Job Description
Role: Head of Strategic Portfolio Management - Maternity cover
Offer type: This is a fixed term role due to begin in September 2024 and to end September 2025
Salary: £55,000 - £62,000
Location: This is a remote role, based nationally
Role Purpose
The Head of Portfolio Management will shape and coordinate the portfolio of strategic projects NCS Trust is undertaking in order to achieve its strategic objectives. The role includes oversight of the Project Management Office (PMO) function, which exists to ensure successful delivery of the portfolio through clear implementation process, governance and reporting. This is currently undergoing a refresh of its guidance, processes and training, and so this will form a key part of the role over the next year.
The Head of Portfolio Management will report to the Chief Operating Officer. As a key management role in this directorate, they will work closely with strategy, risk and governance teams to inform decision making & risk mitigations, drawing insights from lessons learnt in previous projects, strategic plans and working across teams. This role is key to bringing visibility and project reporting to the Executive Leadership team on a monthly basis.
The Head of Portfolio Management and the PMO they lead will also work across the organisation with project managers and other teams that manage and implement projects.
A key focus for the role is to demonstrate impact and benefits of projects undertaken, and drive continuous improvement of the PMO via training and lessons learnt activities.
Key activities
- Oversee and coordinate NCS Trust’s portfolio of projects to support achievement of organisational goals in 2024-25, while assessing level of change and resource requirements
- Build out the PMO function from its current operational focus to a strategic focus, including embedding how impacts and benefits are measured.
- Oversee the process to approve, manage and evaluate projects, with responsibility for the overall PMO governance framework
- Provide regular updates to leaders and the Executive team to identify and escalate risks and issues, discuss mitigations, and support prioritisation of projects and key business activities
- Act in consultative role for project leads and teams to facilitate and support the delivery of projects, as well as directly deliver projects/programmes where required
- Drive communications to wider Trust
- Maintain PMO centre of project excellence, including reviewing templates, guidance & processes
- Update and implement project management training across the Trust
Role specific skills
- Ability to drive change in a complex environment, prioritising impact while managing competing priorities
- Ability to achieve buy in with senior leadership, providing challenge where required
- Comfortable coordinating and collaborating with multiple stakeholders across all levels to drive impact
- Strategic mindset, and ability to place activity within the context of the organisation’s overall strategic direction and goals
- Ability to successfully work with and influence individuals not directly under one’s control
- Strong interpersonal, prioritisation, and problem solving skills
- Strong communication skills
- Strong understanding of project governance and how to support teams in driving project delivery
- Ability to lead a team and provide support through training, mentoring and coaching
Measures of success
- Clear understanding of PMO processes, project delivery principles across the Trust
- Timely and visible project reporting to the Executive team and positive feedback received
- Project teams / leads feel supported and empowered to delivery projects
- Training is updated and rolled out for new starters and project managers/leads
Experience & Qualifications
Essential:
- Experience managing a portfolio of complex projects and change programmes, with a focus on risk management
- Track record of driving change and leading transformational projects
- Experience of strategic planning, and setting up governance for managing projects
- Track record of gaining buy in from senior stakeholders to deliver change
- Experience in leading cross-functional teams
- Experience in measuring impact and embedding benefits framework for projects
- Strong attention to detail
- Project management qualification (eg. Prince2, APM)
Desirable:
- Degree-level / equivalent qualification desirable
- Management of Portfolios qualification desirable
Our benefits include
- 28 days annual leave in addition to Bank Holiday entitlements.
- 5 Volunteer days
- Enhanced Maternity/Paternity/New parental (Subject to 1 year of service) pay
- Life Assurance
- 24/7 access to an Employee Assistance Program
- Access to a self-directed learning and development platform
- Access to a national discount platform, shared with one family member
- Discounted Eye Care
- Cycle to work scheme
- You can request flexible working after 26 weeks of employment
- Well being days
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