Overview

Programme Managers manage the design, development and delivery of programmes in order to achieve the programme benefits within specified constraints and as appropriate to the stakeholder environment and wider context. Programme Managers undertake leadership roles in the RSSB Projects Directorate, contributing to and championing agreed improvements, mentoring and developing colleagues, and role modelling best practice.

Responsibilities

Programme Leadership

• Development and delivery of programmes as delegated by the Head of Portfolio.
• Ensure that programmes and projects are delivered in accordance with all relevant RSSB policies, processes and procedures, including the Common Projects Framework, procurement policies, and any processes applicable to the project type (e.g. Research and Development, Standards, etc.).
• Establish programme teams and influence and motivate members of the team to ensure that, through their individual efforts and through collaborative working, they contribute to programme success in line with agreed plans

Programme Definition, Planning and Control

• Ensure that the programme’s vision and objectives are clearly defined, agreed and communicated.
• Work with Sponsors and other RSSB staff as required to ensure that programme or project business cases are prepared, approved, refined and updated, in line with the RSSB Common Projects Framework.
• Identify and manage project and programme dependencies.
• Prepare and maintain overall schedules for resource use in related projects, avoiding bottlenecks and conflicting demands, and sequencing outcomes in order to enable the efficient realisation of benefits.
• Prepare and maintain high-level programme schedules showing key milestones and dependencies.
• Prepare and maintain summary programme budgets and work with Senior Project Managers and Project Managers to control forecast and actual costs against budgets.
• Allocate risks, opportunities and issues as appropriate to projects or programmes and monitor, and plan and implement responses to programme risks, opportunities and issues, taking account of lessons learned.
• Prepare, submit and present programme and project documentation as required for review and approval at stage gates, including papers for budget authorisation.
• Establish and manage reviews at appropriate points, during and after programmes and projects, to inform governance of programmes and projects, by providing evaluations of progress, methodologies and continuing relevance.
• Correctly implement change control procedures to alter approved programme parameters and update programme documentation as necessary.
• Ensure that lessons learned reviews are carried out on projects and programmes and ensure that lessons previously learned are implemented where applicable.

Communication, Implementation and Benefits Realisation

• Work with Sponsors and other RSSB staff as required to ensure that the business and industry benefits of projects and programmes are identified, defined, evaluated, planned, tracked, realised and reviewed.
• Manage internal and external stakeholders, taking account of their levels of influence and particular interests, to support the achievement of programme objectives and the realisation of benefits, and secure an appropriate level of feedback to facilitate continuous improvement.
• Ensure the necessary communication activities are planned and delivered to support realisation of the programme benefits.
• Work with Sponsors, Business Change Managers and other RSSB staff as required to ensure that the outputs of projects and programmes are integrated into business operations.

Project Management

• Advise and support Senior Project Managers and Project Managers as they undertake:
• Procurement, contract management and relationship management of external project suppliers;
• Project schedule management, resource management, budget and cost control, quality management, monitoring and reporting; and
• Project risk, opportunity and issue management.
• Manage at least one RSSB project, in line with the requirements of the Senior Project Manager job description (Key Responsibilities 1 to 4).

People and Capability Management and Development

• If required, serve as line manager to RSSB staff, in accordance with all relevant RSSB policies, processes and procedures.
• As required, support the Head of Portfolio or other RSSB staff as they undertake capability development of Projects Directorate staff and of the Projects Directorate organisation as a whole. This includes advising on development requirements, sharing skills and acting as an adviser and mentor to more junior members of staff.
• Play a leadership role in the development and implementation of the RSSB Common Projects Framework and other improvements in RSSB’s project management policies, procedures, culture and practices, and act as a role model for best practice.

Qualifications

• A recognised project or programme management qualification (such as APM Project Management Qualification [formerly known as APMP] or PRINCE2 Practitioner or Managing Successful Programmes) or equivalent experience.
• Experience of leading project or programme teams and successfully delivering projects or programmes.
• Effective interpersonal and influencing skills and experience of working with stakeholders at different levels.
• Ability to coach and mentor.
• Effective presentation, facilitation and chairing skills for stakeholder meetings.
• Effective communication skills.
• Competent in the use of Microsoft Project, Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in all work.