Digital Portfolio Manager

DWP Digital is transforming DWP’s services by unlocking the potential of leading-edge technologies and ways of working.

With our partners, we’re focused on building and running innovative digital technology solutions that meet and respond to the changing needs and expectations of millions of people. We want to make it quicker, easier and less costly for DWP’s customers to get the support they need.

Portfolio Management is key within the department in ensuring that decisions surrounding the timing, structure and prioritisation of projects & programmes, are correctly planned, managed and fully compliant with the Digital and Technology Cabinet Office Spend Control.

As a Digital Portfolio Manager you will ensure that your portfolio of digital projects are planned, prioritised and effectively delivered.

To do this, you will work as part of the Central Portfolio Function, working closely with the Functional Portfolio Teams and leading aspects of the Digital Front Door, understanding dependencies, maintaining a strong awareness of the ‘bigger picture’ of DWP and Digital Group strategy.

You will build strong relationships as you liaise regularly with colleagues across Digital Group, Finance and Commercial teams in DWP, Cabinet Office and HM Treasury to deliver change, keeping our vital services and systems running for our customers.

You will help to ensure DWP comply and apply the various aspects of the Cross Government Control frameworks.

This vacancy is in the central Digital Portfolio team.

Job description

Within this role you will be responsible for assuring successful delivery of a portfolio of projects and programmes within the Central Portfolio Management Function.

This will include managing demand, tracking delivery progress against road maps, ensuring inter-dependencies are visible and delivered, preparing and analysing portfolio status reports, managing governance and assuring delivery of outcomes within your portfolio, supporting agile delivery teams in accelerating delivery, unblocking issues and ensuring proper controls and risk mitigation procedures are in place and across multiple projects within a portfolio.

You will manage all pipeline activity, providing advice on the Digital Front Door and associated governance on project setup processes, establishing consistent ways of working and ensuring resources are available to deliver each project end to end to Live.

You will be responsible for supporting the portfolio community professional capability build including line management and coaching.

The vacancy may include the additional responsibilities below:

You will be responsible for ensuring that all projects are compliant with the Digital and Technology Cabinet Office Spend Control working closely with the Digital Spend Controls Team.

You will lead discussions and engagement with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury for resolution of queries, follow up approvals and sign off of the Digital and Commercial pipelines.

Liaise with other member of the Spend Control team to effectively triage new demand, ensuring we have the appropriate insight and data to satisfy the Cabinet Office Spend Control requirements.

You will be the visible face of the Digital Front Door; to lead proposers through the governance cycle for all requests received; to promote the importance and visibility of the Digital Front Door and explain how this is integral to engaging with Digital Group.

You will support the analysis of new demand, routing, coordinating and owning specific initiatives to their conclusion of the Front Door process.

You will lead and own our development, maintenance and tracking of demand through DWP place Demand Management.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include but are not restricted to, the following:

• Track a portfolio of digital projects on their delivery progress using defined methods for each programme, escalating issues and resource constraints as appropriate.

• Provide analysis and update reports on progress to members of the leadership team making recommendations identifying any potential issues within your portfolio.

• Build, maintain and manage long term strategic relationships, facilitating and influencing stakeholders through effective engagement and relationship management skills.

• Ensure compliance with standards and support adherence to all governance and assurance activity for the Service Teams or DWP Digital, ensuring all service standards are being met.

• Identify future risks and blockers, using tooling and information to spot planning and delivery risks, escalating to senior leadership as necessary.

• Support identification and prioritisation of new work that aligns to the department's digital strategy, working across service teams to support impacting of new work.

• Support in the development of project business cases and monitor project benefits against the business case predictions, supporting operational managers to ensure plans, timescales and deliverables are aligned to expected benefits.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact dani.gulam@dwp.gov.uk