At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead governance and assurance activities across programmes, ensuring effective delivery and value.
- Company: Join NPL, a leader in change management with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for continuous improvement and career advancement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping change and influencing outcomes at a senior level.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior PMO roles and strong stakeholder management skills required.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 £ per year.
Location: Teddington (Hybrid – typically 2 days per week on site, with flexibility to reduce to 1 day depending on business need)
The Portfolio Office sits at the centre of NPL’s change agenda. We provide integrated oversight, governance, prioritisation, assurance and insight across NPL’s internal and external portfolios — enabling the right change to be delivered at the right time, in the right way, with the right support.
We are now seeking a Senior Portfolio Officer to take a visible, influential leadership role within this model. This is not a passive or purely coordinating PMO role — it is a hands-on, delivery facing leadership position where your judgement, challenge and assurance directly influence outcomes.
Operating within a Hub and Spoke model, you will be:
- Based centrally within the Portfolio Office (the Hub), and
- Embedded within a major programme (a Spoke), flexing to where senior governance, assurance and decision support are most needed.
You will be expected to spend around two days per week on site in Teddington, building strong relationships and providing effective challenge face to face. This may reduce to one day per week over time, but candidates must be comfortable with hybrid working and flexibility.
What You’ll Be Doing
Lead Governance & Assurance
You will take ownership of assurance activity across programmes and projects, ensuring it is robust, proportionate and genuinely adds value.
- Lead health checks, start up reviews, stage gates and deep dive assurance activity
- Ensure governance cycles run effectively, with clear, high quality evidence presented to boards and committees
- Provide independent, constructive challenge to test readiness, controls and delivery confidence
- Capture lessons learned and embed them across the portfolio
Operate as a Senior Leader
This role requires demonstrable leadership. You’ll be expected to set direction, influence outcomes and act as a trusted authority — not simply work within existing structures.
- Act as a senior point of contact for delivery teams on PPM frameworks, standards and assurance expectations
- Provide leadership and direction to Portfolio Office colleagues when embedded in programmes
- Communicate confidently and credibly with senior sponsors, executives and board level stakeholders
- Be comfortable challenging assumptions and decisions in a constructive, evidence based way
Manage Risk, Dependencies & Value
You’ll play a key role in ensuring NPL understands where its real risks and value lie.
- Monitor and escalate major risks, issues and dependencies surfaced through governance and assurance
- Ensure RAID information is credible, consistent and aligned to agreed standards
- Provide informed commentary on benefits, outcomes and value delivery
- Champion a culture of benefits realisation and value led decision making
Provide Financial & Portfolio Insight
When embedded within programmes, you’ll support financial discipline and portfolio level insight.
- Support budget tracking, forecasting and financial inputs
- Provide analysis to inform prioritisation, sequencing and resource planning
- Contribute to evidence based decision making at portfolio level
Drive Continuous Improvement
You won’t just operate the system — you’ll improve it.
- Lead enhancements to governance frameworks, assurance approaches and portfolio processes
- Benchmark against external good practice to keep NPL’s standards credible and effective
- Actively shape how the Portfolio Office evolves as a Centre of Excellence
About You
Essential
- Significant experience in a senior PMO, Portfolio Office or assurance role within complex change environments
- Strong understanding of portfolio, programme and project governance and assurance
- Proven ability to lead, influence and challenge senior stakeholders, not just collaborate
- Excellent analytical skills, sound judgement and confident communication
- Comfortable operating in delivery facing environments where credibility matters
Highly Desirable
- Experience working within a Hub and Spoke or Centre of Excellence model
- Background in complex, multi stakeholder or public sector organisations
- Professional qualification or equivalent experience (e.g. APM, MSP, P3O)
- Experience supporting portfolio prioritisation and benefits led decision making
We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.
Senior Portfolio Officer: Governance & Delivery Leader in London employer: National Physical Laboratory
NPL is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, where employees are empowered to lead and influence significant change. With a strong focus on professional development and continuous improvement, the Senior Portfolio Officer role offers unique opportunities for growth within a collaborative environment in Teddington, complemented by flexible hybrid working arrangements. Join us to make a meaningful impact while enjoying a supportive atmosphere that values diverse perspectives and innovative thinking.
Contact Details:
National Physical Laboratory Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Portfolio Officer: Governance & Delivery Leader in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at NPL on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by understanding NPL's governance and assurance processes. Show us you know your stuff and can lead with confidence. Bring examples of how you've influenced outcomes in past roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your communication skills! You’ll need to engage with senior stakeholders, so being clear and confident is key. Try mock interviews with friends or use online resources to sharpen your delivery.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at NPL.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Portfolio Officer: Governance & Delivery Leader in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in governance and assurance. We want to see how your skills align with the specific needs of the Senior Portfolio Officer role.
Showcase Leadership Skills:This role is all about influence and leadership, so don’t hold back! Share examples of how you've led teams or projects, especially in complex environments. We love seeing candidates who can challenge assumptions constructively.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the point!
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’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at National Physical Laboratory
✨Know Your Governance Inside Out
Make sure you understand the governance frameworks and assurance processes relevant to the role. Be prepared to discuss how you've led health checks or stage gates in previous positions, as this will show your hands-on experience and ability to add value.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership, so think of examples where you've influenced outcomes or provided direction. Be ready to share how you've effectively communicated with senior stakeholders and challenged assumptions constructively.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Prowess
Prepare to discuss your analytical skills and how you've used them to monitor risks and dependencies. Bring examples of how you've contributed to financial insights or prioritisation in past projects to demonstrate your capability in this area.
✨Embrace Continuous Improvement
Highlight your experience in enhancing governance frameworks or portfolio processes. Discuss any benchmarking you've done against best practices and how you've shaped improvements in your previous roles to show your commitment to excellence.
