SAFER Programme Management Office (PMO) Support Manager

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is the public sector food body for Scotland, with a remit covering all aspects of the food chain that impact public health. Our mission is to be Scotland’s leading authority on food safety, standards, and healthy eating, using data and evidence to provide assurance and advice that inspires consumer confidence and improves public health.

SAFER is the FSS strategic response to the risks around the food law delivery model in Scotland and clearly supports Ministerial commitments to wider Public Service Reform. SAFER proposes a programme of reform to secure improved public health outcomes through model redesign, developing and embracing new and more efficient ways of working, better use of data and digital technologies, and ensuring financial sustainability.

The PMO Support Manager will work within the PMO team to support the work of the Head of the SAFER Programme, Head of the PMO and Senior Project Manager delivering the SAFER aims and objectives whilst also providing assistance to the wider SAFER Programme Team. They will act as secretariat for the quarterly Programme Board meetings, leading the development and maintenance of relevant programme documentation such as RAID logs, Risk Register, Benefits trackers, etc. and working across wider Programme Team activities.

The PMO is comprised of Head of the PMO (C1), Senior Project Manager (B3) and two B2 PMO Support Manager positions. The PMO Support Manager will report to the Senior Project Manager within the PMO.

• Produce planning documentation, such as project delivery plans, and summary presentations, assisting the Senior Project Manager to ensure programme activities remain on track and contribute to agreed milestones and outcomes.
• Maintain the key project logs, including risks, actions, issues, decisions (RAID) and provide reports and escalate as required.
• Act as Secretariat for the SAFER Programme Board (PB), leading the planning, coordination and delivery of meetings, ensuring documentation is accurate and up to date.
• Meet with relevant stakeholders to present project information/updates and facilitate liaison between Programme Board members and wider Programme Team.
• Support the Senior Project Manager by ensuring project compliance with governance processes and procedures, including drafting of relevant papers and reporting.
• Coordinate project assurance activities and planning.
• Draft updates to key project documentation, e.g. the project business case.
• Provide day to day support to and deputise for Senior Project Manager, contributing to a positive team culture and enabling high quality delivery across the programme.
• Lead responsibility for maintaining & updating collaborative, electronic workspaces, used to share PB documentation.

The PMO Support Manager should consider full membership of APM to provide monitored ongoing professional development. The PMO Manager should have, or be committed to working towards, a professional level qualification, such as APM’s PMQ, PMI’s PMP and Axelos’ Prince 2.

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on. The Success Profile will include the Professional / Technical skills, Experience and Behaviours.

The PMO Support Manager should have experience of delivering project activities, whilst working at pace, managing competing priorities and strong organisational skills & attention to detail. They should be able to demonstrate competent engagement skills and experience of working with a range of internal & external stakeholders. They require knowledge of Programme/Project Management and a willingness to work towards PPM qualifications. The PMO Support Manager should be confident in assimilating programme information and comfortable presenting it to the Programme Board as required.

• Delivering at pace
• Seeing the big picture
• Making effective decisions
• Communicating and influencing

This role is a temporary position with an expected commitment of 23 months.

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

This post is part of the Scottish Government Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) profession, as a member of the profession you will join the professional development system. This post currently attracts a £5,000 annual DDAT pay supplement, applicable after a 3 months competency qualifying period. The payment will be backdated to your start date in the role. Pay supplements are reviewed regularly and there is one currently underway. Changes will be communicated when the review is concluded.

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.