PMO Governance Lead

SixWorks; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading provider of digital solutions is seeking PMO professionals to enhance governance frameworks and oversee project delivery. This role demands strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate effectively across teams, ideal for those looking to progress in their project management careers. Successful candidates will ensure projects align with strategic goals and maintain compliance throughout their lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Deep familiarity with frameworks and criteria for project evaluation.
• Ability to interpret KPIs and identify issues early.
• Current SC or DV security clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain governance frameworks to ensure project compliance.
• Oversee project delivery lifecycle and stage gate processes.
• Monitor and report on project governance and performance metrics.

Skills

Analytical skills

Detail-oriented mindset

Strong communication

Emotional Intelligence

Tools

Jira

MS Projects

Confluence

MS 365

Job description

This role is perfectly positioned as the next step for PMO professionals who are transitioning from junior roles toward more senior positions or already currently in a mid-level role. This role is designed to ensure that every project adheres to defined governance frameworks and undergoes systematic review at key checkpoints within the Project's lifecycle before progressing to subsequent phases. It is ideally suited for someone with strong analytical skills, a detail-oriented mindset, and a passion for aligning project outcomes with strategic business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and Maintain Governance Frameworks

• Design Detailed Processes: Create, document, and regularly update robust governance frameworks that clearly define policies, protocols, and procedures tailored to different project stages.
• Standards and Guidelines: Develop criteria and checklists for each stage gate that merge best practices, regulatory requirements, and strategic objectives.
• Alignment: Ensure that all projects align with the organisation's overall mission and compliance requirements, feeding this information back to senior leadership for continual refinement.

Oversee the Project Delivery Lifecycle Process

• Project Governance monthly reporting: Oversee and maintain the current SiXworks P3M Governance process.
• Execution Gate Coordination and preparation: Plan, schedule, and coordinate stage gate meetings (such as initiation, planning, execution reviews, and closure) to rigorously assess project progress.
• Decision-Point Management: Conduct or facilitate reviews at each stage gate within the delivery lifecycle, ensuring that project deliverables, risks, and issues are thoroughly evaluated before approval to proceed.
• Documentation: Maintain detailed records and decision logs for each gate review, capturing lessons learned and recommendations for continuous improvement.

Monitoring and Reporting.

• Performance Tracking: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics related to project governance, process compliance, risk management, and overall project health.
• Risk Management: Identify potential governance-related risks or deviations early; work collaboratively with project teams to mitigate them before they escalate.
• Stakeholder Reports: Prepare detailed reports and dashboards for executive leadership and project sponsors that summaries progress, gate outcomes, and any compliance issues.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Liaison Role: Act as the bridge between project managers, the senior leadership team, and other stakeholders to ensure transparent communication and consistent application of governance policies.
• Training and Support: Provide guidance and training to project teams regarding governance frameworks and the stage gate process, thereby promoting a shared understanding of responsibilities and best practices.

Continuous Improvement:

• Governance Audits: Perform routine audits of project governance processes to validate adherence and effectiveness, recommending adjustments where necessary.
• Feedback Loops: Establish formal mechanisms for capturing feedback from projects once they pass through the gates, using insights to refine existing governance models.

Change Management and Adaptability:

• Process Enhancement: Identify areas in the gating process that can be improved or streamlined, whether by incorporating new technologies or updating methodologies to better respond to business changes.
• Guidance for Adjustments: Advise on alterations in project scope or direction when projects fail to meet gate criteria, ensuring that remedial actions are both documented and aligned with strategic objectives.

Key Skills:

Essential:

• Deep familiarity with frameworks and criteria for project evaluation
• Ability to interpret KPIs and identify issues early.
• Strong written/oral skills for producing clear documentation and status reports.
• Maintaining comprehensive records and schedules.
• Ability to make timely, informed decisions at gate reviews.
• Expertise is aligning diverse interests and ensuring transparent communication.
• Emotional Intelligence and advanced interpersonal skills to manage disputes.
• Current SC or DV security clearance.

Desirable:

• Experience with project management software and date dashboards. (Jira, MS Projects, Confluence, MS 365).
• Skills in adapting processes for continuous improvement.

About SiXworks

SiXworks is a leading provider of secure digital solutions, specialising in digital experimentation and focused on fail-safe-fast cutting-edge technology solutions deployed in highly secure environments. We are unified in our mission to accelerate innovation and adoption of secure, digital technology to improve the operational agility of Defence and National Security. This is an exciting time for us, we have ambitious plans for continued growth and development, and we are seeking to add brilliant, experienced, motivated, and passionate people to our team to work with us on this journey.

Why join SiXworks?

Our team is a fusion of brilliance, featuring senior operational, technical, and business leaders from various industries and the armed forces. We're also powered by a league of extraordinary IT engineers, architects, developers, and project managers. Together, we're an unstoppable force of digital innovation!

SiXworks' expertise includes Secure-by-Design, cloud computing, advanced network and infrastructure design, rapid application development, cross-security domain systems, multi-tenanted High-Performance Compute, multi-source data platforms, cyber vulnerability mitigation, and intelligence systems. We provide supplier-agnostic, technical, and business consultancy to customers while championing open-source and best-of-breed technologies.

A word on UK Security Clearance

Due to the secure nature of the position and working environment, you must have, or be eligible to obtain Security Clearance.

More details relating to UK Security Clearance can be found here:

United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

SiXworks is an IBM subsidiary which has been acquired by IBM and will be integrated into the IBM organisation. SiXworks will be the hiring entity. By proceeding with this application, you understand that SiXworks will share your personal information with other IBM subsidiaries involved in your recruitment process, wherever these are located. More Information on how IBM protects your personal information, including the safeguards in case of cross-border data transfer, are available here: https://www.ibm.com/privacy

Notice

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We support Reservists and actively encourage them to apply.

We are not considering submissions from agencies.