PMO Lead at UK Research & Innovation, Swindon/Remote, 6 Months, £Contract Rate

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the national funding agency investing in science and research in the UK.

The Portfolio PMO Lead is a senior leadership role responsible for establishing, leading and continuously improving the portfolio management office (PMO) function across the Shaping Our Future portfolio. Acting as a trusted advisor to the Portfolio Delivery Director and senior leadership team, the postholder will ensure robust portfolio governance, planning, reporting, assurance, resource management, financial oversight and benefits management are embedded across the portfolio.

Aligned to the Government Project Delivery Capability Framework (PDCF) Portfolio Manager G6 role, the Portfolio PMO Lead will provide strategic oversight of portfolio performance, enabling informed decision-making and ensuring delivery remains aligned with UKRI 's strategic objectives and available resources. The role will lead the development of portfolio management practices, drive continuous improvement and provide confidence that programmes and projects within the portfolio are effectively governed and controlled.

As a PMO Lead, your main responsibilities will be:

Portfolio Leadership and Delivery

• Lead the Portfolio Management Office function for the Shaping Our Future Portfolio, ensuring effective coordination and oversight of all delivery activities.
• Provide strategic leadership across portfolio governance, controls, planning, reporting and assurance.

Governance, Assurance and Reporting

• Establish and maintain an effective governance framework that supports timely decision-making and appropriate control.
• Lead the development of portfolio reporting processes, ensuring senior leaders receive accurate, insightful and actionable information.

Portfolio Planning and Dependency Management

• Maintain the portfolio delivery roadmap and integrated delivery plan.
• Ensure key milestones, dependencies, assumptions and critical delivery paths are identified and actively managed.

Resource and Financial Management

• Lead portfolio-wide resource planning and capacity management activities.
• Work with programme and business leaders to identify resource requirements, capability gaps and workforce risks.

Risk, Opportunity and Issue Management

• Establish and maintain portfolio-level risk, issue and dependency management frameworks.
• Ensure that strategic risks and opportunities are identified, assessed and managed effectively.

Benefits Management and Strategic Alignment

• Oversee the portfolio approach to benefits management and realisation.
• Support programme teams and business owners in defining measurable outcomes and benefits.

Stakeholder Management

• Facilitate discussions to resolve competing priorities, resource constraints and delivery conflicts.
• Act as the primary point of contact for portfolio management processes and governance.

PMO Capability and Continuous Improvement

• Lead and develop a high-performing PMO team.
• Embed portfolio management best practice, standards, tools and methodologies.

Essential Skills

• Significant experience leading PMO, portfolio management or portfolio office functions in large, complex organisations.
• Demonstrable experience supporting strategic portfolios, including GMPP, environment comprising multiple programmes and projects.
• Experience establishing and operating governance, reporting and assurance frameworks at portfolio level.
• Experience managing portfolio performance, risks, dependencies and resource prioritisation.
• Experience providing advice and challenge to senior leaders and governance boards.
• Proven experience leading teams and driving organisational change and continuous improvement.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Strong self starter with a pro active approach to all duties

Desirable Skills

• Teal Book - Programme Management skillset would be highly beneficial

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, UKRI guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.