Job Description
Portsmouth Water are delighted to announce a new position for a Programme and Planning Lead, based in our Asset – Commercial and PMO Team.
Reporting to the Head of Commercial and PMO, the role will act as the Programme and Planning Lead and will be responsible for ensuring that we have an overarching integrated investment plan that is understood and adhered to by all colleagues that can affect or are affected by it.
The role will provide a strategic planning and programming function that will require excellent communications skills, the ability to work both strategically and on project specifics, good experience of planning in a portfolio-programme-project environment, working knowledge and experience of planning software such as MS Project, Primavera P6 or similar.
What will you be doing?
Key Responsibilities
* Responsible for developing, maintaining, and tracking the investment plan at the programme level.
* Responsible for developing, agreeing, and maintaining an outage plan based on water treatment and supply availability that aligns with the investment plan.
* Responsible for supporting the Project Managers to develop project plans within a portfolio of work that align to and integrate with the investment plan.
* Support the upskilling of the Project Managers in project planning.
* Support Project Managers in ensuring accurate and realistic forecasting of performance related milestones.
* Ensure the integration of internal resource requirements into projects and programmes.
* Ensure the integration of Strategic Contract contractor schedules into project schedules and ensure adequate risk provision.
* Review and assure supply chain schedules for appropriate quality and maturity in line with good practice scheduling principles.
* Periodic update of schedules and analysis of variance to baseline.
* Provide input to the Project Manager on appropriate course of action in line with contractual obligations relating to submitted schedules.
* Identify and maintain interdependencies to help provide early insight of any potential deviation from the baseline and propose remedial actions (such as advancement or deferment of activities) in order that risks can be avoided or mitigated, and opportunities can be exploited.
* Maintain a Risk, Actions, Information and Decisions (RAID) log across the integrated investment plan.
What do you need?
Skills, Competencies & Qualifications
* Demonstrable experience of project planning in a portfolio-programme-project environment.
* Qualified to a degree level, or substantial experience in an appropriate discipline (e.g., business management, information management, project, and programme subjects).
* Good knowledge of planning principles and experience of Primavera P6, MS Project or equivalent planning software.
* An understanding of cost management and how that integrates into schedule.
* An understanding of risk management and how that integrates into schedule.
* Experience of resource planning within specific planning software or a standalone system.
* Ability to develop methods to communicate progress and raise issues as soon as they arise.
* Experience in leading other professionals to embed desired behaviours and ways of working, either in a line management role or less formal arrangement.
* Ability to work in a complex, fast-paced environment and can respond positively to problems and issues that arise.
* Demonstrates proficiency in Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Power BI, SharePoint and project management software to support the successful delivery of projects and programmes.
* Ability to work collaboratively within a the PMO and across the wider organisation including with project managers and operational teams.
* A self-starter with a pragmatic and flexible working style that supports prioritisation and workload management.
* Strong numeracy and literacy skills.
* Ability to work unsupervised to achieve deadlines.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to exchange information clearly and concisely.
* Process and procedure driven to successfully identify and embed best practice.
* Strong attention to detail, data analysis, and data management.
* Ability to challenge proactively and effectively.
* Strong data analysis capability to capture and deliver key messages, providing senior stakeholders with the ability to make timely and informed decisions.
* Remains patient, polite, and supportive at all times, particularly when managing difficult situations or challenge.
We recognise people want to work in a variety of different ways, this means we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. Please talk to us at the interview about the flexibility you may want.
We support equality, diversity and inclusion and encourage applications from all sections of society. The Company has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to work and live in the UK.
Due to the high volume of applications received we are unable to respond to unsuccessful candidates. If your application is of interest to us, we will normally contact you within 2 weeks of receiving your application.