Cutover & Readiness Manager (Tech PMO) | Contract | Bank

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced Cutover & Readiness Manager to lead the planning, coordination, and execution of technology cutovers across multiple implementation waves. This role is responsible for ensuring all deployment activities are delivered in a controlled, repeatable, and low-risk manner, while driving operational readiness, business readiness, hypercare support, and successful transition into Business-as-Usual (BAU) operations.

Working closely with project managers, technology teams, business stakeholders, and operational support teams, you will orchestrate end-to-end cutover planning, readiness assessments, execution governance, and post-implementation support to ensure successful delivery of complex technology transformation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and manage the overall wave delivery approach, including implementation scope, sequencing, dependencies, entry and exit criteria, and deployment schedules.
• Develop, maintain, and govern integrated cutover plans and detailed runbooks for each implementation wave, consolidating activities across multiple workstreams and technology domains.
• Coordinate and lead cutover rehearsals, validating deployment activities, dependencies, rollback procedures, and operational readiness prior to production implementation.
• Manage the Cutover Command Centre during deployment windows, coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure timely execution of implementation activities and issue resolution.
• Drive operational readiness by ensuring support models, monitoring capabilities, system access, communication plans, incident management processes, and support resources are fully established before go-live.
• Develop and present wave readiness assessments, including go/no-go recommendations, operational readiness status, cutover readiness, key risks, issues, and mitigation plans to project governance forums and senior stakeholders.
• Coordinate hypercare planning and execution to ensure appropriate post-implementation support, issue management, and service stabilization following each deployment wave.
• Ensure successful transition to Business-as-Usual (BAU) operations through structured handover processes, including operational documentation, acceptance criteria, knowledge transfer, and support readiness.
• Monitor implementation risks, dependencies, and critical milestones, proactively escalating issues that may impact deployment timelines or operational stability.
• Collaborate with Project Management Office (PMO), Technology, Infrastructure, Application, Business, Operations, and Vendor teams to ensure aligned execution across all deployment activities.
• Continuously improve cutover methodologies, governance processes, templates, and operational readiness frameworks to support future implementation waves.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Cutover Management, Release Management, Technology Project Management, Implementation Management, or Technology PMO within large-scale technology transformation programmes.
• Proven experience planning and managing complex technology cutovers involving multiple applications, infrastructure components, business units, and implementation waves.
• Solid understanding of cutover planning, release management, deployment governance, operational readiness, and production implementation processes.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams across Technology, Infrastructure, Operations, Business, and Vendor organizations during critical deployment windows.
• Experience leading cutover rehearsals, command centre operations, hypercare support, and post-implementation transition activities.
• Solid understanding of IT Service Management (ITSM) principles, operational support models, incident management, change management, and Business-as-Usual (BAU) handover processes. .
• Professional certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP), PRINCE2, ITIL Foundation, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), or equivalent are good to have.