Grade 6 Head of PMO Water System Reform Programme

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink. In terms of programme and project delivery, Defra has one of the largest and most complicated portfolios in Government.

Water is vital for life - clean, freshwater for drinking and sanitation, providing for farms and industry, creating and sustaining the ecosystems on which all life depends. Yet water is a finite natural resource, facing increasing pressures from climate change and population growth. Never before has political, media and public attention been focused on water as it is now. The Independent Water Commission made recommendations for reform of the system. The White Paper sets out the actions now needed to fix the system. This brings a great opportunity, and we have been given a mandate to make some once in a generation changes.

We are seeking a Head of PMO to join the Water System Reform Programme. The programme will deliver White Paper commitments to reform the water system, including an integrated and empowered regulator resetting regulation for the water system, and reforming the water system planning. This is ambitious reform across a complex landscape of regulators, industry and consumer, where the programme will need to achieve cross-sector coordination and build public trust. The postholder will have the opportunity to shape and develop the programme set up, including establishing an effective PMO function and team.

The Head of PMO is a key leadership role for the Water System Reform Programme. The postholder will be an integral member of divisional SLT and directorate wide people, inclusion and wellbeing groups.

The team is part of the Water Reform directorate and works closely with policy, strategy and group corporate services teams leading work across the programme. The PMO and programme team are responsible for:

• Establishing and operating programme management standards, controls and ways of working across all projects and workstreams, ensuring coherence across projects to deliver the ambition of the reforms.
• Developing and maintaining integrated programme plans, managing programme-level reporting, providing assurance and quality oversight across the programme and producing briefings and decision papers to support informed decision-making by the SRO, programme director and senior stakeholders.
• Directing and supporting projects, including through targeted provision of project management support.
• Portfolio-level reporting on outcomes and targets across the Group.

As Head of PMO for the Water System Reform Programme you will be accountable for establishing and leading the PMO for this major, complex programme. You will define and maintain the standards for project and programme management to enable senior leaders to make informed decisions and the programme to deliver its intended outcomes, benefits and value for money. This includes ensuring robust governance, controls, planning, risk and benefits management, financial and delivery reporting, and assurance mechanisms are in place.

You will be responsible for implementation and sharing of best practice, and the development and application of project procedures, tools and techniques to standardise methodologies. You will provide expert guidance, support and insight on the programme which will be typically moderate to high in complexity and risk, and act as the source of all programme information and metrics.

You will lead a small team of project managers to provide targeted, expert support to project teams in establishing, managing and delivering their required outcomes.

This role is aligned to the Project Delivery Capability Framework (PDCF). Further information on the PDCF can be found on the gov.uk homepage (search "Project Delivery Capability Framework").

Responsibilities

• Lead the PMO in supporting the programme to deliver against this once in a generation reform of the water system, including ministerial visibility of progress and public accountability
• Lead the PMO to support the programme to deliver against the business case, championing the use of Defra best practice project management standards, frameworks, and processes and alignment with Government standards for project delivery.
• Develop and oversee the programme business case.
• Develop and agree budgets for the project and/or programme. Forecast and track costs against agreed budget.
• Oversee identification of project resources, recruitment, deployment, and reassignment of resources throughout the project lifecycle.
• Provide advice on tools and techniques for managing stakeholder relationships.
• Establish processes and standards for effectively managing risks and issues.
• Ensure appropriate governance is in place for the project.

• Experience of leading a PMO team or managing complex projects or programmes with detailed knowledge and experience covering planning, scheduling, resource management, risk and issue management, change control, governance, and assurance.
• Working knowledge of financial management, business case development, change and implementation and benefits management in a project or programme environment.
• A visible leader with experience of promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity, respecting differences.
• Strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, collaborating across boundaries.  
• Ability to work well under pressure, motivating and supporting others to deliver under challenging timescales and competing priorities.
• Excellent presentation, briefing and drafting skills
• Knowledge and experience of Project Management methodology supported by professional qualifications such as:

• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• P3O Practitioner
• Managing Successful Programmes Practitioner
• Agile Project Management Practitioner
• APM Project Management Qualification
• APM Chartered Project Professional
• APM Project Leadership Programme
• APMG International Project Planning and Control Foundation
• Leading and Managing Project Workstreams

Information about the role will be provided via a candidate group information session to be held at 12:45 on 10th June Info Session for Head of Programme Management Office, Floods & Water