Senior Portfolio Officer: Planning and Risk

University of Leeds; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Leeds is seeking a Senior Portfolio Officer within their Transformation Office. This pivotal role involves supporting senior leaders in implementing transformational change across the university, with responsibilities in planning, risk management, and delivering insightful reporting for leadership assurance. The position offers flexibility, a generous holiday allowance, and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

26 days holiday plus approx. 16 Bank Holidays

Generous pension scheme with 14.5% salary contribution

Discounted gym membership

Access to personal development courses

On-site childcare and shopping discounts

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of planning and risk management principles.
• Experience in providing guidance and advice on project management standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of planning and risk management standards and tools.
• Manage portfolio level reporting and ensure consistent risk assessment.

Skills

Planning

Risk Management

Consultancy

Analysis

Job description

Interviews are expected to be held 25 July 2025

This role will be based on the university campus, with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

As the Transformation Office’s Senior Portfolio Officer: Planning and Risk, you will play a key role in supporting senior leaders across the University in the delivery of a transformational change portfolio.

Working as an integral member of the Delivery Assurance Team, you will use your extensive knowledge and experience of planning and risk management principles to lead the development of the standards, processes and tools in these areas as part of the portfolio centre of excellence provision. This will involve defining and sharing frameworks tailored to the University requirements, providing specialist guidance, advice and consultancy to the Project Management teams to support their adoption and ongoing adherence, bringing consistency across the delivery of all change programmes within the portfolio.

The role will also be responsible for managing portfolio level reporting, ensuring an accurate and insightful view of escalated risk and delivery plans to provide University leadership with a clear and concise overview and informed assurance.

You will provide scrutiny and positive challenge across the portfolio, dealing with complex information, to ensure that agreed methods are consistently applied and tailored where appropriate.

Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route but first-time applicants might need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.

What we offer in return:

• 26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Generous pension scheme plus life assurance– the University contributes 14.5% of salary.
• Generous pension scheme options plus life assurance.
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.
  
  

And much more!

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Alexandra Barraclough, Delivery Assurance Lead

Email: [e-mail]