Portfolio Standards Manager (Strategy & Transformation)

NHS Scotland; Balloch; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Flexible working patterns

Learning resource centres

Discounted leisure, financial and SHOP

Job summary

Public Health Scotland is seeking a Portfolio Standards Manager to shape and assure how PHS delivers its 10-year strategy. You will develop, embed and champion project, programme and portfolio management standards, providing training and guidance to strengthen governance and capability across the organisation.

You will lead adoption of AI and digital tools, coordinate professional development, and collaborate with senior leaders to drive better decision-making and delivery across PHS.

Qualifications

• Strong project, programme and portfolio expertise.
• Excellent communication skills with senior leadership.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop, embed and assure project, programme and portfolio management standards and ways of working across PHS.
• Lead the PHS Project & Programme Management Toolkit development and improvements.
• Provide training, coaching and guidance, and coordinate access to professional development opportunities, including APMP partnerships.

Job description

About the Organisation:

Public Health Scotland launched 1st April 2020 as a national health board, employing around 1200 people, and with an annual budget of around £101 million. Public Health Scotland wants to see a Scotland where everybody thrives, a Scotland where life expectancy improves and the difference in life expectancy between our poorest and wealthiest areas gets smaller.

The Post:

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Strategy, Governance and Performance (SGP) Directorate and play a pivotal role in supporting PHS to deliver its new 10-year strategy. As Portfolio Standards Manager within Strategy & Transformation, you will help shape and assure how PHS delivers its Portfolio Organisational Programmes, supporting the organisation to deliver strategic priorities effectively and consistently.

This role sits within the Strategy & Transformation Service, supporting delivery programmes and organisational priorities across PHS. You will be responsible for developing, embedding and assuring project, programme and portfolio management standards and ways of working, helping to strengthen capability and improve consistency across the organisation.

You will lead the development and continual improvement of PHS’s Project & Programme Management Toolkit (PPT) providing an accessible source of standards, tools, templates, guidance and learning. You will provide training, coaching and practical guidance, support our Community of Practice and coordinate access to professional development opportunities, including our corporate partnership with the Association for Project Management (APM).

You will also lead the adoption and integration of AI, digital tools and automation across project and programme management, helping to shape modern ways of working that improve efficiency, insight, decision‑making and delivery across PHS.

Through this role, you will help strengthen governance, build organisational capability and drive continuous improvement across PHS’s Portfolio.

Please refer to the Candidate Brochure attached for further information on the remit associated with this post.

The Candidate:

We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated professional who brings strong project, programme and portfolio expertise and is passionate about improving how PHS plans, delivers and assures its strategic programmes and portfolio.

In this role you must be able to make sense of complex, evolving areas of work and respond constructively to challenge. The successful candidate will be confident influencing and constructively challenging the status quo, while championing high‑quality, evidence‑based standards and new ways of working across the organisation.

You should be an excellent communicator, able to engage with senior leaders and present complex information clearly to a range of audiences, including executive level. Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills are essential.

You will be committed to personal, team and organisational development, with experience of building workforce capability through training, coaching and sharing best practice. You will also bring a proactive and innovative mindset, with an interest in how AI, digital tools and automation can improve project and programme management. Above all, you will bring the confidence, creativity and professional expertise needed to strengthen P3M capability across PHS.

If you choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced by AI or similar technologies.

Location and Working Pattern:

The post is based in either Gyle Square, Edinburgh or Bothwell Street, Glasgow.

We are currently hybrid working; therefore, you will be expected to attend your base location 2 days per week and be required to attend both offices for in person meetings as required by the role.

Monday to Friday, 36 hours per week.

PHS is a flexibleemployer, and we are happy to discuss requests for alternative working patterns

During times of public health emergency, or other urgent business need, you may be required on a temporary basis to work your normal contracted working hours over 7 days including weekends, in order to meet the needs of the service.

It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with PHS.

Benefits:

Ourbenefits package includes pension scheme, comprehensive range of work life balance policies, occupational health services, learning resource centres and discounted leisure, financial and shopping benefits.

Inclusion:

Public Health Scotland (PHS) is a national NHS board committed to being a diverse, inclusive and welcoming employer. We support a range of flexible working options to help colleagues balance work and personal responsibilities. As an Established Carer Positive employer, we are committed to supporting staff with caring responsibilities and fostering a flexible, understanding workplace culture.

We offer a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support colleagues to grow and thrive. Staff are also welcome to join our active equality networks.

As an equal opportunities and Disability Confident Employer, we aim to guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum shortlisting criteria, and we are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive recruitment experience.

PHS is working towards becoming a trauma informed organisation and recognises that trauma may affect people in different ways, including during the recruitment process.

If you need reasonable adjustments or support, please contact the Recruitment Team on [e-mail]

Further Information:

For an informal discussion on the post, please contact Vicky Dabek, Organisational Lead (Portfolio) at [e-mail]

Closing date for completed applications is 16th November 2026.

Furtherinformation on PHS is available from: www.publichealthscotland.scot

Pleasenote that the majority of correspondence is sent by e‑mail only, so please check your e‑mail regularly (including junk folders).

We are an equal opportunities employer and as committed participant in the disability confident scheme, guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies however, where exceptionally high application volumes make this impracticable, a fair and proportionate shortlisting approach will be applied in line with Disability Confident guidance.