PMO Project Support

Education Authority; Armagh; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional educational organization in the UK seeks a PMO Analyst and Project Officer to support effective project delivery. You will assist project managers in managing budgets, project controls, and documentation while ensuring compliance with project frameworks. The role requires a BTEC HNC Level 4 qualification and significant experience in project management offices. You will also manage documentation, support end-users, and collaborate with stakeholders. Join a dedicated team driving positive change in education.

Benefits

Access to professional development

Health and well-being support

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years' experience in Project Management Office.
• Knowledge of both Waterfall and Agile methodologies.
• Experience in monitoring project financials.

Responsibilities

• Support project managers with project controls and compliance.
• Manage project documentation and schedules.
• Provide administrative support and collate project reports.

Skills

Project Management

Microsoft Office Suite

Communication

Stakeholder Management

Budget Monitoring

Education

BTEC HNC Level 4 in Business Administration or related field

Five years’ experience in a Project Management Office

Tools

Microsoft Project

Excel

PowerPoint

Visio

Job description

Job Description

Responsible to: PMO Lead

Job Purpose

The post‑holder will report directly to the PMO Lead and will work effectively with senior staff across the ICT Service. The post‑holder will help establish and mature the PMO through the implementation of a standardized governance process and ensure project controls are in place throughout the project‑cycle of all initiatives within the ICT Programme of work.

He/she will contribute to the effective functioning of ICT Projects by providing programme support and guidance in the areas of PMO Analyst, Project support and supporting the service across a full range of duties ensuring the efficient organization of the service and the provision of high quality, confidential, comprehensive administrative and project‑based work.

PMO Analyst

• Support project managers in ensuring that budgets, risks, issues, and changes are managed effectively.
• Manage and support the Project and Portfolio Management (PPM) Solution.
• Assist Project Managers in the use of our tools, methods, and processes.
• Ensure projects are compliant with the agreed Project Management Framework and have appropriate governance in place that supports successful delivery.
• Work directly with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to ensure effective project delivery.
• Provide project teams with templates and best practice guidance when required and act as central “lessons learned” body.

Project Officer

• Assist the delivery of work programmes to meet the needs of designated business areas.
• Assist the ICT Projects team with the development of project documentation including requirements specification, procurement documentation, and project delivery schedules and reports.
• Manage specific stages within the project as and when required.
• Organize support for end users and ensure projects are communicated to and transitioned to BAU in an effective manner.
• Identify project risks and issues and collate reports to Senior Management.
• Create project schedules and documentation required throughout the project life‑cycle.
• Provide finance and project support including raising of project orders.
• Create and collate project reports on behalf of the Project Manager.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

General Duties

• Provide a high quality, confidential support service to the PMO Lead ensuring that his/her time is managed and utilized effectively.
• Support, advise, and coach Project Managers in the use of ICT project tools, methods, and processes.
• Organize meetings, collate papers, brief delegates, and take minutes.
• Develop, manage, implement, and maintain comprehensive administrative support within the area of responsibility.
• Handle general correspondence and enquiries, undertake requisitions and diary management.
• Develop and maintain filing and electronic information systems.
• Liaise with and support the needs of the PMO Lead and Project Managers as required.
• Respond to requests for information relating to ICT PMO and Project Management Framework as necessary.
• Use own initiative to respond positively to arising issues.
• Monitor ICT Project budgets and approve expenditure within delegated limits.
• Collate, prepare related reports and statistics for PMO Lead meetings.
• Support and assist in the delivery of a high quality and comprehensive service to the PMO Lead and Project Managers.
• Undertake other reasonable duties appropriate to the grade.

Service Development

• Provide project support to the Project Managers in the delivery of technical projects or programmes.
• Support the Senior Management team to ensure consistency of policies and procedures across the service.
• Manage, coordinate, and support consultation exercises, including preparation of presentation material, records management, arranging venues, preparing programmes, and drafting reports as appropriate.
• Provide administrative support for the collection, analysis, and presentation of information.
• Research and source data to support the Service in developing strategic approaches and delivery interventions.
• Support coordination of review and update of business planning activity and track performance delivery.
• Provide contract monitoring and contact management support to the PMO Lead.
• Ensure software licensing is up to date for project‑related software and maintain a register for all software procurements approved by the ICT Programme Board.

Innovation

• Co‑ordinate and support key pieces of ICT project best practice work and projects as required.
• Draft newsletters and promotional/information materials and articles as required.

Collaborative Working

• Support the organization of conferences, training courses, workshops, seminars and events for the ICT Projects Service as required.
• Organize and make all relevant preparations for meetings relating to the work of ICT Projects.
• Attend meetings such as good practice events or other external events on behalf of the PMO Lead as necessary.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders on behalf of ICT Projects as required.

Communication and Information Management

• Maintain and manage information, records, papers, and extract and provide regular reports from information systems for the ICT Project Service.
• Attend and take minutes of meetings convened by the ICT Project services as required.
• Manage and keep updating the PMO Teams site allocated functions and other associated communications and digital platforms.

People Management & Development

• Line‑manage, support, and develop staff within the area of responsibility, providing support within staff welfare, wellbeing and resourcing.
• Promote the corporate vision, values and culture of EA as a single regional organisation in all processes linked to the maintenance, development and implementation of assignments within areas of responsibility.
• Ensure that employees within the Application Support team are provided with clear structure, strategies, policies and processes for their service.
• Foster a culture that supports achievement of the Authority’s Strategic Plan by role‑modeling core values and leadership behaviours to staff.
• Have supervisory responsibilities for up to 5 members of staff organised in groups or teams as necessary.
• Deliver awareness and governance overview sessions to ICT Projects Team as required.

Health & Safety duties and responsibilities

• Understand the Health & Safety responsibilities of Managers & Employees within EA.
• Ensure that employees fulfil their responsibilities as outlined in the EA policies and programmes (e.g. fire drills, risk assessments, accident reporting).
• Implement personnel management policies to ensure that everyone in the team is aware of his/her responsibilities.
• Foster a workplace safety culture in which employees and their managers work together to ensure workplace safety.

Travel: Some travel across EANI sites will be required to attend meetings and fulfil a full range of duties and responsibilities.

This job description will be reviewed as circumstances change and is not intended to be rigid or inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post‑holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.

To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, please review the available information.

Person Specification

Notes to Job Applicants

1. You must demonstrate on your application form how, to what extent, and how you meet the required criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. Demonstrate both essential and desirable criteria where relevant.

2. You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications unless the criteria state otherwise.

3. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.

4. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.

5. Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.

6. In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also demonstrate how you meet any desirable criteria on your application form.

Section 1 – Essential Criteria

Hold a third level qualification BTEC HNC Level 4 relating to Business Administration, Management, Information Technology and have a minimum of two years’ demonstrable experience working within a Project Management Office; OR have a minimum of five years’ demonstrable experience working within a Project Management Office.

Demonstrable experience of MS Office, including Excel, databases, PowerPoint, Visio used for documenting and reporting.

Demonstrable experience working with Microsoft Project.

Demonstrable experience working to deadlines and multiple tasks simultaneously, where you have made an impact within your role.

Demonstrable experience of the project life cycle, project methodologies and governance processes used to control and monitor technical initiatives.

Demonstrable experience of building and maintaining successful working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Demonstrable experience in monitoring project financials, forecasting and actuals and reporting to senior management.

Successful candidate will be required to have access to a suitable vehicle (appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business) that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner; OR be able to provide sufficient information that satisfies the employer that they have access to an appropriate alternative form of transport.

Section 2 – Additional Essential Criteria (Interview)

Knowledge of Project Methodologies, both Waterfall and Agile, and commonly utilised PMO governance processes.

Strong collaborative skills to build genuine and productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

A customer‑focused passion for creating solutions with a positive attitude to implementing improvements and change.

Proven effective decision‑making and problem‑solving skills.

Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Ability to successfully manage multi‑priorities in a fast‑paced and changing environment.

Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values. Find information about our values online.

Disclosure of Criminal Background

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’. If recommended for appointment to a post that involves regulated activity, an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background will be required and the cost will be paid by the applicant. Further information is available online.

Applicant Guidance Notes

To view the applicant guidance notes, please review the available information.

To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, please review the relevant information.

The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.