Programme Project Governance Lead

Job Description

Responsibilities

• Governance Framework Design & Implementation
• Design and implement end to end governance frameworks tailored to programme scale and complexity, including:
  • Unified Portfolio & Delivery Frameworks
  • Stage Gate Models (lifecycle governance)
  • Hybrid delivery frameworks (Waterfall / Agile integration)
• Define governance structures, including:
  • Decision forums (SteerCo, Design Authority, Programme Boards)
  • Roles, accountabilities, and escalation pathways
• Ensure frameworks are:
  • Scalable
  • Repeatable
  • Aligned to industry best practices (e.g. MSP, ISO 21502)
• Governance Integration with Operating & Decision Models
• Ensure governance is fully aligned to the organisation’s:
  • Business operating model
  • Decision making hierarchy and authority structures
• Define clear decision rights, thresholds, and approval mechanisms
• Enable effective flow of information from delivery teams to executive stakeholders
• Align governance with:
  • Financial controls
  • Commercial structures
  • Risk and compliance frameworks
• Business Process Modelling & Optimisation
• Develop process models (BPMN or equivalent) to define and communicate governance workflows, including:
  • Stage gate processes
  • Change control lifecycle
  • Risk and issue escalation
• Identify inefficiencies and drive process simplification and optimisation
• Ensure governance processes are:
  • Clearly documented
  • Understood by stakeholders
  • Consistently applied across the programme
• Proportionate Governance Design
• Design governance that is fit for purpose and proportionate to:
  • Programme size and complexity
  • Risk profile
  • Delivery maturity
• Avoid excessive bureaucracy by:
  • Streamlining approval processes
  • Reducing duplication of reporting
  • Focusing on decision enabling artefacts
• Tailor governance approaches for:
  • Agile vs Waterfall workstreams
  • Early discovery vs delivery phases
• Governance Operation & Continuous Improvement
• Establish and run governance cadence and reporting cycles
• Provide oversight and quality assurance of:
  • Governance artefacts
  • Decision packs
  • Programme reporting
• Monitor effectiveness of governance and implement continuous improvements
• Introduce and maintain:
  • Standard templates
  • Governance playbooks
  • Ways of Working guidance
• Stakeholder Engagement & Enablement
• Engage senior stakeholders to ensure buy in and adherence to governance
• Act as a trusted advisor to Programme Director and leadership teams
• Facilitate governance forums and decision making sessions
• Provide guidance and coaching to:
  • Project Managers
  • PMO teams
  • Business stakeholders

Requirements

• Essential:
  • Proven experience designing and implementing governance frameworks for complex programmes
  • Deep understanding of:
    • Portfolio, Programme, and Project governance models
    • Stage gate methodologies
    • Hybrid delivery approaches
    • Strong business process modelling capability (e.g. BPMN)
  • Experience integrating governance into:
    • Business operating models
    • Decision making structures
  • Demonstrated ability to design lean, proportionate governance
  • Strong facilitation and stakeholder management skills at senior / executive level
• Desirable:
  • Experience in:
    • Energy, Infrastructure, Utilities, or large transformation programmes within highly regulated environments
  • Knowledge of:
    • ISO standards (e.g. ISO 21502, ISO 9001)
  • Familiarity with governance, planning, and reporting tools
  • Behavioural Competencies:
    • Structured and systems thinking mindset
    • Ability to simplify complex concepts into clear governance models
    • Strong influencing and stakeholder engagement capability
    • Pragmatic, outcome focused approach
    • Ability to balance control with agility
    • High level of credibility and professional integrity

Hard Skills

• governance framework design
• portfolio governance
• programme governance
• project governance
• stage gate methodologies
• hybrid delivery approaches
• business process modelling
• BPMN
• risk and compliance frameworks
• process optimisation

Soft Skills

• stakeholder management
• facilitation
• influencing
• systems thinking
• simplification of complex concepts
• outcome focused approach
• credibility
• professional integrity
• coaching
• trusted advisor

Certifications & Qualifications

• ISO 21502
• ISO 9001