At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and oversee complex transformation programmes, ensuring effective governance and high-quality planning.
- Company: Join Specsavers, a leader in optical retail, driving impactful change.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth opportunities, and a dynamic work environment.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on continuous improvement and stakeholder influence.
- Why this job: Shape major change initiatives and make a visible impact at the highest levels.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior PMO or project management within large transformation environments.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 € per year.
Are you ready to sit at the heart of one of the most complex and high-profile transformation programmes at Specsavers? We’re looking for a PMO Manager to join our Group Change team and provide leadership, structure, and confidence across our transformation portfolio, starting with the Blended Experience Programme (BEP). This is a pivotal role for someone who thrives in complexity and enjoys bringing clarity, discipline, and insight to large-scale change.
As PMO Manager, you’ll provide direction and oversight across the BEP PMO, ensuring the programme operates with strong governance, consistent standards, and high-quality planning and reporting. You’ll work closely with programme leadership, delivery leads, and senior stakeholders to ensure decisions are well informed and delivery remains firmly on track.
You’ll thrive in this role if you have a strong background in senior PMO or project management within large, complex transformation environments. You’ll be comfortable working in part of a large programme team, shaping frameworks, setting expectations, and challenging constructively where needed. This is not a passive reporting role. You’ll be hands-on, detail-oriented, and confident working in a fast-moving, high-profile environment where grip, insight, and follow-through really matter.
A core part of your role will be driving robust governance and reporting. You’ll lead key programme forums, ensuring they are decision ready, insight led, and focused on action. You’ll move the PMO beyond status reporting, providing forward-looking analysis, narrative and insight into risks, dependencies, delivery health, and emerging trends. Your ability to interpret complex programme data and present it clearly to executive audiences will be critical.
You’ll also play a key role in risk, issue, and dependency management, ensuring these are identified early, actively managed, and escalated effectively. Alongside this, you’ll support financial and resource tracking, helping leadership understand capacity constraints, sequencing challenges, and pressure points that could impact delivery.
You’ll work closely with delivery teams to strengthen PMO discipline, uplift standards, and embed consistent ways of working. What sets you apart is your collaborative style and influence with stakeholders. You’re a proactive thinker who can think ahead and foresee programme risks and challenges and you are comfortable working in the detail. You’re organised, resilient, and confident managing competing priorities. You know how to build trust, influence senior stakeholders, and coach teams to continuously improve.
Experience with tooling such as Jira, Confluence, Power BI, MS Project, Planview, KeyedIn or similar will help you succeed, as will an understanding of blended delivery environments across Agile and Waterfall. If you’re looking for a role where you can genuinely shape how major change is governed, planned, and delivered—and where your impact will be visible at the highest levels of the organisation—this is your opportunity. Join us as PMO Manager and help ensure Specsavers delivers its most important transformation with confidence and control.
PMO Manager in Winchester employer: Specsavers
At Specsavers, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and dynamic work culture. As a PMO Manager, you will have the opportunity to lead high-profile transformation programmes while benefiting from robust professional development and growth opportunities. Our commitment to employee well-being, coupled with a supportive environment that encourages innovation and insight, makes Specsavers a truly rewarding place to advance your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land PMO Manager in Winchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former Specsavers employees on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info about the company culture and maybe even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into the Blended Experience Programme (BEP). Show us you understand the complexities and challenges, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with driving robust governance and reporting.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! We want to hear about your past experiences in PMO roles. Frame your stories around how you’ve tackled risks, managed dependencies, and influenced stakeholders—make it relatable and engaging.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to showcase your tech-savviness! Be prepared to discuss your experience with tools like Jira, Confluence, or Power BI. We love candidates who can leverage technology to enhance project delivery and reporting.
We think you need these skills to ace PMO Manager in Winchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV speaks directly to the PMO Manager role. Highlight your experience in large transformation programmes and any tools you've used like Jira or Power BI. We want to see how your background aligns with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how you can bring clarity and insight to our transformation portfolio. Let us know how you thrive in complex environments!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:In your application, emphasise your leadership experience and how you've successfully managed competing priorities. We’re keen to see examples of how you've influenced stakeholders and driven governance in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Specsavers!
How to prepare for a job interview at Specsavers
✨Know Your Transformation Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of transformation programmes, especially in complex environments. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed similar projects in the past and how you can bring that experience to the Blended Experience Programme.
✨Show Off Your Governance Skills
Since this role is all about strong governance and reporting, prepare examples of how you've implemented effective governance frameworks in previous roles. Highlight your ability to ensure decision-making is well-informed and how you've tackled risks and dependencies head-on.
✨Be Data Savvy
Get comfortable with interpreting complex programme data. Think about how you can present this information clearly to executive audiences. You might want to prepare a few insights or trends from your past experiences that demonstrate your analytical skills.
✨Demonstrate Your Collaborative Style
This role requires a collaborative approach, so be ready to share examples of how you've influenced stakeholders and built trust within teams. Show that you're not just a passive participant but an active contributor who can coach and uplift standards across the board.