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- Tasks: Lead governance and assurance for major transformation initiatives across the organisation.
- Company: CNA Hardy, a top specialist in commercial insurance with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working hours, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a leading company with excellent career advancement opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping governance frameworks and driving change in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Proven PMO leadership experience and strong financial acumen required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Function / Area: Performance & Governance Team/ IT & Operations
Reports To: Performance, Quality & Governance Director
Position Summary
The Senior PMO Lead is responsible for all programme and portfolio-wide PMO, governance, and assurance outcomes across major transformation and change initiatives. The role defines and continuously improves governance, financial control, assurance, and reporting frameworks that underpin disciplined delivery. Acting as a senior authority across projects, vendors, and executive forums, the Senior PMO Lead provides clear insight, challenge, and decision support to senior leaders. In addition to owning portfolio standards and controls, the Senior PMO Lead provides functional leadership of the PMO capability, stakeholder training, uplifting maturity, and embedding consistent best practice. The role deputises for the Performance, Quality & Governance Director in senior governance and assurance forums. The scope of the role encompasses all CNA Hardy UK & European offices.
Key Responsibilities
- Governance Leadership: Define, and continuously evolve the project governance framework, including stage gates, assurance approach, artefact standards, quality thresholds and reporting cadence. Ensure governance is fit for purpose, value‑adding and proportionate, aligned to organisational priorities and risk appetite. Lead key governance and assurance forums as required, representing PMO with authority.
- Assurance & Audit Readiness: Lead portfolio and programme level assurance activity, setting review scope, quality expectations and outcome metrics. Oversee remediation of assurance findings, ensuring timely closure and sustained improvements. Act as Senior PMO interface for internal audits, regulatory reviews and independent assurance.
- Financial Governance & Control: Ensure adherence to forecasting disciplines, accruals and change impact assessments. Provide financial insight across the programme and portfolio, identifying trends, risks and opportunities early. Escalate material risks and corrective actions to senior stakeholders.
- Change Control and RAID Management: Own the change control process, ensuring scope, cost, schedule and benefit impacts are quantified and decisions are evidence‑based. Lead oversight of cross‑programme dependencies and critical path risks, facilitating resolution at pace.
- Executive Reporting: Produce and oversee narrative‑led executive reporting, integrating performance, financial, risk and delivery views. Champion continuous improvement, knowledge sharing and pragmatic application of best practice.
- Perform other duties as directed by the PQ& G Director or Senior Management.
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
- Demonstrates in‑depth Senior PMO experience with proven leadership of governance and assurance across complex portfolios.
- Good knowledge of the insurance or financial services industries preferred.
- Advanced proficiency in Planview or equivalent tooling, MS Project, Excel and PowerPoint; able to design reporting standards and dashboards.
- Demonstrated success in designing and leading governance and assurance frameworks, not just executing them.
- Strong financial acumen (forecasting, accruals, benefits realisation) and ability to present insights to executive audiences.
- Excellent matrix management skills and ability to balance competing priorities in time sensitive situations. Capable of prioritising and managing multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, able to build strong working relationships within the team, business departments, and 3rd parties with ease.
- Have a flexible approach to working hours to meet business requirements.
- Exceptional communication, facilitation and influencing skills; comfortable challenging and guiding senior stakeholders.
- Comfortable operating as a trusted deputy and representing the function at senior forums.
The Company
CNA Hardy is a leading specialist commercial insurance provider for clients within the Lloyd’s and company markets. We offer a highly specialised and comprehensive portfolio of innovative and market‑leading products. Coverage is available to businesses of all sizes for domestic, international and global exposures.
Senior PMO Lead employer: CNA Hardy
Contact Detail:
CNA Hardy Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior PMO Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, especially those who work at CNA Hardy or similar companies. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to job opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their governance frameworks and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs. We want you to shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills during interviews. Talk about specific examples where you’ve defined or improved governance processes. This is your chance to demonstrate your expertise in PMO and assurance!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior PMO Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior PMO Lead role. Highlight your experience in governance and assurance frameworks, as well as any leadership roles you've held. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for our Performance & Governance Team. Share specific examples of how you've led successful projects and improved governance processes in the past.
Showcase Your Financial Acumen: Since financial governance is key for this role, make sure to highlight your experience with forecasting, accruals, and benefits realisation. We love seeing candidates who can present financial insights clearly and effectively!
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at CNA Hardy!
How to prepare for a job interview at CNA Hardy
✨Know Your Governance Frameworks
Make sure you’re well-versed in governance frameworks and assurance processes. Be ready to discuss how you've defined or improved these in past roles, as this will show your depth of experience and understanding of the Senior PMO Lead responsibilities.
✨Showcase Financial Acumen
Prepare to talk about your experience with financial governance and control. Bring examples of how you've managed forecasting, accruals, and change impact assessments, as this role requires strong financial insight to identify trends and risks.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Be prepared to share specific instances where you've led governance and assurance frameworks. Highlight your ability to influence senior stakeholders and manage competing priorities, as this will showcase your leadership capabilities.
✨Practice Executive Reporting
Since the role involves producing narrative-led executive reports, practice summarising complex information clearly and concisely. Think about how you can integrate performance, financial, risk, and delivery views into a cohesive report that would impress senior leaders.