Head of Portfolio PMO in Stevenage

Head of Portfolio PMO in Stevenage

Stevenage Temporary Home office (partial)
Morgan Philips Group SA

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and improve the change portfolio delivery with a focus on governance and quality.
  • Company: Dynamic organisation seeking a strategic leader for their PMO.
  • Benefits: Competitive daily rate, hybrid working, and opportunity to influence at a senior level.
  • Other info: Join a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of project delivery and drive impactful change across the organisation.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in PMO leadership and governance frameworks.

A senior leadership role within the Strategic Projects and Management Office. The postholder is accountable for establishing, leading, and continuously improving the way the change portfolio is delivered. The role ensures that robust governance, delivery frameworks, quality standards, and assurance processes are in place to enable successful delivery of projects and programmes. The role influences organisational delivery capability, providing the delivery framework, and expert support to project and programme managers. Driving consistency, transparency, and control across the change portfolio while enabling teams to deliver effectively is a key requirement. This position requires a commercially minded, proactive, and experienced technology professional. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of managing complex portfolios and be confident engaging with C Suite stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

  • PMO Strategy & Leadership
    • Operate PMO function as a centre of excellence for change governance, standards, and best practice.
    • Lead, mentor, and develop PMO teams, fostering a high-performance and service-oriented culture.
    • Act as a senior advisor to leadership on delivery capability, governance, and performance.
  • Governance and Control
    • Design, implement, and maintain a scalable governance framework across projects and programmes.
    • Define and enforce stage gates, approvals, and assurance processes.
    • Ensure compliance with organisational policies, audit requirements, and regulatory obligations.
    • Provide independent oversight and challenge to delivery teams to ensure adherence to standards.
  • Frameworks, Standards, and Methodologies
    • Establish and maintain delivery frameworks (e.g., waterfall, Agile, hybrid) aligned to organisational needs.
    • Define standard artefacts, templates, tools, and lifecycle processes.
    • Ensure frameworks are pragmatic, scalable, and support delivery rather than hinder it.
    • Drive adoption and consistent use of standards across all initiatives.
  • Quality Assurance and Delivery Oversight
    • Define and implement quality control processes across all projects and programmes.
    • Conduct health checks, audits, and assurance reviews to assess delivery confidence.
    • Ensure accurate, timely, and consistent reporting of delivery performance, risks, and issues.
    • Escalate systemic risks and delivery concerns to senior leadership with clear recommendations.
  • Continuous Improvement and Capability Development
    • Drive continuous improvement of PMO processes, tools, and governance practices.
    • Benchmark organisational maturity (e.g., P3M3) and implement improvement roadmaps.
    • Establish lessons learned processes and embed knowledge sharing across teams.
    • Lead communities of practice for project and programme management.
  • Support to Project and Programme Managers
    • Provide guidance, coaching, and support to project and programme managers.
    • Ensure clarity of roles, responsibilities, and delivery expectations.
    • Enable effective planning, risk management, and stakeholder engagement practices.
    • Support resolution of cross-project dependencies and resource challenges.
  • Reporting and Insights
    • Establish portfolio-level reporting standards and dashboards.
    • Provide consolidated insights on delivery performance, trends, and risks.
    • Enable data-driven decision-making through accurate and actionable reporting.
    • Ensure transparency and consistency of information provided to governance forums.

Key Skills & Experience

  • Leads the establishment and operation of PMO functions – across Portfolio.
  • Defines governance frameworks, standards, and processes.
  • Influences organisational adoption of consistent delivery practices.
  • Provides guidance and assurance across projects and programmes.
  • Significant experience operating within a PMO at enterprise level.
  • Proven experience designing and implementing governance frameworks.
  • Strong track record in delivery assurance, quality control, and reporting.
  • Experience supporting and enabling project and programme managers.
  • Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive adoption of standards.
  • Embeds best practices and promotes consistency.

Desirable Qualifications

  • Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (e.g., IT, Business, Management, Engineering) or equivalent professional experience.
  • Relevant professional certifications such as APM, PMP, PRINCE2, MSP, AgilePM, SAFe.
  • Experience with Agile delivery frameworks (e.g., SAFe, Scrum at scale).
  • Familiarity with portfolio and PMO tooling (e.g., Clarity, Planview, ServiceNow, Jira Align).

We are committed to ensuring that all job applicants are treated equally, without discrimination because of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age.

Head of Portfolio PMO in Stevenage employer: Morgan Philips Group SA

As a leading employer in the technology sector, our company offers an exceptional work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. With a strong commitment to employee development, we provide ample opportunities for growth and advancement, alongside a competitive remuneration package. Our hybrid working model allows for flexibility, ensuring a healthy work-life balance while being part of a dynamic team dedicated to delivering impactful projects.
Morgan Philips Group SA

Contact Detail:

Morgan Philips Group SA Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Portfolio PMO in Stevenage

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. A personal recommendation can go a long way in landing that dream role.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Understand their PMO strategies and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs. Show them you’re not just another candidate!

✨Tip Number 3

Practice your pitch! Be clear about your achievements and how they relate to the role of Head of Portfolio PMO. Confidence is key, so rehearse until you can deliver it smoothly.

✨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 take the initiative to engage directly with us.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Portfolio PMO in Stevenage

PMO Strategy & Leadership
Governance Framework Design
Delivery Frameworks (Waterfall, Agile, Hybrid)
Quality Control Processes
Stakeholder Engagement
Data-Driven Decision-Making
Project Management Methodologies (APM, PMP, PRINCE2, MSP, AgilePM, SAFe)
Mentoring and Coaching
Risk Management
Reporting Standards and Dashboards
Continuous Improvement
Influencing Senior Stakeholders
Portfolio and PMO Tooling (Clarity, Planview, ServiceNow, Jira Align)
Performance Measurement
Change Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in PMO functions and governance frameworks. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Head of Portfolio PMO, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!

Showcase Your Leadership Skills: This role is all about leading teams and influencing stakeholders. Use your application to demonstrate your leadership style and any successful projects you've managed. We love seeing examples of how you've fostered a high-performance culture in previous roles.

Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key! Keep your language straightforward and avoid jargon unless it’s relevant. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications and experience at a glance.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about what we do at StudySmarter!

How to prepare for a job interview at Morgan Philips Group SA

✨Know Your PMO Inside Out

Before the interview, dive deep into the PMO function and its best practices. Familiarise yourself with governance frameworks and delivery methodologies like Agile and waterfall. This will help you speak confidently about how you can lead and improve the PMO function.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading teams and mentoring project managers. Discuss how you've fostered a high-performance culture and influenced senior stakeholders. This is crucial for a senior leadership role, so make sure your stories are compelling!

✨Be Ready to Discuss Governance Frameworks

Expect questions on how you would design and implement governance frameworks. Think about specific challenges you've faced in the past and how you overcame them. Being able to articulate your approach to compliance and quality assurance will set you apart.

✨Prepare for Data-Driven Discussions

Since reporting and insights are key responsibilities, be prepared to discuss how you've used data to drive decision-making in previous roles. Bring examples of dashboards or reports you've created and how they impacted project outcomes. This shows you're not just about processes but also results.

Head of Portfolio PMO in Stevenage
Morgan Philips Group SA
Location: Stevenage

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