About the Role
We are seeking a proactive and experienced Senior PMO Manager to join our team working with a leading insurance client. In this role, you will establish and maintain effective governance frameworks, ensuring adherence to project management standards and processes. You will be pivotal in driving operational excellence, managing multiple senior stakeholders, and ensuring the successful delivery of business-critical initiatives.
As a key member of the PMO function, you will oversee portfolio planning, risk management, reporting, and compliance while fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
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Governance Development & Enforcement:
Establish and continuously improve the governance framework to ensure projects adhere to organizational standards and best practices. Enforce consistent methodologies across the portfolio. -
Stakeholder Management:
Engage and influence senior stakeholders within the organization, including executives and business leaders. Navigate complex stakeholder relationships and confidently uphold project management standards during high-pressure situations. -
Portfolio Management:
Oversee the management of a portfolio of projects, ensuring transparency, prioritization, efficiency, and compliance. Provide regular updates on performance, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership. -
Project Standards & Delivery Assurance:
Define and implement standards for planning, execution, and reporting. Monitor adherence to these standards within programs and projects, identifying areas for improvement and ensuring successful delivery outcomes. -
Risk & Issue Management:
Develop and maintain robust processes for proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks and issues across projects and the portfolio. -
Reporting & Analysis:
Deliver clear, concise, and actionable portfolio-level reporting to support senior decision-making. Build comprehensive dashboards, metrics, and analytics capabilities. -
Leadership & Mentoring:
Lead, motivate, and guide a PMO team (if applicable). Build strong practices and support continuous learning for the project teams.
Experience & Skills Required
- Proven experience as a PMO Manager or in a similar role, ideally within the insurance or financial services industry for more than 8 years
- Expertise in governance creation, portfolio management, and project delivery assurance.
- Demonstrated ability to hold ground and challenge stakeholders constructively to ensure compliance with governance and standards.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust with C-suite executives and business leaders.
- Deep understanding of project and portfolio lifecycle management, as well as risk and issue management processes.
- Proficient in tools such as MS Project, JIRA, or other PPM software.
- Excellent problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills.
- Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements within the insurance sector is highly desirable.
- Certified in project management methodologies such as PMP, PRINCE2, MSP, or Agile/Scrum is a plus.
Key Attributes
- Assertive and confident, with strong decision-making abilities.
- Detail-oriented with a commitment to quality and process improvement.
- Flexible and adaptable in navigating a transforming environment.
- Collaborative team player with a willingness to engage across cross-functional teams.
- Thrives in a fast-paced, demanding environment while maintaining a strategic mindset.
