PMO Lead

Who We Are:At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse. Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences.  Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.  The opportunity:Reporting to the Programme Director, the PMO Lead will play a critical role in both setting up and driving all aspects of the PMO for the Open Platform programme.What you'll be doing:Work alongside the Programme Director to establish and implement the methodology, structure, governance and project controls the programme should follow and adhere to.Embed project control and governance within the business, championing it and coaching all stakeholders in its use, including third parties.Maintain and monitor governance processes across the programme to ensure effective controls and visibility.Ensure all areas of the programme (including third party vendors) adhere to the agreed governance standards.Establish and maintain ways of working.Create all required standards and reporting templates.Ensure the PMO is the single source of truth for the programme and the team are equipped with the right information at the right time to enable effective management and decision making affecting the programme.Adhere to reporting cadence and prepare regular status reporting for all levels of the programme.Identify areas where support is required i.e. dedicated project management resource, improved project governance.Track progress against key milestones whilst ensuring risks and issues are effectively identified and reported.Support the programme team when appropriate through workshops, stakeholder engagement etc.Co-ordinate and produce programme governance documentation on time; status reports /risk, issue & action logs.Co-ordinate the financial reporting across the programme, working closely with finance.Work with the finance team to ensure benefits are established, tracked, monitored and challenged where appropriate.Continuously review, improve and develop the delivery process and ensure all workstreams have what they need.Provide guidance and support to members within the PMO team.Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders in the programme and across the wider business.Step in for the Programme Director as and when needed.What we want from you:Extensive PMO experience 10+ yearsePPM processes and industry best practice.Experience of working on large complex programmes with multiple workstreams.Proven experience and understanding of Agile and SAFe methodologies.Deep understanding of Confluence, Jira and Sharepoint.Understanding of PPM tools essential with PPMA knowledge desirable.Extensive experience of the entire project development life cycle.Experience of implementing project frameworks, and best practices across large complex programmes.Excellent communication – the ability to communicate to a variety of audiences across business function and level, tailoring messages appropriately.Excellent analytical and organisational skills, able to process and present information in a structured format and in a clear unambiguous way.Hands on, pragmatic and delivery focused.Great presentation and persuasion skills.Good stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage with people across all levels in the organisation.A proactive approach and able to anticipate what is coming next.Ability to plan and prioritise.A good understanding of WPP, its agencies and our data processing technologies and platforms.A passion for data and tech and associated emerging trends and technologies.Ability to self-learn.The ability to make order out of chaos.Problem-solving abilities to correct any challenges or inefficiencies for the best results.Decisiveness and good judgment to address pressing matters when time is limited.Organisation and time management to manage multiple tasks, for multiple projects, at once.Deep understanding of business transformation programmes as well as the change management process.Experience of greenfield programmes.What we can offer you:Alongside the opportunity to work with some of the most exciting brands around the world, we'll also prioritise your career development and help you grow your skills. We'll empower you to make a difference, allow you to be yourself, and respect who you are.Our personality and behaviours: We believe that we are what we do, not just what we say. Our shared values and behaviours show how to bring the VML Enterprise Solution's culture to life through the actions we all take every day:Connect MeaningfullyInspire CreativelyInclude PurposefullyApproach PositivelyOur brilliant, talented people are what makes VML Enterprise Solutions what we are. That's why we look for people who go beyond and always push our thinking to be better than yesterday.AT VML Enterprise SolutionsOur Enterprise Solutions division houses strategic consultants, creative and technical architects and skilled developers and operators that together help some of the world's leading organisations to deliver outstanding digital experiences across all major routes to market worldwide: marketplaces, online retailers, D2C, B2B and social platforms. With over 4,200 experts in 55 operational centres across 34 countries, our capabilities span the entire buying journey from customer acquisition, through engagement, to conversion and loyalty, driving multi-channel growth for world-leading brands.We work with some of the most exciting brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, EY, Bosch, Unilever, Ford, DFS, Mercedes-Benz, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Sainsbury's, Selfridges, Shell and Tiffany & Co. We've built over 500 platforms for brands and retailers and generate in excess of $29bn annually for our clients and work with over 50 strategic partners including Adobe, SAP, Salesforce, HCL, Shopify, Sitecore, BigCommerce, commerce tools and Acquia. Our reputation is based on our people, and we believe we have some of the best in the business.As our business grows internationally, we're looking for new people to join us on our journey to inspire and take a key role in shaping some of the best commerce solutions, services, and websites in the world. Working as a team, no problem is insurmountable; we share in our client's successes and believe that anyone can show creative bravery no matter what their role is in the team. WPP (VML Enterprise Solutions) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. VML is a WPP Agency. 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