within a complex mainframe engineering environment and will involve leading delivery across technical workstreams, working closely with engineering teams, service owners and senior stakeholders. This is a challenging stakeholder environment, so the successful candidates will need to be experienced, pragmatic and able to build effective relationships with established technical teams.

Previous mainframe delivery experience is a key requirement. Candidates with prior experience delivering within a large global bank will be particularly well aligned, although this is not absolutely essential.

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of mainframe infrastructure and technology projects.
• Develop and maintain practical delivery plans, milestones and dependencies.
• Coordinate activity across engineering teams, service owners, suppliers and wider technology stakeholders.
• Manage project risks, issues, dependencies, budgets and governance.
• Work closely with technical teams to remove blockers and maintain delivery momentum.
• Provide clear and concise updates to senior stakeholders.
• Build strong working relationships across a complex matrix organisation.
• Adapt the project approach to suit the environment rather than applying process unnecessarily.
• Support the delivery of work being brought forward from the wider technology roadmap.

• Strong experience as a Project Manager delivering mainframe-related projects.
• Good understanding of mainframe technology and engineering environments.
• Experience delivering infrastructure migrations, upgrades, modernisation or service implementation projects.
• Proven ability to manage difficult or resistant stakeholders and build credibility with technical teams.
• Pragmatic, delivery-focused approach with the ability to explain clearly what actions you would take in a given situation.
• Comfortable operating within a large, complex and highly governed organisation.
• Strong project controls experience, including planning, RAID management, dependencies, governance and reporting.
• Able to work effectively with established engineering teams without taking an overly prescriptive or process-heavy approach.
• Previous experience delivering within a Tier 1 bank would be highly desirable.
• Wider financial services experience is beneficial but not essential.

The mainframe engineering teams are primarily based in South Yorkshire. Candidates must therefore be able to attend the Sheffield location 3 days per week.

Birmingham may be considered for an exceptional candidate with particularly strong mainframe experience, although Sheffield is the clear preference. This role is not available on a fully remote basis.

• £600£650 per day inside IR35
• Initial contract, with good potential for extension throughout 2027
• One-stage Zoom interview expected.