PMO Lead

The PMO Lead role has responsibilities for client delivery, developing our PMO delivery practice and people, alongside the maturing of supporting approaches and standards. The post-holder will be part of the growing Change Delivery practice, reporting to the Head of Change Delivery and will be expected to work across the Change & Innovation Portfolio.

The Change & Innovation Portfolio brings together the capabilities to analyse, design and develop innovative solutions and services, with the project and programme management expertise to deliver business change. We support our public sector clients to deliver sustainable change and innovation, using knowledge transfer and co-delivery to build their internal capabilities and create positive impact.

The Change Delivery Practice's mission is to support our clients design and delivery successful change through quality P3M (Portfolio, Programme and Project Management) consultancy and knowledge transfer that builds sustainable capability across the public sector

The PMO Lead will play a leading role in establishing PMO services as an integral part of our P3M (Portfolio, Programme and Project Management) delivery practice. They will help our clients improve the success of their investments and increase their own delivery capability by delivering high-quality consultancy and applying consistent, proportionate and practical guidance and tools. They will build a skilled team, compelling service offerings and help improve our internal delivery assurance function.

The ideal candidate will have at least ten years' experience working in programme and project environments with a particular emphasis on PMO design and delivery and over five years' experience of working in technology and/or business change consultancy. They will have relevant P30 and/or project and programme qualifications and applied practitioner expertise in the different aspects of PPM design and delivery. Specialist knowledge in complex PMO design and delivery and at least one other area of specialist PPM knowledge will be an advantage.

Successful applicants will have experience of large-scale transformation programmes and a broad understanding of the UK public services landscape with experience in different sectors. In addition to demonstrable client engagement skills, they will have a good understanding about the challenges faced in public sector delivery and an interest in innovating with new techniques and technology to support the more efficient delivery of improved outcomes.

The role will be based around the following key capabilities:

· Delivery - designing, managing and assuring high achieving PMO functions for clients

· Establishing the PMO offering as an integral delivery product for our success

· Building and managing a PMO team of support officers, analysts and consultants

· Internal guidance to the Delivery Support and Assurance team to mature our delivery practice

Delivery

· Providing PMO delivery leadership and direction, ensuring work is properly designed with sufficient client engagement.

· Managing and monitoring project performance, progress against milestones, and appropriateness and quality of work, and where necessary taking corrective action.

· Establishing PMO functions and portfolio / programme governance in line with client maturity

· Overseeing the development of proportionate assurance mechanisms

· Overseeing protocols to change the scope of projects and/or programmes and ensuring updates to configuration documents as required.

· Having the ability to confidently engage and work with stakeholders across the business including internal stakeholder up to C-level and external stakeholders.

· Providing strategic leadership to the Programme or Portfolio Management Office teams, both employed Methods staff and other resources and acting as a thought leader across the wider delivery environment

· Ensuring that an effective and appropriate culture of continuous improvement is established and embedded into the ways of working of the PMO function and wider delivery programme.

Establishing the PMO offering

· Developing and maturing our PMO approaches and collateral to support high quality delivery and so that knowledge is retained and reused.

· Supporting the development of new PMO products and services and evolve existing products and services in line with market knowledge and company capability

· Proactively identifying new client prospects and work with the sales team to develop and convert active opportunities

· Leading on PMO proposal development, working collaboratively with the bid team in preparing and reviewing proposals

· Establishing a PMO Community of Practice, knowledge sharing and mentoring where appropriate

· Publish thought leadership on specified market, product and service issues and actively participate in PMO and wider PPM events to gain and share industry knowledge

Team development

· Creating high performing PMO teams to optimise delivery for clients' specific needs

· Shaping PMO teams including delivery insight and challenge, where required.

· Recruiting suitably skilled professionals with balance of different areas of experience and interest

· Coordinating the development of career pathways for PMO staff

· Supporting each team members professional development while maintaining your own

· A successful track record of design and leading a Programme or Portfolio Management Office which contributed to the successful delivery of complex projects and programmes.

· Previous experience setting up PMOs from scratch.

· Expertise in establishing processes and standards to control and support project delivery.

· A practical understanding of the factors that cause projects and programmes to succeed and the role of PMOs in enabling this.

· The ability to partner with and influence senior stakeholders and to communicate at various levels of seniority confidently and honestly, solving any issues that may arise quickly and effectively.

· The ability to define outcomes-based deliverables and deliver them in complex programme environments

· Strong and effective quality assurance knowledge and skills and the overall integrity of the programme.

· The ability to deliver at pace while retaining a focus on quality and identifying areas for improvement

· The ability to manage a broad range of responsibilities and thrive under pressure.

· Experience in building and managing effective PMO teams

· Understanding of the roles and benefits of PPM software

· Experience of managing projects using Microsoft Project (essential) & Project Online (desirable)

· Knowledge of Programme and PMO methodologies, in particular P30 and MSP, and of agile approaches

· Excellent knowledge of Microsoft 365 and office products

· Evidence of recent and on-going professional development

This role will require you to have or be willing to go through Security Clearance. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected . Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.

Methods is a £100M+ IT Services Consultancy who has partnered with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way the public sector operates in the UK. Established over 30 years ago and UK-based, we apply our skills in transformation, delivery, and collaboration from across the Methods Group, to create end-to-end business and technical solutions that are people-centred, safe, and designed for the future.

Our human touch sets us apart from other consultancies, system integrators and software houses - with people, technology, and data at the heart of who we are, we believe in creating value and sustainability through everything we do for our clients, staff, communities, and the planet.

We support our clients in the success of their projects while working collaboratively to share skill sets and solve problems. At Methods we have fun while working hard; we are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them.

Predominantly focused on the public-sector, Methods is now building a significant private sector client portfolio.

Methods was acquired by the Alten Group in early 2022.

Methods is passionate about its people; we want our colleagues to develop the things they are good at and enjoy.

By joining us you can expect:

• Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience


• Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society


• Strong, inspiring, and thought-provoking leadership


• A supportive and collaborative environment


As well as this we offer:

Development - access to LinkedIn Learning, a management development programme, and training

Wellness - 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme

Flexible Working - including home working and part time

Social - office parties, breakfast Tuesdays, monthly pizza Thursdays, Thirsty Thursdays, and commitment to charitable causes

Time Off - 25 days of annual leave a year, plus bank holidays, with the option to buy 5 extra days each year

Volunteering - 2 paid days per year to volunteer in our local communities or within a charity organisation