Portfolio Lead

Apex Group Ltd (UK Branch); Reston (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Apex Group Ltd (UK Branch) is seeking a Portfolio Lead to drive technology and business change across a defined product portfolio globally. You will coordinate epics, planning, and governance with Operations, Technology and Product teams to align with strategic goals.

The role reports to the Global Head of Change and requires extensive PM experience in a large global setting, with strong leadership and stakeholder management. A hybrid/onsite delivery model is common for this team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in IT or related field.
• 10+ years project management experience in a large multi-unit global organization.
• Project management certifications (APMP, PMI, Prince2); SAFe preferred.
• Experience in financial services is advantageous.
• Strong leadership, negotiation and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Day-to-day matrix management of project/programme managers and BAs/QAs.
• Champion Agile/Waterfall delivery methodologies.
• Ensure epic documentation, plans, data quality, and milestone adherence.
• Track portfolio delivery performance and budgeting with PMO.
• Lead quarterly portfolio planning and prioritisation cycles.
• Manage risks, issues, dependencies and communication with senior stakeholders.
• Escalate delivery issues and assist vendors to ensure on-time, budget-compliant delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Agile/Waterfall delivery

PMO metrics

Communication

Change leadership

Vendor coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree (MBA/IT)

Tools

Azure DevOps

PPM tooling

Job description

The Apex Group was established in Bermuda in 2003 and is now one of the world’s largest fund administration and middle office solutions providers.

Our business is unique in its ability to reach globally, service locally and provide cross-jurisdictional services. With our clients at the heart of everything we do, our hard-working team has successfully delivered on an unprecedented growth and transformation journey, and we are now represented by over circa 13,000 employees across 112 offices worldwide.Your career with us should reflect your energy and passion.

That’s why, at Apex Group, we will do more than simply ‘empower’ you. We will work to supercharge your unique skills and experience.

Take the lead and we’ll give you the support you need to be at the top of your game. And we offer you the freedom to be a positive disrupter and turn big ideas into bold, industry-changing realities.

For our business, for clients, and for you

About Apex:

The Apex Group is a global financial services provider with 10,000 staff across 50+ offices globally. We look to recruit bright, articulate and numerate employees who are not afraid of a challenge and are prepared to work hard and love what they do. Every employee plays a part in making Apex who we are today and the more that we grow, the more important that becomes. Whatever your career path or specialism Apex provides a global platform to allow you to thrive.

As APEX FUND SERVICES is expanding, we are opening an exciting new opportunity. We are currently looking for suitable, motivated and team-oriented professional for the position of Portfolio Lead.

Purpose of the Role:

The role of the Portfolio Lead is accountable for technology and business change delivery across a defined portfolio for a collection of Products globally.

The role leads the planning and scheduling of epics, technology and business change management, project metrics production and analysis within the Portfolio working with colleagues across Operations, Technology and Product to prioritorise delivery in line with strategic, regulatory and growth objectives.

The position reports into the Global Head of Change and helps plan annual portfolios based on business needs, manage portfolio health, risks, dependencies, and compliance, and support the development and advocacy of agile and waterfall delivery frameworks, contributes to the development of standard project/program delivery methodologies to be used across all change delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

• Day-to-day matrix management of a team of project/programme managers and business change managers, QAs & BAs to realise delivery in line with portfolio plans– working with Practice Management to support the alignment of team capacity and capability in line with Portfolio delivery needs.
• Champion contextualized (Agile/Waterfall) delivery methodology supporting the ongoing improvement in ways of working and Lean Portfolio Management across the team
• Accountability for PM teams’ ongoing deliverables – providing technical expertise, ensuring use of PPM tooling and epic documentation is in place, reviewing the quality of plans and data, ensuring milestone dates are met whilst ensuring changes are captured, risks and issues are logged.
• Accountable for Portfolio delivery performance – working with PMO using PPM tooling to provide metrics on the teams' delivery performance across the epics.
• Accountable for Portfolio budgets – managing people cost and epic cost, ensuring costs are in line with agreed budgets, working through approval processes for new epics
• Lead on upstream Portfolio activity working in collaboration with Technology and Product Leads to prioritorise, review and refine new epics ahead of implementation
• Lead on quarterly Planning Increments for the Portfolio, aligning key stakeholders, committed deliverables & resources required continuously reviewing and refining processes to improve efficiency & effectiveness of planning and delivery cycles
• Oversee daily portfolio and work stream plans. Identify and manage risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies. Address project variances to maintain baseline.
• Set up plan review/status meetings with internal teams and third parties presenting summary reports of portfolio performance to senior management as required
• Maintain and ensure quality of planning documentation to demonstrably achieve planning quality gates criteria
• Communicate efficiently with senior stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Practice Management, Technology, Product and Operational teams to address project planning/delivery issues.
• Serve as escalation point for Project Managers where project delivery is out of tolerance
• Assist Project Managers in managing vendors for on-time, budget-compliant delivery.

Experience required:

• Bachelor's degree required; Advance degree in IT related field or MBA preferred.
• 10+ Years Project Management experience in a large multi-unit global organization required, ideally in complex IS and business environments.
• Agile Project Management Accreditation (APMP, PMI, Prince 2 or equivalent) -SAFe preferred.
• Experience working on projects in the financial services industry would be an advantage;
• Must possess extensive knowledge and expertise in the use of Project Management methodologies and tools.
• Passion for leading teams and implementing change.
• Demonstrated leadership skills. Strong negotiation and team-building skills with the ability to create consensus around decisions and mitigate conflicts among different teams.
• Strong communication skills required at all levels. Must be able to interact with senior leadership. Excellent command of verbal and written communication (English). Effective presentation style for all levels of stakeholders.
• Strong problem solving, decision making, issue analysis and resolution skills.
• Highly organized and demonstrable ability to manage competing priorities with internal clients.
• Ability to work well in a fast paced multicultural global work environment.
• Proficient in MS Office products including Azure Dev Ops

Disclaimer: Unsolicited CVs sent to Apex (Talent Acquisition Team or Hiring Managers) by recruitment agencies will not be accepted for this position. Apex operates a direct sourcing model and where agency assistance is required, the Talent Acquisition team will engage directly with our exclusive recruitment partners.