About the role The Principal Portfolio Manager acts as the strategic portfolio partner for one or more Technology Leadership Team members and their Directorates. They are a trusted advisor to senior leaders in Tech and beyond, directly influencing major investment decisions, portfolio priorities and delivery approaches for multiple Technology Directorates. They ensure effective collaboration and constructive challenge between central and directorate teams so portfolios are visible, well understood and aligned with Business and Technology priorities. Partnering with Tech Programme and Product, and business leaders, they drive up the clarity and transparency of investment, priorities, capacity, dependencies, risks and performance to support governance and senior leadership level decision making, per our federated, ‘freedom in a framework' model.
What is in it for you We’re all about the little helps. That’s why we make sure our Tesco colleague benefits package takes care of you – both in and out of work. Click Here to find out more!
What is in it for you We’re all about the little helps. That’s why we make sure our Tesco colleague benefits package takes care of you – both in and out of work. Click Here to find out more!
- Annual bonus scheme of up to 45% of base salary.
- Car Cash Allowance.
- Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day (plus Bank holidays).
- Private medical insurance.
- Retirement savings plan - save between 6% - 10% and Tesco will contribute 1.5 times this amount.
- 26 weeks maternity and adoption leave (12 months service required at the qualifying date) at full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, we also offer 6 weeks fully paid paternity leave.
- Build trusted relationships with Directorate leaders across TLT, Programme, Product and Engineering, and key business stakeholders as appropriate.
- Planning, governance & leadership support
- Challenge and shape portfolio strategies, plans and assumptions, using data and insight to drive informed decision making and improved outcomes.
- Partner with leadership teams across multiple Technology and the business to establish consistent portfolio practices while respecting local business and delivery needs.
- Represent Directorate portfolios within enterprise portfolio processes, ensuring local considerations are reflected in Technology-wide investment and prioritisation.
- Collaboration & dependency management
- Identify and help resolve strategic dependencies across Directorates and enterprise initiatives.
- functional planning, coordination and delivery confidence across Portfolio, Product, Engineering, Architecture, Finance and People.
- Portfolio visibility & insight
- Work with portfolio & PMO teams to maintain a clear, integrated view of programmes, products, investment, resources and dependencies.
- making.
- Portfolio maturity & continuous improvement
- Champion portfolio management best practice across the Directorate and build capability through coaching, guidance and communities of practice.
- Improve processes, tooling, data standards and operating models, including better use of data, automation and AI.
- Strong understanding of portfolio management in large-scale, complex technology environments.
- Significant experience in enterprise-level portfolio management, PPMO, technology governance, strategic planning, or business management within a large, complex organisation.
- Excellent senior stakeholder management, partnering, influencing, and relationship-building skills across multiple organisational units.
- Experience working across a variety of product, programme, and engineering delivery models.
- Strong analytical capability, with the ability to turn complex portfolio information into clear, actionable insight.
- Experience supporting portfolio planning, investment governance, prioritisation, capacity management, and benefits tracking.
- Strong facilitation skills in planning, prioritisation, governance, and trade-off discussions.
- Experience operating at the intersection of Technology and Business functions, translating strategic objectives into portfolio priorities and delivery outcomes.
- Ability to work effectively across central functions and local Directorate portfolios.
- Strong understanding of financial governance, benefits management, capacity planning, delivery performance management, and delivery accountability where accountability sits outside direct line control.
- Experience improving portfolio processes, reporting, governance, tooling, or operating models.
- Ability to operate with autonomy in ambiguous, complex, and fast-moving environments.
- Certification in a recognised portfolio, programme, project, or agile delivery methodology would be an advantage.
- Strong communication skills, creating clarity, alignment, and shared understanding across leadership groups.