At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead governance and assurance for exciting highways projects across the UK.
- Company: Join Octavius, a top civil engineering firm focused on sustainable transport solutions.
- Benefits: Flexible application process, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in project delivery while working with a dynamic team.
- Qualifications: Experience in project management and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace where your unique perspective is valued.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We are recruiting for a PMO Lead (Project Management Office) to join us here at Octavius. We are a leading civil engineering organisation delivering safe, sustainable, and efficient transport solutions across the UK. In this role, you will ensure our Highways projects are governed brilliantly, reported clearly, and set up for successful delivery and handover.
As our PMO Lead, you will provide end-to-end governance, assurance, and performance reporting across the project lifecycle, ensuring compliance with National Highways' Project Control Framework (PCF), OIL standards, and corporate governance requirements. You will act as the single source of truth for programme, risk, change, and performance data enabling strong, evidence-based decision-making at Project Director and senior leadership level.
Key responsibilities:
- Maintaining an integrated programme and reporting suite, covering time, cost, quality, risk, and change.
- Producing monthly and quarterly governance reports and dashboards for client and internal boards, identifying trends, risks, and actions required.
- Owning and embedding robust risk, issue, and change control frameworks so risks are identified early and change is governed before approval.
- Overseeing document control and information management, ensuring ISO-compliant, audit-ready records for assurance and client acceptance.
- Leading the project handover process, embedding handover milestones into the programme and driving alignment with PCF Stage 7 and contractual closeout governance.
- Governing materials approvals and technical query (TQ) management: tracking progress, driving timely closure, and escalating risks where needed.
- Acting as governance lead for Lean and continuous improvement, supporting lessons learned, efficiency KPIs and alignment to the corporate Lean strategy.
Working relationships:
You will work with a team of highly motivated, dedicated professionals delivering projects across a variety of frameworks including work aligned to National Highways governance standards. Day to day, you will collaborate closely with the Project Director, Planner/Project Controls, Engineering Manager, Construction Manager, Commercial Manager, Quality Manager, Document Control, Lean Champion, and wider key stakeholders to ensure joined-up delivery and strong governance assurance.
About You:
You are someone who brings a governance and assurance mindset, with a sharp eye for detail and data integrity. You are naturally analytical and structured, able to turn complex programme information into clear, actionable insight for senior stakeholders. You are also confident working across multidisciplinary environments, influencing without direct authority, and building trusted relationships that help delivery teams stay aligned, informed, and in control.
Experience, qualifications and requirements:
You will bring experience operating within complex infrastructure or highways project environments with formal governance frameworks, coordinating programme controls and assurance across teams and senior stakeholders. Strong knowledge of programme controls, risk, change management, and performance reporting is essential. Working knowledge of handover requirements, materials approvals, and technical query management is also essential. Familiarity with highways governance frameworks such as PCF and OIL standards is desirable but not essential. Awareness of programme/reporting tools such as Primavera P6, MS Project, SharePoint, and CEMAR is beneficial. A degree (or equivalent experience) in Project Management, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline is required. A professional certification in project management / PMO / governance (e.g. APM, PRINCE2, PMI) is also required.
Inclusion and diversity are important to us; we are an equal opportunities employer and value difference. We want and will continue to build an inclusive environment where our people thrive. We firmly believe constantly striving to build a truly diverse workforce is what makes us a strong business and will enable us to continue to solve important problems and deliver unrivalled value to both our customers and clients.
If you need any specialist support throughout your application, we will work with you where we can to support your journey with us.
PMO Lead in Coventry employer: Octavius Infrastructure
Contact Detail:
Octavius Infrastructure Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land PMO Lead in Coventry
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those already at Octavius. A friendly chat can give you insights and maybe even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by understanding the key responsibilities of the PMO Lead role. Think about how your experience aligns with their needs and be ready to share specific examples.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your analytical skills! Be prepared to discuss how you've turned complex data into actionable insights in past roles. This will resonate well with their focus on governance and performance reporting.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, you can highlight your relevant experience without needing a formal CV.
We think you need these skills to ace PMO Lead in Coventry
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Yourself: When sharing your relevant experience, let your personality shine through! We want to know what makes you tick and why this PMO Lead role excites you. Don’t be afraid to show us your passion for governance and project management.
Highlight Your Experience: Make sure to clearly outline your experience in complex infrastructure or highways projects. We’re looking for those key skills in programme controls, risk management, and performance reporting, so don’t hold back on showcasing your achievements!
Tailor Your Application: Take a moment to connect your background with the specifics of the job description. Mention how your skills align with our needs, especially around governance frameworks and assurance processes. This will help us see how you fit into our team!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s super easy and ensures your application gets to the right place. Plus, it’s a great way to explore more about us and what we stand for at Octavius!
How to prepare for a job interview at Octavius Infrastructure
✨Know Your Governance Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the National Highways Project Control Framework (PCF) and OIL standards. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with these frameworks and how you can ensure compliance in your role as PMO Lead.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Prepare examples of how you've turned complex programme information into actionable insights. Highlight your ability to produce clear reports and dashboards, as this will be crucial for effective communication with senior stakeholders.
✨Demonstrate Relationship Building
Think of instances where you've influenced teams or stakeholders without direct authority. Being able to build trusted relationships is key, so share your strategies for keeping delivery teams aligned and informed.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your risk management and change control capabilities. Prepare to discuss specific situations where you've identified risks early and how you governed changes effectively before approval.