P3O Manager

Job summary

We are seeking a proactive and skilled Portfolio Manager to lead portfolio planning, governance and delivery assurance across our corporate and operational activity. You will ensure that portfolio activity aligns with organisational priorities, that risks and dependencies are well managed, and that senior leaders receive high-quality insight to support evidence-based decision-making.

You will work collaboratively with delivery teams and senior stakeholders to maintain a clear and accurate view of performance. This is an excellent opportunity to influence strategic direction and shape best practice in a multi-disciplinary environment.

This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time an employee is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role, ideally you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Portfolio Leadership and Strategy

• Leading oversight of the portfolio, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy and priorities
• Maintaining a forward-looking view of delivery confidence, pipeline, resource requirements and interdependencies
• Supporting strategic prioritisation, enabling evidence-based decision-making and escalation where required
• Ensuring projects within the portfolio have clear roadmaps, strategic direction and defined benefits

Governance and Assurance

• Developing, embedding and maintaining governance and assurance frameworks across the portfolio
• Co-ordinating Leadership Group meetings, including agenda development, meeting preparation, secretariat functions, minutes and action tracking
• Ensuring standards, control and reporting frameworks are applied consistently and appropriately
• Engaging with assurance reviews and supporting the implementation of recommendations

Delivery Assurance, Risks and Issues

• Identifying, monitoring and escalating significant risks, issues and cross-cutting dependencies
• Working with team and delivery leads to develop mitigation actions and ensure effective management
• Working with people and finance lead to support effective resource planning, and maintaining team and portfolio delivery plans

Data, Insight and Reporting

• Producing high-quality reportion, analysis and strategic insight
• Ensuring accuracy and integrity of portfolio data and reporting systems
• Identifying trends, patterns and systemic issues, providing evidence-based recommendations
• Presenting portfolio updates and insight to the Leadership Group

Continuous Improvement and Stakeholder Engagement

• Contributing to continuous improvement of portfolio processes, documentation and tools
• Providing clear guidance on processes, standards and templates
• Supporting capability-building across the organisation and promotion of good portfolio management practice
• Building strong and credible relationships with team and delivery leads
• Supporting development of business cases

Person specification

Essential skills:

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience in portfolio, programme or project management with complex or multi-disciplinary environment
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and produce evidence-based insight
• Experience of developing and managing governance and assurance mechanisms
• Proven ability to identify and manage risks, issue and dependencies
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with confidence influencing senior colleagues
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs at pace
• Experience working in and across National Security Departments
• Strong organisational skills

Desirable skills:

• Knowledge or portfolio management frameworks
• Experience of supporting development of business cases
• A relevant professional qualification (P3O, MSP, MoP, PRINCE2) or equivalent experience

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• We truly believe that the MOD is a great place to work, and we offer a unique employee experience. We want to ensure that every single employee feels appreciated & fairly rewarded and offer the following additional benefits:
• Learning and development tailored to your role and broader skill development, enabling you to build a long-term career in your chosen area. Where appropriate there will be offers of training under our apprenticeship schemes.
• Due to the nature of the role, the successful candidate will be expected to be in the office minimum 4 days. One day a week working from home is not guaranteed and will be around business needs when and if possible. This role is not suitable for work share, part time or flexible/remote working arrangements.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• On-site Gym
• Cycle Loan (Advance on Salary)
• Thank You Scheme
• Defence Sports & Recreational Association (DSRA)
• Defence Discount Service
• On-site Nursery

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes