Head of Estates Portfolio Management Office in Sheffield

The Department of Estates & Facilities Management (EFM) at the University of Sheffield is responsible for maintaining the University's buildings, facilities and grounds, managing its property and facilities, and procuring new buildings. The EFM team is at the forefront of the University’s strategic and capital programme – planning, managing and delivering developments and commitments that underpin its world‑class facilities.

Overview

The Head of Estates PMO is a strategic leadership role within the EFM team designed to provide strategic oversight and quality control across the entire Estates project portfolio. The post‑holder will lead the design, implementation and management of a centralised PMO function that provides oversight across the entire estates portfolio.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Establish, embed and lead the cross‑Estates PMO function as the strategic lead.
• Develop standardised project management methodologies, templates and process flows for the Estates Team.
• Act as the strategic interface between Estates and the University's Governance Committees regarding portfolio health, strategic alignment and future investment.
• Lead in formulating business cases and investment appraisals, ensuring they are reviewed and aligned with strategic goals.
• Partner with peer Heads of function to facilitate and govern the portfolio prioritisation and selection process, utilising analytical data to ensure resources are allocated to projects.
• Provide high‑level oversight of the entire Estates portfolio, monitoring progress to mitigate financial risks or delivery delays.
• Portfolio Reporting & Financial Management
• Lead the production of high‑level, automated dashboards for the Estates Executive and University Governance groups on all Estates projects.
• Manage the strategic interface with Capital Finance to establish a unified reporting framework aligning data structures and forecasting to provide an integrated view of capital and revenue expenditure.
• Implement robust financial management processes to track performance, manage risk and achieve strategic objectives.
• Lead resource profiling and predictive models to forecast future staffing and consultancy requirements based on the five‑year capital plan.
• Lead the Post‑Project Evaluation process, ensuring lessons learned are captured and fed back into the delivery process.
• Optimise interfaces between project data and core University systems (such as SAP, Planon) to ensure data integrity and reduce manual duplication.
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management
• Collaborate with Heads of service to align programme strategies and ensure resource allocation.
• Provide leadership, guidance and technical mentorship to the PMO team, internal project delivery staff, sponsors and teams.
• Lead the strategic evolution of the PMO team to respond to changing requirements.
• Lead the development and delivery of project‑related training for internal teams.
• Carry out other duties commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds and beliefs of all. Even if your past experience doesn’t match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable. Please reference the application criteria in your application statement when you apply.

Criteria

• Relevant professional accreditation in Portfolio or Programme Management (P3O Practitioner, MSP, APM PPQ) or significant equivalent experience.
• Proven experience within a Portfolio Management Office role coordinating a substantive capital project programme and managing a team of professional analysts.
• Expert knowledge of Portfolio, Programme and Project Management principles and governance methodologies.
• Understanding of Estates management processes, including the asset lifecycle, capital planning and financial reporting (Capital and Revenue budgets).
• Experience in defining and embedding project governance, policy and process at a strategic level.
• Demonstrable analytical and problem‑solving skills, with proven ability to design and execute complex data models for forecasting (e.g., lifecycle costs, resource capacity).
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing portfolio‑level budgets and financial reporting.
• Demonstrable strategic leadership and decision‑making skills with the ability to manage risk and provide expert guidance to senior management.
• Proven track record of developing workforce or resource planning models within a project environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to prepare and present high‑quality strategic reports and complex information to non‑specialist audiences.
• Able to work as a senior member of a multidisciplinary management team.

Further Information

• Grade: 9
• Salary: £61,759 to £69,488 per annum, with potential to progress to £80,524 through sustained exceptional contribution.
• Work arrangement: Full time (Hybrid)
• Line manager: Associate Director, Development, Space & Property

Benefits

• Minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro‑rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; Professional Services Shared Skills Framework.
• A range of generous family‑friendly policies, including paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies, access to menopause support in the workplace and paid time off and support for fertility treatment.