Portfolio Coordinator (Gateway Reviews and Secretariat)

West of England Combined Authorities; Bristol; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

Volunteer leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Hybrid working

Reduced bus fare

Job summary

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is seeking a Portfolio Coordinator (Gateway Reviews and Secretariat) to join the Corporate PMO. This role coordinates gateway reviews, governance activity and assurance processes across the PMO portfolio, ensuring documentation is complete and decisions are clearly recorded.

Reporting to the Assurance Manager, the post supports a structured, evidence-led approach and cross-team collaboration to sustain delivery confidence and informed

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of the project lifecycle process; governance and PMO frameworks; planning and project controls.
• Experience in supporting project coordination or PMO activity.
• Experience coordinating across multiple teams and projects.
• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience in a relevant sector.
• Experience in working in local authority / public sector environments.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the gateway review process, from scheduling to outcome tracking.
• Ensure all required documentation and evidence is submitted, organised and accessible.
• Support the production of assurance outputs and recommendations.
• Maintain a clear audit trail of gateway decisions, actions and outcomes.
• Provide secretariat support to governance forums, as effective administration and follow-up.

Skills

Strong organisational skills

Attention to detail

PMO governance knowledge

Stakeholder coordination

Project lifecycle understanding

Education

Degree level education or equivalent experience

Tools

P3MO Project Management tool

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - 70 Redcliff Street, Bristol

Portfolio Coordinator (Gateway Reviews and Secretariat)

Job Reference MCA/TP/20208/1207_KE

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Fixed Term/Full Time - 37 hours per week

Working Hours:

37

Location:

70 Redcliff Street, Bristol

Closing Date:

13/10/2026

Job Category:

Region / Division:

UK Region

Business Unit:

Operations

Job Introduction

Portfolio Coordinator (Gateway Reviews and Secretariat)

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is seeking to appoint a Portfolio Coordinator (Gateway Reviews and Secretariat) to join the Corporate Portfolio Management Office (PMO).

Role Overview

Key Accountabilities:

• Coordinates and manages gateway reviews and assurance processes across the PMO portfolio
• Acts as the central point of coordination for assurance activity, governance forums and decision processes
• Supports the Assurance Manager in delivering the PMO’s assurance function
• Ensures gateway reviews are well-organised, evidence-based and aligned to PMO standards
• Maintains accurate records of assurance findings, decisions and actions

Key Relationships:

• Head of Corporate PMO
• Assurance Manager
• Portfolio Leads (Risk, Outcomes & Benefits, Comms and Information)
• Project Sponsors, SROs and Project Managers

The Role

Reporting to the Assurance Manager, the Portfolio Coordinator (Gateway Reviews and Secretariat) provides the coordination, structure and governance support required to deliver effective assurance across the PMO portfolio. The role ensures that gateway reviews and assurance processes are well-managed, consistent and support high-quality decision-making.

The role supports the assurance function, coordinating gateway reviews, managing documentation and ensuring that assurance activity is recorded, tracked and actioned effectively. This includes supporting the assurance manager, portfolio leads, and project teams to ensure that projects are prepared for gateway reviews, that the correct information is provided, and that outcomes and decisions are clearly documented and communicated.

Working across multiple projects and stakeholders, the role ensures that assurance processes are transparent, proportionate and evidence-led, supporting the PMO’s objective of maintaining delivery confidence and enabling informed decision-making.

They will:

• Coordinate the gateway review process, from scheduling to outcome tracking
• Ensure all required documentation and evidence is submitted, organised and accessible
• Support the production of assurance outputs and recommendations
• Maintain a clear audit trail of gateway decisions, actions and outcomes
• Provide secretariat support to governance forums, as effective administration and follow-up

Key Attributes

Assurance Coordinator
Supports the delivery of assurance processes by ensuring gateway reviews and governance activity are well-organised and effective.

Governance Facilitator
Ensures governance forums and decision-making processes run smoothly, with clear structure and coordination.

Supportive Partner
Provides practical support to project teams to help them navigate assurance and governance processes effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Internal Projects

• Coordinates the gateway review process, including scheduling, coordinating inputs, and managing timelines and deadlines.
• Reports to the Assurance Manager:supports the corporate PMO assurance function by coordinating for, and reporting on the gateway process.
• Support project teams in their preparation for gateway reviews, coordinating with the portfolio leads to ensure that projects have the required documentation.
• Support in the production of outputs from gateway reviews including the population of gateway checklists, recommendations, summary reports, actions and owners.
• Ensure a clear and accessible audit trail of assurance activity, supporting governance and external scrutiny
• Provide secretariat support to governance forums, including preparing agendas, tracking meetings, and taking actions and follow-up
• Track progress against assurance actions, so that actions are assigned, updates are monitored, and issues are escalated where required

Person Specification

Essential (must have)

Qualifications and knowledge:

• Strong understanding of the project lifecycle process; governance and PMO frameworks; planning and project controls

Experience:

• Experience in supporting project coordination or PMO activity
• Experience in organising meetings, documentation, stakeholder inputs
• Experience working in a structured, process-driven environment
• Experience coordinating across multiple teams and projects

Skills and Competencies

• Strong organisational, people management, and time management skills
• High attention to detail
• Ability to manage, maintain, and organise information from multiple channels
• Ability to work across multiple projects with conflicting priorities
• Strong record-keeping and administration capability
• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience in a relevant sector.
• Experience in using P3MO Project Management tool or similar project management tool
• Understanding of governance and assurance processes
• Experience in working in local authority / public sector environments

About The Company

Our offer

We are based ina new bright and airy office, with all the latest technology, close to Bristol Temple Meads Train Station.

Alongside the opportunity to make a real differenceto the people who visit, live and work in the West of England, we offer an excellent benefits package including:

• 26 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years continuous service. There is also the option to increase your annual leave with our annual leave purchase scheme.
• 2 days ofpaid leave each year to volunteer
• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Flexible, family friendly and hybrid working options to ensure you achieve the best work/life balance and career goals. We followa hybrid working model with typically 2 or 3 days in the office each week
• Reduced bus fare travel across the West of England

We believe in fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, empowering you to thrive in your career. We prioritise your growth and success byprovidinga diverse range of learning and development opportunities. Our goal is to keep you motivated, equipped with essential skills, and confident in delivering excellent services.

The salary for this role is £44,253 - £47,665. This is the full-time equivalent salary, and will be pro-rata for part-time . We advertise salary ranges for job roles, with new appointments for external candidates typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, where higher skill levels or experience are applicable, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees.

Good Employment Charter https://www.goodemploymentcharter.co.uk/ As a founding Member of the West of England Good Employment Charter and accredited Living Wage Employer, we’re committed to creating a diverse environment where all our employees can thrive. We make sure all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment and we particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or citizenship status.

Fair and Inclusive Recruitment

As part of our commitment to fair and inclusive recruitment, we provide interview questions to all shortlisted candidates in advance/on request.This approach helps ensure everyone candemonstratetheir skills,knowledgeand experience fully, and supports our duties under the Equality Act 2010. You will also be asked follow-up questions during the interview to explore your responses in more detail.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We want to understand the real person behind each application. While we recognise that some applicants may use AI tools, these should support your writing rather than replace your own voice. AI can be a helpful aid, but your personal insight and individuality are what matter most to us.

Closing dates

Our roles close at midnight on the closing date. Please note this vacancy may close early or be extended depending on the number of applications so please don’t wait to apply.If you have started your application, we’ll give you notice of the new closing date by email.

From a recruitment agency?

We’re not engaging with agencies for this role. Any CVs received from agencies will be considered as unsolicited and the property of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, with no obligation to pay agency fees.

Reasonable Adjustments

If you have an accessibility need, disability, condition or need any additional support that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process (for example, you might need to submit your application in a different format), please get in touch with our Resourcing Team at [e-mail] . We are here to assist and accommodate your needs.