Associate Director, Enterprise Portfolio Management Office

Purpose of Job

The Associate Director, EPMO (Enterprise Portfolio Management Office) leads the VP CTO Enterprise Portfolio Management Office, which is responsible for the effective governance and oversight of the Bank’s transformation. Supporting the Director, Transformation Office, the AD EPMO plays a critical role in aligning the transformation portfolio with the Bank’s strategic objectives and matching demand against priorities to cultivate a well-balanced portfolio.

The role is responsible for establishing the appropriate portfolio, programme and change management methodology and tooling to ensure effective governance and reporting for the EBRD transformation. Furthermore, the AD, EPMO is accountable for assuring the delivery of projects and initiatives within the portfolio, focusing on ensuring value and quality to the Bank, in accordance with agreed specification and quality parameters, on time, within scope, and on budget.

The role is also responsible for managing the governance of the Programme Steering Board (PSB), the Bank’s transformation and investment decision-making body. Working closely with the Chair (VP Chief Transformation Officer), the role facilitates well-informed decision making at this level by assuring the review of business cases, change requests and completions, and providing effective portfolio governance, highlighting risks, issues, dependencies and areas for governance members to probe/challenge.

The role is responsible for building and continually improving the EPMO as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ that defines and maintains the Bank’s transformation methodology, portfolio management standards and practices, and acts as the source of documentation, guidance and reporting on transformation. As such, the role acts as the custodian of the Bank’s Change Handbook and is seen as a champion who can simplify the governance process while maintaining the core objectives of transformation. In addition, the role oversees the development and maintenance of the Bank’s portfolio tooling by acting as a Product Owner, thereby providing accurate information, data and metrics on transformation at the initiative and portfolio level. To ensure the EPMO adapts to needs and evolves effectively over time, the AD puts agile principles into practice to promote continual learning.

The role advises sponsors, project managers and teams on the best use of project management disciplines, agile methodologies, and approaches, with a specific focus on proactively identifying and finding solutions to projects that are at risk. More broadly, the role interfaces with senior management, including PSB and Excom members, in order to provide key management information and recommendations to enable effective decision-making on transformation delivery.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Strategic Portfolio Management:

• Develop and maintain the enterprise portfolio strategy in alignment with the organisation’s goals and objectives; responsible for maintaining overall 3 year+ plan, developing the annual plan as part of the annual budget process with quarterly reviews to ensure any adjustments to the transformation roadmap.are incorporated
• Ensure portfolio investments deliver maximum value and contribute to business objectives;
• Provide insight to enable the governance committee to prioritise initiatives based on strategic value, critical path, resource capacity, and risk management.

Governance and Oversight:

• Establish and maintain portfolio governance structures and processes whilst continuously making these agile, efficient and effective thereby improving the quality and speed of decision making
• Monitor and report on portfolio performance, making data-driven recommendations for improvements and necessary adjustments;
• Ensure effective oversight of our initiatives, including status reporting, risk management, and issue resolution. Take the lead in asking the uncomfortable questions to ensure our programmes and portfolio are in the best possible health;
• Contribute to develop a high performing culture both within the EPMO and supporting VP CTO, MD IT and Director of Transformation Office to create a similar bank wide.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Engage with senior leaders and stakeholders to communicate portfolio strategic value and performance;
• Take the lead in asking uncomfortable questions to ensure that the portfolio performance is in best possible health
• Facilitate collaboration and alignment between business units, IT, and other key stakeholders.
• Manage stakeholder expectations and foster strong relationships to support portfolio success.

Resource and Dependency Management:

• Working closely with delivery teams, understand key dependencies and identify critical path so that initiatives, programmes and projects are sequenced properly;
• Proactively identify bottlenecks in resourcing across the portfolio, using a strong portfolio reporting and monitoring framework, and advising department heads on how to address them;.
• Collaborate with department heads to balance resource demands and capacity.
• Drive the development of resource management strategies that support agile delivery.

Methodology, Tooling and Continuous Improvement:

• Responsible for developing portfolio, programme and change management methodology and standards for the EBRD in line with ambition to become a more agile orgaisation;
• Responsible for developing and maintaining appropriate tooling including providing appropriate training and support to all individuals responsible for change;
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance all change related management practices.
• Leverage agile metrics and feedback loops to refine processes and drive efficiency.
• Stay current with industry trends and best practices to ensure the portfolio management function remains innovative and effective.

Agile Transformation and Leadership:

• Champion agile principles and practices across the enterprise, providing coaching and mentoring to teams and stakeholders where necessary;
• Lead the transformation to agile portfolio management, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability whilst keeping efficiency, effectiveness and agility at the center of all processes and governance.

Management:

• Responsible for the building and running of an effective and successful Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO)
• Defining the detailed EPMO roles and responsibilities, and a relationship model to outline the interactions over the life of a programme and project, and hiring resource into roles as required.

Knowledge Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience of delivering successful portfolio and programme management in complex organisations utilising agile methodologies.
• Demonstrable experience of portfolio level strategic planning, oversight and optimisation.
• Demonstrable experience of managing and overseeing resources, budgets, benefits realisation and continuous improvement.
• Experience in developing, communicating and enforcing portfolio, programme and project methodologies, templates & tools.
• Experience of leading and developing teams, and adapting effective ways of working in a complex environment, with experience of remote or virtual team management.
• Adaptable and flexible with the ability to form strong working relationships with stakeholders across the organisation at all levels.
• Critical problem solving skills and ability to break down complex problems into smaller solvable components.
• Driven and dynamic individual who is capable of engaging, challenging, negotiating and influencing at all levels.
• Proven inter-personal and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to lead, motivate and inspire a team of change professionals, as well as those not under direct line management.
• Well established judgement skills at a leadership level and track record of strong solution-orientation and problem-solving.
• Programme and Project Management qualifications such as SaFE / MSP / MoP / and experience of Agile and adaptive governance practices are essential.

What is it like to work at the EBRD?

Our agile and innovative approach is what makes life at the EBRD a unique experience! You will be part of a pioneering and diverse international organisation, and use your talents to make a real difference to people’s lives and help shape the future of the regions we invest in.

The EBRD environment provides you with:

• Varied, stimulating and engaging work that gives you an opportunity to interact with a wide range of experts in the financial, political, public and private sectors across the regions we invest in;
• A working culture that embraces inclusion and celebrates diversity;
• An environment that places sustainability, equality and digital transformation at the heart of what we do.

Diversity is one of the Bank’s core values which are at the heart of everything it does. A diverse workforce with the right knowledge and skills enables connection with our clients, brings pioneering ideas, energy and innovation. The EBRD staff is characterised by its rich diversity of nationalities, cultures and opinions and we aim to sustain and build on this strength. As such, the EBRD seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities and works in an inclusive environment. The EBRD encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of the EBRD member countries to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities. As an inclusive employer, we promote flexible working and expecting our employee to attend the office 50% of their working time.

Please note, that due to the high volume of applications received, we regret to inform you that we are unable to provide detailed feedback to candidates who have not been shortlisted (for further consideration).