Senior PMO Consultant / PMO Lead (m/f/d)

Halian; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 460,000; Full time

Job summary

Halian in Abu Dhabi is seeking an experienced Senior PMO Consultant / PMO Lead to design and operationalize a best-in-class PMO for a major organization. The role focuses on governance, operating models, and portfolio management across transformation programs.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record building PMO functions, establishing charters, and delivering governance excellence with strong stakeholder engagement and executive communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Admin, PM, Eng or related field.
• 10+ years in PMO, programme, portfolio or transformation delivery.
• Proven experience building PMOs from ground up.
• Governance frameworks, operating models and PMO methodologies.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and executive communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead PMO establishment and transformation from inception to full implementation.
• Define PMO vision, mandate, structure and operating model.
• Develop PMO charters, governance frameworks, policies and standards.
• Establish project, programme and portfolio management methodologies.
• Implement PMO tools, templates, controls and reporting mechanisms.
• Design governance structures and decision-making frameworks.
• Establish steering committees and stage-gate processes.
• Monitor adherence to PMO policies and governance controls.
• Oversee enterprise portfolios and programmes and align with strategy.
• Develop executive dashboards and portfolio reporting frameworks.
• Provide timely reporting to executive leadership.
• Identify, escalate and manage risks, issues and dependencies.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Executive communication

Analytical ability

PMO leadership

Portfolio governance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Senior PMO Consultant / PMO Lead

• Abu Dhabi | Office based
• 9 Month Extendable Contract

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior PMO Consultant / PMO Lead to establish, design, and operationalize a best-in-class Project Management Office (PMO) for a leading Abu Dhabi-based organization.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing PMO governance frameworks, operating models, project delivery methodologies, policies and procedures, reporting structures, and portfolio management processes. This role requires a seasoned PMO professional with a strong background in portfolio and programme governance, stakeholder management, and organizational transformation.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of building PMO functions from the ground up and driving governance excellence across complex project and transformation portfolios.

Key Responsibilities

PMO Establishment & Transformation

• Lead the setup and operationalization of a PMO function from inception to full implementation.
• Define the PMO vision, mandate, structure, and operating model.
• Develop PMO charters, governance frameworks, policies, procedures, and standards.
• Establish project, programme, and portfolio management methodologies.
• Implement PMO tools, templates, controls, and reporting mechanisms.

Governance & Controls

• Design and implement governance structures and decision-making frameworks.
• Establish steering committees, governance forums, and stage-gate approval processes.
• Define project governance standards and compliance requirements.
• Monitor adherence to PMO policies, methodologies, and governance controls.

Portfolio & Programme Management

• Oversee enterprise project and programme portfolios.
• Support prioritization and alignment of initiatives with strategic objectives.
• Monitor portfolio performance, delivery progress, budgets, resources, risks, and dependencies.
• Drive portfolio optimization and benefits realization activities.

Performance Monitoring & Reporting

• Develop executive dashboards and portfolio reporting frameworks.
• Establish KPIs, performance metrics, and portfolio health indicators.
• Provide timely and accurate reporting to executive leadership and governance committees.
• Deliver insights and recommendations to support strategic decision-making.

Risk, Issue & Dependency Management

• Implement and maintain RAID (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies) management practices.
• Identify, assess, and elevate critical project and programme risks.
• Ensure mitigation plans and corrective actions are effectively managed.
• Support proactive resolution of cross-functional challenges.

Stakeholder Management

• Engage with executives, programme sponsors, business leaders, and project teams.
• Facilitate governance meetings and executive steering committees.
• Build strong relationships across business and delivery functions.
• Influence key stakeholders to drive governance compliance and project success.

PMO Maturity & Continuous Improvement

• Conduct PMO maturity assessments and identify improvement opportunities.
• Introduce best practices, industry standards, and governance enhancements.
• Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and delivery excellence.
• Support capability building and coaching across project teams.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in PMO, programme management, portfolio management, or transformation delivery.
• Proven experience establishing and operationalizing PMOs from the ground up.
• Demonstrated experience developing governance frameworks, operating models, and PMO methodologies.
• Strong experience managing enterprise portfolios, programmes, and transformation initiatives.
• Experience developing executive dashboards, governance reporting, and performance frameworks.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and executive communication skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.

Preferred Experience

• Previous experience with Abu Dhabi Government or semi-government entities.
• Experience supporting large-scale transformation or strategic change programmes.
• Consulting experience within a leading advisory or professional services firm.
• Experience working within complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

Preferred Certifications

• PMP (Project Management Professional)
• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• PgMP (Program Management Professional)
• PfMP (Portfolio Management Professional)
• MSP (Managing Successful Programmes)
• PMI-PMOCP
• Agile or Scrum certifications
• Prosci Change Management (advantageous)