Key Skills

Job Description

Three recently merged companies are bringing everything together into one IT environment. The programme has been running for over a year and is now in the delivery and testing phase. The first go-live is planned for November 2026, followed by releases in February and March 2027. The work can't slip, and the programme needs a new lead. We're looking for a Freelance IT Programme Manager who takes over immediately, gets a grip on every track in the first weeks and lands the programme through go-live and into run. What You'll Do Take over the programme and quickly build a clear picture per track: what's done, what's still running and where the blockers are. Bring everything together in one integrated plan, with explicit dependencies and ownership and a clear critical path towards each release. Close open dependencies between tracks, architects, developers and suppliers. Make sure decisions get made, escalate where needed and guard the scope. Kick off and drive E2E testing and UAT: a clear test approach, a plan, entry and exit criteria, and a workable defect process. Prioritise defects with track leads and architects, and use the test results to judge whether the planned releases are feasible and to adjust in time. Set the go/no-go criteria and prepare the decision-making. Plan and direct cutover, go-live and hypercare. Lead the phase-out of the legacy systems, including data, integrations, licences and contracts. Prepare the move to run, with clear agreements on management, support, documentation and knowledge transfer. Keep a tight meeting rhythm, an up-to-date RAID log and clear progress reporting to the Delivery Manager and steering committee. What You Bring Senior IT programme management experience. You've taken over complex programmes mid-flight and landed them. Hands-on experience with E2E testing, UAT, cutover and decommissioning legacy systems. Post-merger IT integration experience is a strong plus. The ability to make dependencies and ownership explicit, and to force decisions across tracks, architects and suppliers. You decide without having all the information, remove blockers fast and judge release readiness with confidence. You guard the scope and escalate on time. No surprises, and the point comes first. Structured reporting that a steering committee can act on. Fluent Dutch and professional English. Practical Details 📍 Amsterdam ⏱️ Full-time, starting immediately, through at least March 2027

Core Responsibilities

Take over the in-flight IT integration programme, establish an integrated plan with clear dependencies and ownership, and drive testing, release readiness, cutover, go-live, and hypercare. Lead legacy system decommissioning and the transition to ongoing operations, while managing risks, decisions, scope, and progress reporting.

Requirements

Requires senior IT programme management experience, including taking over complex programmes mid-flight and delivering them through go-live. Candidates need hands-on experience with end-to-end testing, UAT, cutover, and legacy system decommissioning; post-merger integration experience is a strong advantage, and fluent Dutch and professional English are required.