Head of Central PMO

Department: Strategy Delivery Office
Salary: TBC
Reference: QMUL33025
Location: Mile End
Date posted: 24 May 2023
Closing date: 7 June 2023

Further details and apply

Overview

About the Role

The Head of Central PMO is a new position, created to manage project management standardisation across initially the Strategy Delivery Office (SDO), IT Services (ITS) and Estates and Facilities (EaF) functions within Professional Services and possible expansion to include other areas of the University.

The Central PMO will lead the Centre of Excellence across the University’s project management offering and will work collaboratively across the business units. It will introduce, standardise, and enhance economies of repetition in the execution of projects ensuring consistent delivery quality.

The University has published its 2030 Strategy and this role is responsible to the Director of Strategy Delivery for the reporting of the Programme and Project Portfolio of strategic projects to the Senior Executive Team (SET) and other senior management.

This role will assure the quality of delivery of the projects and programme ensuring they deliver these strategically important initiatives in a controlled manner to defined time, cost and quality criteria, as well as all operational programmes and projects.

This role will provide essential Management Information to the main stakeholders across all business units, as well as the Vice Principals and Senior Executive Team, so that informed decisions can be made regarding delivery priorities and financial spend.

For the avoidance of doubt, the PMO in this instance is Portfolio Management Office (as opposed to Project or Programme Management Office). Any Project or Programme Management Offices for Strategic initiatives would report to this Portfolio Management Office.

About You

The Head of Central PMO will operate within a complex environment across the Strategy Delivery Office, IT Services and Estates and Facilities initially to deliver strategic and operational programmes and projects across all sectors of QMUL.

Strategy & Planning

• Develop and maintain the overall PMO strategy in line with the organisational goals and objectives
• Development of the PMO to ensure it becomes a ‘centre of excellence’ for everything project and programme related and is regarded as such by other areas within QMUL
• Define project management methodologies, standards, and best practices for the organisation.
• Oversee project portfolio management to ensure alignment with business objectives and resource optimisation.
• Monitor project performance, risks, and issues, and ensure that appropriate corrective actions are taken.
• Develop and implement project governance processes and ensure compliance with organizational policies and standards
• Working alongside the Strategy Planning Office, manage yearly planning activities and ensure that the appropriate information is provided to facilitate Senior Leadership decision making

PMO Operational Management

• Accountable for the coordination and standardisation of all project document templates, standards and processes across Central, SDO, ITS and EaF PMOs
• Spearhead creation and maintenance of PMO Charters and Service Catalogues for Central PMO, SDO, ITS and EaF.
• Define and implement appropriate Key Performance Indicator (KPI) metrics to quickly identify issues and performance of project and programmes
• Lead development and implementation of automated systems to ensure speedy and efficient project status reporting and making available to senior level management without need for SDO intervention.
• Lead the P3M3 assessment activities across SDO, ITS and EaF; managing the creation and actioning of plans to increase maturity
• Lead on internal activities to delivery necessary information to external auditors
• Management of quality assurance across Strategy Delivery Office, IT Services and Estates and Facilities

Portfolio Management & Governance

• Lead the management of projects using QMUL’s project governance framework, supported by our portfolio management platform
• Lead the execution of PMO governance across Strategy Delivery Office, IT Services and Estates and Facilities
• Oversee the management and execution of preparation activities for decision-making Boards across each business unit
• Promotion, publication, and appropriate training of our governance framework
• Co-ordinate and maintain the Portfolio Process framework ensuring that planned activities are managed and governed in line with best practice and ensure full and accurate transparency of the portfolio and its associated key performance metrics
• Maintain full transparency of project and programme portfolio to identify governance requirements and change control to ensure appropriate governance activities can be initiated and approved by appropriate governance boards or groups.

Capacity and demand management

• Accountable for the alignment of resources across Central, SDO, ITS and EaF PMO teams
• Develop methods of planning and tracking cross university resources used on strategic projects to assist with demand management and highlight any peaks in resource demand to work on strategic projects
• Plan and manage resources (people and financial), seeking efficiency, opportunities for improvement and value for money

Performance & Reporting

• Ensuring appropriate project financial controls are in place and fully aligned with the finance team
• Developing and delivering a robust communication strategy for transparent reporting of the project portfolio.
• Establishing clear lines of communication and collaboration between the PMO and the wider business, ensuring all parties are aware of progress, challenges, and changes.
• Regularly compiling and presenting accurate status reports of the project portfolio to the executive team.
• Developing and monitoring KPI performance of the Central and business unit PMOs to ensure adherence
• Develop and deliver timely and relevant reporting on the portfolio on behalf of the SDO Director, Director and Estates and Chief Information Officer to Senior Management
• Facilitate stakeholder reporting for the strategic portfolio with regards to delivery progress and performance aligned with finance and business stakeholders
• Provide guidance, support and coaching on best practice for completing Business Cases
• Implement benefits tracking process to ensure Projects and Programmes delivery on the benefits as defined in the approved business case.

Line management

• Accountable for the functional management of the PMO service across SDO, IT Services and Estates and Facilities.
• Managing the PMO resources and Monitor team development, set performance objectives and providing constructive feedback for continued growth, initially via matrix management.
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• Identifying training and development needs and developing training plans
• Indirect management of Project and Programme Managers to ensure compliance with defined quality standards and controls

Relationships

• Build and maintain a trust relationship with senior QMUL stakeholders to Chief and Vice Principal levels demonstrating integrity and impartiality in status reporting
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, including senior executives, clients, vendors, and team members
• Maintain high standards of professionalism at all times enabling high stakeholder confidence and satisfaction

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and campus facilities including an on-site nursery at the Mile End campus.

The post is based at the Dept W on Mile End Road in London. It is full time, permanent appointment. The starting salary is yet to be confirmed, inclusive of London Allowance.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.

Informal enquiries should be addressed to Mark Farenden at[email protected]  

The closing date for applications is 7 June 2023.

Interview will be held shortly thereafter.

Valuing Diversity & Committed to Equality

Further details and apply