CIO Advisory Lead

CIO Advisory Lead Role Overview You will be accountable for leading our CIO Advisory capability, with a primary focus on Enterprise & Business Architecture, enabling CIOs to maximise business value from technology, align IT investment with strategy, and execute large-scale, value-driven transformation. You will establish a strategic capability, ensuring that transformation programmes build sustainable business capabilities rather than isolated solutions, operating as a senior trusted advisor to clients; shaping enterprise strategy, operating models, transformation scope and architecture-led roadmaps that translate business ambition into deliverable change. This role combines commercial growth, executive-level client leadership, enterprise design authority and people development; with the requirement to create the methods, assets, credentials and market presence necessary to support sustainable growth and differentiation to: Originate, shape and lead major CIO Advisory engagements across strategy, operating model, architecture and transformation domains. Translate business strategy, operating models and investment priorities into coherent capability models, value streams, target architectures and transformation roadmaps. Provide credible engagement leadership and design authority across complex advisory programmes, bids and client conversations. As a capability lead, you will shape the formation of a high performing CIO Advisory team, driving collaboration with our Business Development Teams to identify and shape new opportunities; working in conjunction with our Enterprise Solution Architecture capability, while ensuring alignment with our Group Architecture, IT Strategy and Agile transformation propositions to build a mature CIO Advisory proposition in the market. Ways of Working Build, lead and sustain a high-performing, engaged CIO Advisory team, creating clear ways of working, shared objectives and a strong sense of ownership across the capability. Coach, mentor and develop L4 / L3 / L2 leaders and consultants, building capability depth across Enterprise & Business Architecture, Technology Strategy and architecture-led transformation. Create an inclusive, collaborative and commercially focused team culture that encourages initiative, continuous learning, high-quality delivery and cross-practice contribution. Shape Technology Advisory and OCTO strategy, translating growth priorities into practical CIO Advisory capability plans, investment priorities, methods, assets and market-facing offers aligned to market demand, client needs and Group strategic direction. Build and maintain trusted relationships with CIOs, CTOs, Digital Directors and senior business stakeholders, acting as a credible senior advisor on complex transformation challenges. Originate, shape and close high-value advisory opportunities aligned to Technology Advisory / OCTO strategy, working collaboratively with Business Development, account teams and practice leaders. Own P/L for CIO Advisory, with clear accountability for growth, conversion, commercial quality and delivery confidence. Drive structured engagement governance, quality assurance and stakeholder management across complex transformation assignments. Subject Matter Expertise Ability to lead CIO- and ExCo-level CIO Advisory engagements, shaping strategy, operating models, transformation scope and architecture-led roadmaps. Anchor technology strategy and Agile transformation in robust capability-based planning and architecture-led transformation roadmapping. Strengthen architecture-led narratives in bids, proposals and client conversations to improve credibility, differentiation and senior stakeholder confidence. Own and evolve Enterprise & Business Architecture propositions, methods, assets and credentials, including capability models, value streams, target architectures and transformation roadmaps. Possess knowledge of Cloud, Data, AI and Platform Practices in order to position and integrate their capabilities as appropriate. Leading & Managing Apply the principles of the Sopra Steria UK values and the Sopra Steria story at every opportunity with both internal and external customers. Build and lead a high-performing CIO Advisory team, coaching L4/L3/L2 leaders and supporting succession development across the capability. Act as an ambassador for consulting excellence, enterprise thinking and architecture-led transformation across Technology Advisory, OCTO and SDS. Develop the capability, culture and ways of working required to establish CIO Advisory as a credible, market-facing advisory pillar. Manage strategic relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders, positioning Sopra Steria as a trusted advisor across complex transformation opportunities. Influence Group-level Architecture, IT Strategy and Agile transformation communities, ensuring UK alignment, reuse of methods and access to relevant European assets and credentials. Actively promote insight, lessons learned and reusable assets across the Consulting group and wider OCTO community