Head of Delivery — role definition
Purpose: Define scope, authority, and outcomes for the Head of Delivery role so CSOs, Service Leads, and ICs know who sets the bar and who approves execution.
Mission
- Own delivery standards across the client portfolio (how we plan, communicate, execute, and report).
- Ensure every engagement has a defensible project plan aligned to the signed SOW before heavy execution.
- Reduce escalations and founder firefighting by making ownership and expectations explicit.
- Partner with operations/finance on capacity, margin, and meeting load targets where they affect delivery.
Authority
- Approves the client project plan at the Project Review Meeting (see project-review-meeting).
- Sets and updates delivery standards documented under 04-standards-and-sops.
- Escalation owner for cross-client delivery risk, repeated misses on standards, and scope/timeline conflicts that CSOs cannot resolve with Service Leads.
- May delegate standards enforcement (e.g., Delivery Ops) but remains accountable for clarity of the standards themselves.
What this role is not
- Not the default presenter on client calls (that is the CSO).
- Not a substitute for Service Lead technical ownership of build quality and IC mentorship.
- Not the author of every ticket (that stays with SL + ICs, with CSO ensuring client-visible outcomes are clear).
Success looks like
- Project plans are reviewed and approved on a predictable cadence (post-SOW, quarterly refresh, or on major scope change).
- Linear hygiene and client communication standards are understood and measurable.
- Escalation volume trends down as ownership and early alignment improve.
Last updated: 2026-03-23