Implementation Director (London - Hybrid)

About Finova

finova is the UK’s leading cloud-based mortgages and savings software provider, supporting over 60 top-tier lenders, 3,000 mortgage brokers, and 200 financial institutions. Our award-winning suite of solutions spans Core Banking Platforms, Broker Platforms, and finova Connect—a suite of tools that seamlessly connect lenders, intermediaries, and consumers. Fast implementation and open architecture sit at the heart of our technology, giving our clients the flexibility to integrate or configure solutions to meet their business needs.

Our Core Banking Platform encompasses market-leading originations software and in-life servicing software for mortgages, equity release, specialist lending, and savings. Over £75 billion has been originated through our platform, with £27 billion in loans and savings managed via our in-life servicing solutions. Built for agility and scalability, our API-led platform integrates with over 20 third-party applications, enabling financial institutions to adapt rapidly to evolving market demands.

About The Role

As an Implementation Director (reporting directly to the COO) you will be directly responsible for onboarding brand new customers and implementing finova’s cloud native core banking platform, Apprivo. Ensuring a smooth and customer first implementation journey. You will oversee a multi-disciplinary team as well as manage 3rd party systems integrators. You will work closely with your team to ensure customer objectives and timelines are being met.

This is a transformational role focused on, ensuring exceptional client satisfaction, and spearheading initiatives to enhance the customer experience. You will act as the strategic voice for our clients, cultivating relationships at an executive level, and driving operational excellence in customer success across our business. This is a pivotal position in supporting finova’s strategic goals and building long-term partnerships with our key accounts.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Provide transformational leadership to the delivery team
• Ensure we take our customers through the implementation journey
• Be mindful of a customer first mindset ensuring targets are met on time and in budget
• Managing a team of project managers, 3rd party system integrators, Business analysts, engineers and product owners
• Understand how the client business works, its levers, its influencers, its objectives – aligning finova and our change/success functions with these.
• Drive change for the customer, through software delivery programs and release management to ensure SaaS delivery approach Overseeing portfolio/project managers delivering change into client.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders, ensuring finova’s solutions deliver measurable value and align with their strategic goals. Helping to build new
• Develop and execute strategies to enhance customer satisfaction and long-term partnerships.
• Manage and report on the sales pipeline through CRM systems, providing regular insights to the leadership team on progress against targets.
• Drive improvements in processes and systems to ensure efficient account management and outstanding client experiences.
• Produce and present detailed financial reports and forecasts to the board, demonstrating a clear understanding of account profitability and growth potential.
• Oversee RFPs, bids, and contracting processes, working closely with legal and other internal teams to ensure compliance and risk management.
• Work cross-functionally with internal teams, including Product and Engineering, to ensure seamless delivery and alignment of solutions to client needs.
  
  

About You

• This is a hybrid role, you’ll be onsite 3 times a week and will need to travel to customer sites within the UK as needed
• Proven experience leading enterprise software implementations in a SaaS or enterprise tech environment
• Strong track record of delivering complex projects on time, in budget, and to high customer satisfaction
• Demonstrated ability to improve Net Promoter Score (NPS) and customer retention through successful delivery
• Experience managing multidisciplinary delivery teams, including project managers, analysts, engineers, and third-party partners
• Deep understanding of client business operations, with the ability to align delivery to customer goals and strategy
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience working directly with C-suite and senior client stakeholders
• Skilled in programme and portfolio management, including governance, risk management, and reporting
• Experience delivering in agile, hybrid, or scaled agile environments
• Commercial acumen, including oversight of RFPs, contracts, financial reporting, and pipeline forecasting
• Effective collaboration with internal teams (Product, Engineering, Customer Success) to ensure solution alignment
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with a change-oriented and customer-first mindset
  
  

What We Offer

Flexible Working: 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, bank holiday trading and holiday purchase options, the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to 4 weeks per year, and a flexible hybrid working policy.

Looking After You: Life Assurance, Group Income Protection, Private Medical Insurance, a pension scheme via Salary Exchange, an Employee Assistance Programme, and access to a Virtual GP.

Family-Friendly Policies: Enhanced maternity and paternity pay, as well as paid time off for fertility treatments and pregnancy loss.

Extra Perks: Cycle to Work Scheme, discounts on shops, restaurants, and gym memberships, free fresh fruit daily, and opportunities to join colleague networks and social groups.

Giving Back: One paid volunteering day annually and the Give-As-You-Earn scheme to support your favorite charities.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you’re passionate about this role but don’t meet all the criteria, please reach out—we’d love to discuss how your skills and experiences align with our needs.