PMO Manager in London

Location: London, Blackfriars

Rotation: Monday-Friday, 40 hours

Type: Freelance, outside IR35

Project: Vanguard

Department: Construction Project Management Services, Project Assurance OTC-PP

The clients Offshore Wind pools the renewable energy expertise and interests in offshore wind energy of the client group. Reporting to the Project Lead / Project Director, the PMO (Project Management Office) Manager shall have the capability and experience to manage a team, processes and systems for a large multi-billion-Euro project. Line reporting line is to the Regional PMO Lead.

The Role & Responsibilities:

The PMO (Project Management Office) Manager is integral to the project organization, where the PMO Manager is part of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and consults the Project Leadership Team (PLT) in resource allocation, governance, and delivery across project life-cycle phases (from Early-Stage Development to Construction). He/she will establish and maintain robust governance structures, ensure alignment with project scope, and drive efficient execution while monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) to address deviations proactively. Within the project, the candidate will manage functional teams which include project administrators, PMO analysts, document controllers and planners and will also be expected to manage some other functional areas like change control, project assurance, resource management and reporting, as well as relevant interfaces with risk management and cost controlling and interface management. In addition, the PMO Manager will support the line function in the further development and implementation of processes and governance activities required across the project portfolio.

The role includes a wide range of responsibilities, some of which are listed below:

• Promote Health, Safety, Wellbeing & Environmental good practices.
• Develop and implement a tailored controls framework in alignment with client standards, incorporating project-specific governance to support life-cycle phases.
• Lead the establishment of project governance, processes, and systems; conduct internal quality assurance, monitoring, and audits to maintain high standards and facilitate continuous improvement across the portfolio.
• Roll out processes and systems to the wider project team, delivering training and awareness sessions to ensure adoption and effective utilization.
• Drive Knowledge Sharing through the Lessons Learned process and related tool.
• Manage and support the PMO team (including PMO analysts, document controllers, planners, and administrators) in daily operations, fostering team development, mentoring members, and positioning the PMO as a workstream within the project organization.
• Coordinate with other control functions (e.g., risk management, cost control, interface management etc.) to integrate activities, including risk assessments, mitigation strategies, and interface management between technical packages.
• Oversee the development of project delivery schedules, reporting tools, progress tracking, and management interfaces, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and budget constraints.
• Lead the Document Controls team to meet project document management needs, maintaining an effective Electronic Document Management System (EDMS).
• Implement and oversee change control processes across all functions, ensuring dual responsibility in decision-making under the PLT.
• Develop, implement and oversee project specific Dashboards with the aim of ensuring a strong performance management visibility.
• Manage project resource recruitment, allocation, and tracking in line with scope parameters, actively reporting on status and optimizing for lean resourcing.
• Prepare weekly, monthly and ad hoc reporting according to the project needs.
• Ensure the project has a strong operating system with possible Joint Venture partners in terms of interfaces, reporting etc.
• Partner with other offshore wind projects in the client portfolio to standardize controls frameworks, share best practices, and drive continuous improvements in governance and efficiency.
• Support and challenge the PMO team members to establish themselves and their roles in the team and be an ambassador for the PMO in the wider project organization.
• Leading project related assurance reviews and the implementation of improvements.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Successful completion of a degree in engineering, project management or similar.
• Professional Project Management qualification (such as APM PMQ, PMI) is an advantage.
• Previous experience as being a PMO Manager with experience in cost management, planning & scheduling, cost and schedule risk analysis, change control, information management and project assurance.
• Proven experience in the offshore wind sector or large-scale construction projects is highly desirable.
• It would be advantageous if the candidate has experience using tools such as Primavera P6, Primavera Risk Analysis and an EDMS.
• Strong IT skills, including advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), experience with Power BI is an advantage.
• Excellent time management abilities, with skills in planning, organizing, and prioritizing tasks effectively.
• Ability to identify a problem or conflict, identify potential solutions and analyse the solutions leading to a recommendation for the optimal solution.
• Proactive, self-motivated approach with exceptional leadership, interpersonal, and team-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and collaborate within high-performing, diverse, multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal (English).