Head of Planning and PMO

NHS; Bristol; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent health organization in Bristol is seeking a Head of Planning and Programme Management Office. The successful candidate will have extensive experience in project management within the NHS, excellent leadership qualities, and a strong ability to handle complex and diverse portfolios. Responsibilities include establishing the PMO function, managing project governance, and ensuring effective resource allocation. This role is crucial in driving innovation and safety in health services, offering a unique opportunity to make a significant impact.

Qualifications

• Very significant management experience in the NHS.
• Experience of leading a PMO function.
• Expert knowledge of NHS targets and service improvement methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Establish and develop the PMO function.
• Manage project documentation and resources.
• Ensure effective governance and reporting for each project.

Skills

Project Management

Communication Skills

Negotiation Skills

Stakeholder Management

Leadership

Education

APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)

Masters degree or equivalent experience

MSP qualification

Tools

Verto

Zoho

Job description

Job Summary

It’s never been more important to harness the potential for innovation to transform health and care services. Health Innovation Networks were established 10 years ago as the innovation arm of the NHS locally with our system partners and working together nationally as an HIN Network. We are appointing a new role of Head of Planning and Programme Management Office. An experienced leader from a health or life science background, you will have a strong track record in project and programme management and associated governance, together with an ability to juggle a complex and diverse portfolio.

Main Duties

Design, implement and manage a new Programme Management Office (PMO) to ensure effective planning, delivery and evaluation of all projects that make up the organisations’ programmes of work linked to the Health Innovation Network’s agenda for Innovation, Improvement and Patient Safety.

Additionally, design and manage processes for collecting management information to support annual business planning and the reporting of quarterly performance to NHS England and the HIN Partnership Board.

Job Responsibilities

The post holder will be responsible for establishing, managing and developing the PMO function and for supporting and coordinating the production of annual and longer‑term business plans and initiatives.

• Appropriate sponsorship and ownership of each individual project
• A robust process to determine which initiatives put before the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) should be included within the work programme
• Effective governance and reporting is in place for each project
• Correct project documentation is completed to the required standard
• Appropriate resources are made available to successfully plan and deliver each programme of work or project, including human resources either from core staffing or the flexible register
• Arrangements are in place to manage key stakeholders effectively
• Risks and issues associated with each project are managed effectively
• Progress is monitored regularly to ensure each project delivers to its specification and that adequate resources are available to support delivery, with a clear focus on delivering the planned outputs and realising the expected benefits
• Appropriate project closure processes are designed and followed, including the capture of learnings that can be used in the scoping and planning of future projects
• Evaluation arrangements are in place to monitor benefits realisation following completion of projects within the work programme

Person Specification

Qualifications & Training (Essential)

• APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)
• Educated to Masters degree level or equivalent experience and further training
• MSP qualification or equivalent

Knowledge & Experience (Essential)

• Very significant management experience in the NHS
• Experience of leading a PMO function
• Lean or other business process experience in re‑engineering methodologies at managerial and/or clinical level
• Knowledge of change management and service improvement methods
• Record of achievement of delivering objectives and finding innovative solutions to problems
• Broad experience and evidence of working in partnership with NHS organisations at all levels to deliver change and modernisation
• Expert knowledge of NHS targets, definitions and service improvement methodologies
• Experience of risk, issue and project change management
• Experience of managing major strategic initiatives with multiple project workstreams
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries and of delivering projects across multi‑disciplinary sites with multiple stakeholders
• Experience and knowledge of the national Quality Improvement agenda including policy
• An "eye" for detail and evidence of a completer/finisher approach to delivery
• Expert user of CRM and Project software, specifically Verto and Zoho systems

Specific Skills (Essential)

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Highly developed motivational, influencing and negotiating skills with proven experience of success at senior levels of organisations and across organisations, including with clinicians and directors
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively at all levels with a wide variety of stakeholders
• Able to present effectively to a wide variety of audiences in an engaging manner that makes information clear and obtains buy‑in, sometimes in the face of opposition
• Able to work independently as required, to tight deadlines and to prioritise effectively against conflicting priorities
• Able to work as part of a team and to lead and direct multi‑skilled teams
• Able to set own agenda and to provide leadership, motivation and inspiration to facilitate collaborative working across the agenda
• Able to formulate and implement long‑term strategic programme plans which impact on the whole organisation, including developing operational frameworks
• Experience of collecting and interpreting information to support change programmes and the ability to use Word and Excel
• Able to identify and assess a clear pathway through a complex situation which leads to a clear output involving a number of different parties and opinions

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require a current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see the NHS Careers website.

Employer Details

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Future Space Business Centre, North Gate, Filton Road, Bristol, BS34 8RB