Head of PMO
| Job Type | Contract |
| Location | East Kilbride/ Hybrid |
| Area | Scotland, UK |
| Sector | Programme & Project Management |
| Salary | £800 Per Day |
| Start Date | May 18th, 2026 |
| Advertiser | Joel Rutherford |
| Job Ref | 7462-PSR1JP00101935 |
| IR35 | Inside |
| Security Clearance | SC |
- Description
- The Client:
A government department client is looking for a Head of PMO to join them on a 12 month contract. This position will be based in East Kilbride/ Hybrid.
Job Summary:
This role sits within the Management Office team that oversees PMO, Commercial, Finance, and Business Support, ensuring effective IT service delivery through proper oversight and governance.
Joining our client as Head of PMO you will be responsible for leading a collection of projects that contribute to the delivery of the Client Service objectives and will define and maintain the standards for project management within the Client Service Organisation.
You will lead the PMO team and Delivery managers to implement the change programme. In collaboration with senior leaders—including Product Managers, Architects, Technical Leads, commercial and finance —you will support programme governance to ensure effective management and value for money. You are expected to deliver precise reports to ensure that the service director and oversight governance remain well-informed.
You will be responsible for the prioritisation and effective allocation of resources across the portfolio to, ensuring effective governance, and supporting high-quality program delivery across a diverse and complex change portfolio. You understand PMO governance and are experienced in delivering projects within complex technical environments. You excel at operating quickly and balancing strategic planning with active delivery oversight. You bring a pragmatic, solutions focused mindset and are not afraid to challenge constructively to improve outcomes.
You will have two PMO resources and a team of delivery managers to implement the programme.
In this role you will be responsible for:
- Development and implementation of consistent, high-quality programme and project management practices to align to organisation goals.
- Leading and managing of project performance, risk, and delivery across a large and varied portfolio of change programmes.
- Providing oversight and management of technical team capacity and offering expert guidance to ensure programme portfolio feasibility and effective delivery.
- Pipeline development and lifecycle assurance for new and emerging programmes.
- Management of the PMO and delivery teams ensuring effective governance and compliance ensuring that programs adhere to regulations and best practices.
- Resolve blockers and handle escalations through clear communication.
- Develop and agree budgets for projects and/or programmes and forecast actual costs against them.
- Reporting for progress, against defined KPIs for internal and oversight stakeholders.
We are looking for someone with:
Essential:
- Proven experience in leading programme or portfolio management in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
- Deep understanding of governance frameworks, delivery assurance, and public sector programme lifecycles.
- Confident in engaging, facilitating and negotiating with senior individuals, building strong relationships and effective process to advance shared objectives to meet tight and fast-moving deadlines.
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement skills — able to influence at senior management and executive level with clear reporting on progress.
- Strategic mindset with a passion for IT service delivery outcomes.
- Have an in-depth knowledge of Agile and other methodologies.
- Expert project management reporting, preferably with experience on Atlassian project tools (Jira, Confluence).
- The resilience to manage multiple projects concurrently, with the ability to research, benchmark, scope, design, implement and evaluate project delivery to tight deadlines.
Desirable
- Experience of working in an IT Service Environment.
- Understanding of working across Government and public service.
An active SC clearance is required for this role. At a minimum, candidates must be eligible and willing to undergo security clearance. Due to the short-term nature of the contract and the urgency of the requirement, the client may prioritise applicants who already hold active SC clearance and meet all essential criteria.
Our Company:
Malikshaw Interim & Executive is a specialist provider of talent management solutions helping our clients transform the delivery of our public services. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we combine providing the best talent with delivering diverse, inclusive workforces and particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people, and women.
How to Apply:
Please apply through the link provided to send your application directly to the Recruiter managing this assignment.
If you qualify for any of the above, please notify us on your covering letter and your recruiter will confirm if the client is a member. We will then be in touch to discuss your suitability and arrange your Guaranteed Interview.
Should you require reasonable adjustments at any point during the recruitment process or if there is a more accessible way for us to communicate, please do let me know.
- Development and implementation of consistent, high-quality programme and project management practices to align to organisation goals.
