Senior Portfolio Management Office (PMO) Advisor

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Corporate and Digital Share Services (CDSS) Group works in partnership with MBIE’s business groups to enable them to deliver their objectives and portfolio obligations. CDSS support the stewardship obligations of the organisation including its medium and long-term sustainability, finance, health, capability, and capacity.

The Senior PMO Advisor reports to the Manager of Portfolio Management Office in the Enterprise Portfolio Management Office (EPMO). The EPMO is a business unit in the Strategy, Technology and Security branch in CDSS. The EPMO business unit is responsible for the establishment of project governance frameworks and processes, supporting project delivery and monitoring, development of practice standards and lifting project capability across MBIE.

The Senior PMO Advisor provides specialist advice and support in project, programme, and portfolio management (P3M) governance, assurance, and project standards and practices. They work closely with the Manager of Portfolio Management Office, Principal Advisors within the PMO along with business groups and project managers and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth operation of the project delivery framework and governance lifecycle from initiation through to delivery and closure.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• At least 5+ years as a PMO advisor or operating in a project environment managing and supporting complex projects and programmes.
• Significant experience and knowledge operating in a PMO or EPMO environment.
• Experience establishing a high performing PMO assurance function.
• Proven knowledge and experience leading the implementation and improvement of P3M delivery frameworks and supporting governance structures.
• Experience supporting project steering groups, investment boards along with key stakeholders to actively monitor projects and programmes
• Relevant project and/or programme management certifications e.g., PRINCE2, MSP, Portfolio Management, PMI, Agile.
• Detailed knowledge and experience of project quality assurance and control methodologies and their effective practices. Experience designing and establishing structured PMO assurance approaches, processes and templates. Experience in developing and maintaining a portfolio assurance dashboard.
• Experience leading the response to internal and external audits and independent quality assurance needs and recommendations and Official Information Act requests and questions.
• Experience facilitating workshops with senior stakeholders relating to risks, benefits, post implementation reviews and lessons learned.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills that effectively influence a variety of audiences and stakeholders up and down the organisation.
• Proven personal drive, self-management, and self-awareness to be able to change direction when presented with constructive feedback.
• Advanced quantitative and qualitative analysis skills, using data and industry best practices to present compelling recommendations.
• Ability to lead a team on small work assignments and establish good working relationships inside and outside the organization.
• High standards of attention to detail and written English.
• Tertiary qualification in a relevant field or extensive comparable experience.

Prerequisites

• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
• The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance as required.
• Credit check required (Yes).
• Police vetting (Yes).

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Critical areas of success

• Supporting the Manager of Portfolio Management in assuring the overall integrity and coherence of MBIE’s portfolio. Represent the Manager of Portfolio Management at Project Steering Groups and other stakeholder engagements when required.
• Champion and ensure the compliance to standard project and programme management practices across MBIE.
• Ensure that project management artefacts are of the highest quality, clear, succinct, and meaningful to a business management audience, ensuring smooth operation of the delivery governance cycle.
• Provide input and quality assurance over portfolio management reporting and submissions to the Delivery Governance Board (DGB).
• Providing ongoing health check of the portfolio by assessing whether the projects and programmes continue to adhere to standards and contribute to the stated strategic objectives and benefits plans.
• Provide effective strategic advice about quality assurance and governance processes and practices that reflect strategies and objectives of CDSS and MBIE that are aligned with publish sector expectation and obligations outlined by relevant System Leads such as Treasury and GCDO.
• Design and establish a structured PMO assurance approach, processes and templates.
• Prepare and maintain a regular portfolio assurance dashboard with valuable insights.
• Review and maintain quality assurance framework guidance processes and temples and ensure these integrate with other relates frameworks, processes and templates.
• Support projects and programmes with the development of quality assurance plans and advice. Develop standardised planning guidance to simplify and streamline the development of assurance plans.
• Regularly monitor and report on the status of assurance recommendations for projects and programmes, ensure assurance registers are maintained by projects and programmes.
  • Support third party assurance reviews such as IQAs, TQAs and Gateway in the following:
  • drafting the Consultancy Services Orders (CSO) prior to engaging external providers and sharing a copy of the final CSO
  • the planning meetings with external assurance providers
  • reviewing draft assurance review reports for quality check prior to report finalisation and sharing a copy of the final report
  • reviewing management responses to assurance review recommendations and confirming the process for tracking recommendations to completion
• Continuously evaluating projects to ensure they are meeting MBIE standards, adhering to budgets, and meeting deadlines and provide insights to the Delivery Governance Board on overall health of the portfolio.
• Monitor and report back to DGB on the effectiveness of quality assurance and governance processes and practices by producing a quarterly Assurance Dashboard.
• Optimise quality Assurance and Governance frameworks, measurements, and practices.
• Actively contribute to the development and maintenance of quality P3M and assurance data (data governance and management) and ensure evidence/data-based insights and recommendations are provided to inform practices and decision making
• Building strong relationship with key stakeholders.
• Support the needs of the EPMO and other roles in the Strategy, Technology and Security branch.
• Actively educate, mentor and coach project managers and other members of the PMO, branch and CDSS when required on best practice.
• Ensure good change management practices are followed when implementing change that impacts people, processes, and stakeholders.
• Ensure the application, integration, and use of Te ao Māori and Te ao Māori practices in the work of the Branch and as such MBIE; tikanga, te reo and an appreciation of the Treaty of Waitangi, Te Tiriti and the Treaty Principles.
• Establish and maintain relationships with relevant external stakeholders such as Treasury and GCDO.
• Work collaboratively with the PMO team and stakeholders on all activities.
• Foster a customer-focused culture across the Branch.

Relationships

• Relationships with your peers, your stakeholders and your leaders are productive, communication is professional, clear and timely. Your conversations are robust, and trust is created.
• Act with integrity, actively providing advice and guidance for your leaders and colleagues, acting as coach or mentor when required – declaring conflicts of interest in a timely manner.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, on-going learning and knowledge sharing within the team.
• Participates as an active team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve MBIE’s outcomes.
• Maintain key relationships with project delivery practitioners, supporting roles including Capability Leads, Workstream Managers, Enterprise Portfolio Management Office teams and internal and external communities of practice.
• Coach, mentor and provide support to the peers and project team members.
• On behalf of the Crown, will act reasonably, honourably and in good faith towards Māori as Treaty partners.

Wellbeing, Health & Safety

• Complies with relevant safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, safe systems of work and event reporting.
• Ensures own and others safety at all times.
• Be aware of project team members showing signs of stress and help mitigate before it becomes an issue.
• Reports all incidents/accidents, including near misses in a timely fashion.
• Is involved in health and safety through participation and consultation.

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

The Portfolio Management Office Lead position reports into the Manager of Portfolio Management in the Strategy, Technology and Security branch. The branch sits within of the Corporate and Digital Shared Services group.

More information about MBIE’s structure

To mātou aronga – What we do for Aotearoa New Zealand

Hīkina Whakatutuki is the te reo Māori name for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Hīkina means to uplift. Whakatutuki means to move forward, to make successful. Our name speaks to our purpose, Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All.

To Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi. Based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, we are committed to upholding authentic partnerships with Māori.

As agile public service leaders, we use our breadth and experience to navigate the ever-changing world. We are service providers, policy makers, investors and regulators. We engage with diverse communities, businesses and regions. Our work touches on the daily lives of New Zealanders. We grow opportunities (Puāwai), guard and protect (Kaihāpai) and innovate and navigate towards a better future (Auaha).

Ngā matatau – Our competencies

Cultivates innovation We create new and better ways for the organisation to be successful by challenging the status quo generating new and creative ideas and translating them into workable solutions.

Nimble learning We are curious and actively learn through experimentation when tackling new problems by learning as we go when facing new situations and challenges.

Customer focus We build strong customer relationships and deliver customer-centric solutions by listening and gaining insights into the needs of the communities we serve and actively seeking and responding to feedback.

Decision quality We make quality and timely decisions that shape the future for our communities and keep the organisation moving forward by relying on an appropriate mix of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgement to make valid and reliable decisions.

Action oriented We step up, taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with purpose, urgency and discipline by taking responsibility, ownership and action on challenges, and being accountable for the results.

Collaborates We connect, working together to build partnerships with our communities, working collaboratively to meet shared objectives by gaining trust and support of others; actively seeking the views, experiences, and opinions of others and by working co-operatively with others across MBIE, the public sector and external stakeholder groups.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

As an agency of the public service, MBIE has a responsibility to contribute to the Crown meeting its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti). Meeting our commitment to Te Tiriti will contribute towards us realising the overall aims of Te Ara Amiorangi – Our Path, Our Direction, and achieve the outcome of Growing New Zealand for All. The principles of Te Tiriti - including partnership, good faith, and active protection – are at the core of our work. MBIE is committed to delivering on our obligations as a Treaty partner with authenticity and integrity and to enable Māori interests. We are committed to ensuring that MBIE is well placed to meet our obligations under the Public Service Act 2020 (Te Ao Tūmatanui) to support the Crown in strengthening the Māori/Crown Relationship under the Treaty and to build MBIE’s capability, capacity and cultural intelligence to deliver this.

Mahi i roto i te Ratonga Tūmatanui – Working in the public service

Ka mahitahi mātou o te ratonga tūmatanui kia hei painga mō ngā tāngata o Aotearoa i āianei, ā, hei ngā rā ki tua hoki. He kawenga tino whaitake tā mātou hei tautoko i te Karauna i runga i āna hononga ki a ngāi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ka tautoko mātou i te kāwanatanga manapori. Ka whakakotahingia mātou e te wairua whakarato ki ō mātou hapori, ā, e arahina ana mātou e ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga matua o te ratonga tūmatanui i roto i ā mātou mahi.

In the public service we work collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders now and in the future. We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi. We support democratic government. We are unified by a spirit of service to our communities and guided by the core principles and values of the public service in our work.

What does it mean to work in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service?(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho The Public Service Commission