Portfolio PMO Manager

Role Purpose

The Portfolio PMO Manager is responsible for providing governance, delivery oversight, reporting, business management, and portfolio support across strategic change initiatives. The role combines hands-on PMO leadership with project management capabilities, ensuring that programmes and projects are effectively governed, accurately reported, and aligned to business objectives.

The role acts as a trusted partner to Programme Directors, Project Managers, and senior stakeholders, providing portfolio insight, delivery assurance, business case support, and management information that enables effective decision-making across complex transformation initiatives.

Operating within the clients change environment, the Portfolio PMO Manager will maintain governance standards, drive reporting excellence, manage risks and dependencies, and support the successful delivery of strategic business outcomes.

Principal Accountabilities

• Portfolio Governance & Delivery Management
• Establish and maintain effective governance frameworks across portfolios, programmes, and projects.
• Ensure compliance with the clients change governance, delivery standards, and control requirements.
• Monitor delivery performance, milestones, dependencies, risks, issues, and financials across multiple initiatives.
• Provide delivery assurance and challenge project teams where required to improve delivery outcomes.
• Support the definition, development, and tracking of business cases and investment proposals.
• Reporting & Management Information
• Produce high-quality portfolio, programme, and project reporting for senior management.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and management information to provide visibility of delivery performance.
• Analyse financial, resource, and performance data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Present complex information clearly and concisely to executive audiences.
• Ensure reporting is accurate, timely, and provides actionable insights.
• Stakeholder Management
• Build strong relationships across Change, Technology, Operations, and Business functions.
• Engage confidently with senior stakeholders, including Directors, Managing Directors, and Executive-level audiences.
• Facilitate governance forums, steering committees, and portfolio review meetings.
• Challenge and influence stakeholders constructively to drive successful outcomes.
• Act as a key point of contact for portfolio governance and reporting activities.
• Risk, Issue & Dependency Management
• Maintain portfolio-level oversight of risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, and actions.
• Drive proactive identification, mitigation, and escalation of delivery concerns.
• Support informed decision-making through effective risk analysis and reporting.
• Ensure appropriate governance controls are maintained throughout project lifecycles.

Process Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement within PMO and portfolio management practices.
• Identify opportunities to streamline governance, reporting, and delivery processes.
• Support implementation of best practices across the change portfolio.
• Promote consistency in reporting, documentation, and governance standards.

Documentation & Governance Support

• Maintain high-quality project and portfolio documentation.
• Prepare governance packs, executive presentations, status reports, meeting materials, and decision papers.
• Ensure audit-ready documentation and adherence to regulatory and internal control requirements.
• Support action tracking and follow-through from governance meetings.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience within PMO, Portfolio Management, Project Management, or Change Delivery functions.
• Proven experience operating within large-scale transformation programmes and portfolios.
• Experience working within financial services, banking, or a highly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated capability engaging with senior stakeholders, including Director, Managing Director, and Executive-level audiences.
• Experience supporting or managing business case development and investment governance.
• Experience producing executive-level reporting, management information, and dashboards.
• Strong understanding of project lifecycle management and delivery governance.
• Experience managing portfolio-level risks, issues, dependencies, and financial tracking.
• Ability to work across multiple initiatives simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

Technical Skills

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex formulas, pivot tables, data analysis, and preferably VBA/macros.
• Advanced PowerPoint skills with experience producing executive presentations.
• Strong data analysis and reporting capabilities.
• Experience creating dashboards and visual management information.
• Knowledge of portfolio and project management tools.
• Experience with Power BI or similar reporting and visualisation tools.

Project & Change Knowledge

• Strong understanding of portfolio, programme, and project governance.
• Knowledge of Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid delivery methodologies.
• Understanding of financial management, resource planning, and portfolio controls.
• Familiarity with risk and control frameworks within regulated environments.

Personal Attributes

• Highly analytical with strong attention to detail.
• Confident communicator capable of influencing senior stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Proactive and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Resilient and comfortable operating in complex, changing environments.
• Collaborative and relationship-focused.
• Committed to delivery excellence and continuous improvement.
• Able to balance strategic oversight with hands-on execution.

Success Measures

• Success in this role will be demonstrated through:
• Delivery of accurate, timely, and insightful portfolio reporting.
• Effective governance and control across change initiatives.
• Strong stakeholder confidence in portfolio management practices.
• Proactive management and escalation of risks and issues.
• Improved visibility of portfolio performance and outcomes.
• High-quality business case and executive reporting support.
• Continuous enhancement of PMO processes and governance frameworks.