This job is with AQA, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly. At AQA, we're committed to advancing education and we're committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it's our people who make this happen. Portfolio Delivery & Reporting Lead Manchester: £56,545 - £66,037 Permanent Hybrid working - 2 days a week in the office Closing date for application will be 5th January 2025. Are You Ready to Shape the Future of Strategic Change? Imagine leading the charge in portfolio delivery, helping AQA achieve its ambitious goals. This is your chance to influence key decisions, craft high-quality insights, and drive impactful outcomes. If you're passionate about delivering excellence in strategic change management, we want to hear from you Join Us in Delivering Change That Matters AQA is at the forefront of transforming education through innovation and strategic growth. As our Portfolio Delivery and Reporting Lead, you'll work with senior leaders to manage and report on a dynamic portfolio of change. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of a well-established organization committed to excellence. What's in it for you? Enjoy a flexible work environment with a 35-hour week and extensive opportunities for professional and personal development. Benefit from a competitive pension scheme, starting at 6% and rising up to 11.5%. Receive 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas office closure. Comprehensive health coverage from day one, including Bupa PMI, Health Cash Plan, and Life Assurance. Participate in eco-friendly transport schemes, including electric vehicles and cycle-to-work options. What You'll Do Support the Head of Enterprise Portfolio Management Office (EPMO) in reviewing the strategy and vision for the EPMO team that aligns with the overall AQA strategy and can be translated into deliverable targets. Lead portfolio governance, reporting, and process improvement initiatives. Provide expert analysis to drive decisions at the highest levels. Partner with executive leaders to deliver on strategic objectives. Mentor PMO team members, championing collaboration and learning. What will I need to succeed? An excellent understanding at the strategic, operational and tactical level of the short- and long-term challenges for delivering a strategy An excellent understanding of relevant business processes and the need for tight controls and procedures A good understanding of the key elements of business performance planning and analysis, including business metrics and non-financial measures needed to drive improvement A good understanding of relevant programme and project management methodologies Extensive skills in data analysis, critical evaluation and interpretation and identification of trends Able to take initiative and proactively lead projects, influencing and challenging business leaders using expertise and have highly developed communication skills The ability to mentor members of the PMO team to deliver effectively through creating an environment where honesty is embraced, improvement is promoted, and success is celebrated How do I apply? Read the full job description and upload your most recent CV with a cover letter explaining your suitability for the role. Interviews will be face to face in Manchester during January 2025. Recruitment Agencies We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place. Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees. Full Job Description Summary As the remit of the Enterprise Portfolio Management Office (EPMO) has expanded this lead role has been created to support The Head of Enterprise PMO. The role will contribute to, and help shape, the overall effective delivery of AQA's strategic and operational aims through reporting and controls to help ensure that it is on track to deliver its intended outcomes. The role will also provide PMO services to the portfolio that has been created to deliver the strategy. •The business change hubs will continue to work together to evolve from separate functions across the business to centres of excellence offering to help influence key strategic programmes and projects and enhancing the organisation's change capability through coaching, standards and training. •The Portfolio delivery and reporting lead will be required to have excellent people skills being able to broker challenging situations, influence decision making using high quality MI and draw risks and issues to a satisfactory conclusion. This senior role will report directly to the Head of Enterprise PMO and work closely with Delivery PMO and the Strategic Planning lead.Landscape: Having invested heavily in a significant set of technology changes, AQA group now looks forward to how the organisation and capabilities need to change in order to grow and diversify our offering. This will inevitably drive a large volume of strategically important change which requires effective management and leadership. The organisation wide change hubs are now imbedded to support and enable this delivery, one of which is Enterprise PMO (EPMO). EPMO hub has evolved to manage change outcomes, strategy reporting, the business planning cycle and the business case process across AQA / AQA group in some instances. The current hub team has seven roles of which this would be one of three senior roles Key internal relationships Director of Programmes and Project Management Hubs Leadership team Director of Enterprise Technology Director of Assessment Technology Operations, assessment and curriculum teams AQA Executive Team AQA Senior Leadership Team Activities: Portfolio Delivery, Planning and reporting Responsible for designing effective change portfolio governance and reporting as well as its ongoing management and continuous improvement. This includes but is not limited to: ownership of the 'portfolio view' identifying risks to delivery of the portfolio, effectively managing change control, and providing insights & analysis and reporting. Coordination and participation in portfolio level prioritisation, investment appraisal and progress reviews - supporting the portfolio strategy and delivery plan and participation in stage gates as appropriate. Lead on the reporting of the Portfolio and Strategy dashboards and working closely with the Head of EPMO and the Head of Strategic planning on the process which gets reported to the Board of Trustees and the Executive team. This provides a regular update on the overall health of the business objectives and actions with a key focus on outcomes. Support the Head of EPMO in reviewing the strategy and vision for the EPMO team that aligns with the overall AQA strategy and can be translated into deliverable targets. Support the Head of EPMO to manage and develop the services of the EPMO team comprising of cost and resource management, quality, schedule, governance, assurance, reporting, RAID & benefits realisation so that the Portfolio can be managed in the most efficient and effective way. Work with PMO analysts to help them proactively provide high quality Management Information or intelligence to back up any challenges and provide clear recommendations. Work directly with the Head of EPMO when required to produce strategic business case proposals, with comprehensive option appraisals including scenario analysis, business diagnostics, historic trend analysis, and strategic risk analysis to arrive at optimal service delivery solutions that are aligned to AQA's strategic aims. Develop strong working relationships with colleagues at all levels by working collaboratively together using portfolio data and insights to help make business optimum decisions. Support and help embed AQA's business case process working collaboratively with the business planning lead and Delivery PMO Continually improve the resource management process that reflects the strategic top down view of resource demand and the detailed view of supply ensuring that project resources are used in the most effective way. Support on the Business Planning Cycle process when required to help drive the production of realistic yet ambitious plans and resources for AQA Group in collaboration with the Business Planning Lead who manages this process. Champion the importance of people, talent management and development issues, building a strong culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing Ensure knowledge transfer and upskilling through coaching and mentoring, disseminating knowledge on business and process improvement, change management and problem solving methodologies. Working in partnership with the executive team and senior leadership teams of the organisation, to support and challenge objectives and plans that implement the strategy. Need to know (to be successful in this role, you will need to know): An excellent understanding at the strategic, operational and tactical level of the short- and long-term challenges for delivering a strategy An excellent understanding of relevant business processes and the need for tight controls and procedures A good understanding of the key elements of business performance planning and analysis, including business metrics and non-financial measures needed to drive improvement A good understanding of relevant programme and project management methodologies A good knowledge of the education system and of AQA's business activities Extensive skills in data analysis, critical evaluation and interpretation and identification of trends Able to take initiative and proactively lead projects, influencing and challenging business leaders using expertise and have highly developed communication skills The ability to mentor members of the PMO team to deliver effectively through creating an environment where honesty is embraced, improvement is promoted, and success is celebrated.LI-DNI