Major Procurement Programme and Projects Office Lead

Birmingham City Council; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Great pension scheme

Well‑being support

Annual travel passes

Hybrid working opportunities

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking a Major Procurement Programme and Projects Office Lead to establish and run the newly created MPPPO. The role focuses on governance, reporting and assurance across strategic procurement programmes in a large local authority.

You will lead governance development, drive commercial oversight, risk management and benefits realisation while working with senior leaders to deliver value for Birmingham’s residents in a flexible, hybrid environment.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading a PMO or programme governance function within a complex organisation.
• Experience establishing governance frameworks, reporting processes and assurance across large portfolios.
• Strong leadership with track record of developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills with senior leaders.
• Strong analytical capability to interpret complex programme information and provide insight.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the Major Procurement Programme and Projects Office (MPPPO) with consistent governance, reporting and assurance across major procurement programmes.
• Develop and implement robust project management processes, reporting frameworks, templates and systems.
• Link procurement professionals with project teams, ensuring commercial considerations are integrated into planning and governance.
• Lead portfolio reporting, risk management, resource planning and benefits realisation for senior leadership and boards.
• Oversee governance meetings, assurance reviews and commercial reporting with high-quality information.
• Provide commercial assurance across major projects, identify risks and promote continuous improvement.
• Lead and develop the Programme Office team to build a high-performing, collaborative culture.

Skills

Leadership

Governance

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Analytical capability

Education

PMO/Programme management qualification (P3O/PRINCE2/MSP/APM)

Tools

MS Project

Job description

This is a unique opportunity to shape the governance, assurance and reporting framework that supports some of the Council's largest and most strategically important procurement programmes. You'll provide leadership across programme governance, commercial oversight and performance reporting, ensuring procurement activity is coordinated, transparent and delivers outstanding value for Birmingham's residents., As the Major Procurement Programme and Projects Office Lead, you'll provide strategic leadership by:

• Establishing and leading the Major Procurement Programme and Projects Office, embedding consistent governance, reporting and assurance across major procurement programmes.
• Developing and implementing robust project management processes, reporting frameworks, templates and systems that support effective programme delivery.
• Acting as the link between procurement professionals and project teams, ensuring commercial considerations are fully integrated into programme planning and governance.
• Leading portfolio reporting, risk management, resource planning and benefits realisation, providing strategic insight to senior leaders and governance boards.
• Overseeing programme governance meetings, assurance reviews and commercial reporting, ensuring key decisions are supported by accurate, high-quality information.
• Providing commercial assurance across major projects, identifying risks, challenging delivery where appropriate and promoting continuous improvement.
• Leading and developing the Programme Office team, creating a high-performing culture focused on collaboration, innovation and excellence. Are you an experienced PMO or programme governance professional with a passion for driving excellence across major projects? Birmingham City Council is looking for a Major Procurement Programme and Projects Office Lead to establish and lead our newly created Major Procurement Programme and Projects Office (MPPPO).
• We're looking for an experienced programme governance leader who combines strategic thinking with exceptional organisational and stakeholder management skills. You'll bring:
• Significant experience leading a Programme Management Office (PMO), Programme Office or similar project governance function within a complex organisation.
• Experience establishing governance frameworks, reporting processes and assurance arrangements across large portfolios of projects or programmes.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, building trusted relationships across project, commercial and executive leadership teams.
• Strong analytical capability, interpreting complex programme information, identifying risks and providing meaningful insight to support decision‑making.
• Experience designing and implementing business processes that improve governance, coordination and organisational performance.
• A recognised project or programme management qualification (such as P3O, PRINCE2, MSP or APM), or equivalent professional experience. Working for Birmingham City Council is more than just a job; it's about making life better for the 1 million plus people who live and work in the city.
• The Council is a fantastic place to work. You will find an organisation that is both challenging and supportive; with a leadership impatiently adventurous in its pursuit of excellence.
• A Prosperous Birmingham: through a focus on inclusive economic growth, tackling unemployment, attracting inward investment, and maximising the benefits of the Commonwealth Games.
• An Inclusive Birmingham: through a focus on tackling poverty and inequality, empowering citizens, promoting diversity and civic pride, and supporting and enabling all children and young people to thrive.
• A Safe Birmingham: through a focus on making the city safer, safeguarding vulnerable citizens, increasing affordable housing, and tackling homelessness.
• A Healthy Birmingham: through a focus on tackling health inequalities, encouraging physical activity and healthy living, supporting mental health, and improving outcomes for adults with disabilities and older people.
• A Green Birmingham: through a focus on street cleanliness, improving air quality, continuing the route to net zero, and becoming a city of nature.
• We see the Council's role as providing strategic leadership - that's being able to visualise a new future for the city and equipping others to share our vision. We want to ensure the provision of services for all, so we can support those least able to support themselves by working with partners and putting citizens and neighbourhoods at the heart of our decision‑making. We are always looking for people who put the customer at the centre of their approach, with a commitment to excellence to help us achieve our vision. We will support you to develop and thrive in your role, building a pathway for long‑term success, with lots of development opportunities, such as apprenticeships.

In return, we offer:

• In return, we offer you excellent terms and conditions, generous annual leave, a great pension scheme, well‑being support, annual travel passes and discounts at a number of city centre establishments.
• The opportunity to design and lead the governance function supporting major procurement programmes across one of Europe's largest local authorities.
• A senior leadership role within a modern, ambitious Commercial and Procurement Service committed to innovation, excellence and continuous improvement.
• Opportunities to further develop your expertise in programme governance, commercial assurance and strategic leadership.
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities where service needs allow.
• A competitive Local Government Pension Scheme and generous annual leave entitlement.
• Access to a wide range of employee wellbeing initiatives and staff benefits.

• A rewarding career where your leadership will strengthen governance, improve programme delivery and help deliver transformational projects that benefit Birmingham's residents. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve. Our data tells us that for this level of role, ethnic minorities are underrepresented and therefore we will use positive action to support us to achieve diverse shortlists. This may mean that recruitment times are a little longer, but we think this is worth it to achieve our aim. Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people. We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.