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IT Portfolio Manager

£58,248 - £61,617 per annum

Directorate: Resources

Grade: LBR 16

Department: IT

Hours/weeks: 36 hours/52.14 weeks

Team: IT Portfolio

Base/location: Lynton House

Reports to: Head of IT Portfolio

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Responsible for:

Direct line-management responsibility for programme managers, project managers and business analysts that will include their development, coaching, mentoring and day-to-day operational efficiencies. (min 3 but can be many depending on the number of active projects).

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Role and context

This is a key IT role whose overall purpose is to provide the main link between IT and the business areas. Working within the Portfolio Governance Framework (PGF) you will evaluate new ideas and determine their viability; develop, prioritise, and implement solution roadmaps; manage the directorate’s complete portfolio of works through to benefit realisation, and produce Management Information to present back to the directorates management teams.

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To provide an IT Portfolio service to one or more directorates with full accountability for delivering their agreed IT programmes and IT projects. This will include all phases from Proposal, Feasibility, funding, delivery, handover and benefit realisation.

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Be responsible for obtaining investment for programme and project budgets and be accountable for the revenue and capital budgets ensuring that all spend is within agreed tolerances, provides value and is reported according to IT and Finance governance specifications.

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Decide on how FTE and financial resources are allocated across projects.

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The role provides the key link between development of IT strategy, the IT portfolio and the plans and ambitions of other areas of the council. The post holder represents the interests of the business area within IT and is responsible for delivering their IT programmes and projects.

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Key accountabilities and result areas

Strategy and Planning

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SFIA Applications Support: Level 5

SFIA Business Process Improvement: Level 5

SFIA Programme management: Level 6

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  • Be the primary link between IT and the business areas, ensuring that IT strategy and portfolio takes account of and responds to the needs of the business areas and decide on how project resources are distributed to meet this.

  • Develop cooperative working relationships with senior staff in the relevant directorate, to the point that they routinely approach you and consult you on how to realise their plans.

  • To think strategically and develop initiatives that will improve the quality of services to customers.

  • Project future business demands on IT and work with senior managers and staff in the service areas to create prioritised projects and resourced delivery plans.

  • Create, and own and be responsible for the complete delivery of the directorates’ roadmaps and ensure their successful introduction and realisation of their benefits.

  • Identify IT-related developments in the external professional environment and ensure that the council is able to assess and, if appropriate, take advantage of these.

  • Remain current with major advancements in technology and the business subject matter expertise through personal research, attendance at professional events, and demonstrate commitment to ongoing development in your professional field.

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Operations and support

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SFIA Customer Service Support: Level 5

SFIA Continuity Management: Level 4

SFIA Incident Management: Level 5

SFIA Service Level Management: Level 5

 

  • Contribute to the IT knowledge database, ensuring that the service has access to current knowledge at all times.

  • Work with the business areas in the development and budgeting of their plans.

  • Develop project proposals, business cases, etc. which accurately describe the costs, benefits and key criteria of the proposed projects and changes.

  • Lead and direct on projects and participate in the project process as needed.

  • Be the key IT person responsible for the launch of solutions and help to maximize the positive impact on the organisation.

  • Identify, screen and evaluate new solution opportunities to address unmet (internal and external) customer needs.

  • Collaborate with architecture and operations teams to ensure solution compatibility with company standards.

  • Direct the Project Management Office on the prioritisation and reporting of pipeline projects, project development and delivery, and subsequent benefits realisation.

  • Ensure that IT activity in the business areas is conducted in keeping with IT Governance, corporate policy and strategy.

  • Manage, develop, coach, support, mentor and challenge managers in the application of IT, information, policies and practice, and provide high quality advice and guidance on complex issues to minimise risk and financial exposure.

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Systems and process development and improvement

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SFIA Testing: Level 5

SFIA Requirements Definition and Management: Level 4

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  • Be overall responsible, lead, influence and manage projects, gaining the collaboration of users and service managers.

  • In consultation with end users and managers, identity opportunities for change utilising business analysis techniques documenting these to the prescribed local authority standards.

  • Employee and be accountable for enforcing project management methodologies, Portfolio Governance, and tools in the planning, monitoring, execution, and reporting of changes and projects to ensure that the project is delivered on time and on budget.

  • Evaluate and substantiate change proposals using appropriate justification techniques (e.g. impact analysis, hard and soft benefit analysis) within the prescribed statutory and management constraints.

  • Ensure project and programme governance is effective and transparent and the governance requirements for board members and project sponsors are met

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Communication Partnership

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SFIA User experience evaluation: Level 5

SFIA Supplier management: Level 4

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  • Develop and maintain good working relationships with all areas of the supported business areas, other internal service support areas, relevant external organisations, third party suppliers, and colleagues in local government.

  • Negotiate and manage system changes with supplier(s) whilst seeking opportunities for collaboration with other local authorities with the view of reducing costs and providing best value-for-money.

  • Provide briefings and presentations throughout the lifecycles of projects to the various stakeholders and managers.

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Performance and standards

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SFIA Performance Management: Level 5

SFIA Knowledge Management: Level 4

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  • Exemplify a high level of professionalism and best practice in adoption of IT systems to enhance personal productivity and as an example to others.

  • To manage portfolio delivery, performance and reporting in line with the Portfolio Governance Framework and associated KPIs

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Key performance outcomes:

  • Recognition by the directorate of their role as a reliable and effective partner in IT strategic planning and delivery.

  • Up-to-date and validated IT development/project roadmap.

  • Developed and current Stakeholder maps and profiles and communications.

  • Effectively and persuasively representing the interests of the directorate business areas within the IT decision-making and service delivery processes.

  • Project and change delivery to plans

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Resource Management

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Able to work on own initiative within broad objectives with the ability to prioritise work and allocate resources considering all factors with minimal supervision. Balances competing activities against deadlines, options, managed workload and immediate customer needs.

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Corporate Accountabilities

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All employees of the Council should undertake and conduct their work with due regard to the corporate accountabilities (available on the Redbridge Council website). These include responsibilities for outcomes regarding Equality, Conduct & Behaviour, Health & Safety, Data Protection, Safeguarding and Customer Care.

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Flexibility

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The key responsibilities and duties of the role are neither exclusive nor exhaustive.  All workers are expected to operate flexibly to support delivery of services and from time to time will be required to undertake responsibilities outside the normal remit of role description as required by the line manager, which are broadly commensurate with the job level and scope of competence.

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Person specification

Key

Method of candidate assessment

A = Application form

I = Interview

T = Test

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Weighting

3 = most important

1 = least important

Statutory or mandatory qualifications

  • No mandatory qualification required (A, 2)

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Educational ability

  • Professional IS degree or equivalent experience in a customer facing IT environment. (A, 3)

  • Senior level experience in a relevant business area. (A, 3)

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Desirable qualifications

  • Programme/project Management (MSP/PRINCE2/Agile or equivalent). (A, 2)

  • Current ITIL Foundation Certificate. (A, 2)

  • Professional qualification in IT or in a subject relevant to the target business area. (A, 2)

  • Membership of a professional IT body. (A, 2)

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Knowledge / experience field

  • A demonstrable record of strategic planning, delivering successful outcomes to demanding professional customers. (A, I, 3)

  • Experience of leading successful change projects and benefits realisation. Team or department management experience preferred. (A, I, 3)

  • Programme/project management: the complete lifecycle, taking ideas through to implementation and benefits realisation with formal stage gate reviews. (A, I, 3)

  • Management Information/KPI tracking and reporting of progress and state. (A, I, 3)

  • Financial management experience of projects and programmes – viability and ROI. (A, I, 3)

  • Line-managing and developing professional staff. (A, I, 3)

  • Working at Head of Service and Director levels. (A, I, 3)

  • Desirable, but not essential: Understanding of the Communities and Regeneration business areas. (A, I, 2)

  • Proven business and/or systems analysis experience and problem solving. (A, I, 2)

  • Strong business skills, experience negotiating with vendors, government agencies, and others (A, I, 3)

  • Acts as a role model for change, challenging existing practices and bringing objective judgement to business decisions. Sets a standard of behaviour which engenders cooperation and commitment to achieving outcomes. (A, I, 3)

  • Ability to motivate and develop people to deliver required outcomes without line management authority. (A, I, 3)

  • To facilitate co-operative working within the area of responsibility and across the organisation to achieve significant change. (A, I, 3)

  • To share and cascade relevant information as necessary to team. To ensure learning and development opportunities are and utilised to the benefit of the organisation, through appropriate planning and evaluation. (A, I, 3)

  • Able to manage activities and performance in line with the customer expectations and corporate policies. (A, I, 3)

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Communications

  • An excellent and persuasive communicator, able to maintain an argument under pressure and to convince sceptical audiences. Highly accurate, clear and precise in verbal and written communication. (I, 3)

  • The ability to manage, influence, motivate and organise cross-service and external agency project group members. (I, 3)

  • Highly developed negotiation and influencing skills with ability to interpret, understand and communicate customers’ requirements across diverse business areas (I, 3)

  • Ability to manage own workload and support the team in managing their workloads. (I, 3)

  • Be an energetic and enthusiastic individual who can deal with difficult situations effectively and be sensitive to underlying political issues. (I, 3)

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Analytical skills

  • Excellent analytical skills with ability to assimilate and make sense of an array of information rapidly and present complex information in a straightforward manner using different mediums including reports, presentations, workshops and training sessions (A, I, 3)

  • Able to demonstrate a methodological approach to problem solving and the ability to offer a range of effective solutions. (I, 3)

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Organisational skills

  • Manage competing pressures and priorities in a timely manner that ensures that problems are resolved to agreed deadlines. (I, 3)

  • To be open to change and adapt flexibly and quickly to new circumstances. (I, 3)

  • To manage time and workload efficiently. To deliver commitments on schedule. (I, 3)

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Corporate behaviours

The Council has a set of behaviours that all employees are expected to deliver in the performance of their role. The behaviour framework can be found on the Council’s internet page, and these should be reflected in your application and the way you work.  As part of an individual’s personal development Redbridge expects employees of all levels to be continuously developing these core behaviours. (I, 3)

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Working pattern and travel

  • Ability to work outside of standard office hours to meet key deadlines. (I, 3)

  • Hot-desking and home/office working as required by the demands of the role. (I, 3)

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