Job summary
Are you an organised, pro-active individual looking for a new role to flex your skills? If so, our Project Planner role may be ideal for you.This is a crucial role supporting the planning and execution of strategic projects that contribute to the NHS Business Services Authority's (NHSBSA) strategic goals. You will provide expert planning advice, while identifying opportunities for planning process improvements and efficiency gains.
You'll proactively lead on planning and scheduling activities, working with Project and Programme Managers to support the delivery of business benefits and outcomes. You'll provide assurance and challenge to ensure plans are both realistic and achievable. The post holder will have significant knowledge of Microsoft Project and experience delivering large programmes of change. The role involves extensive contact with internal departments and representatives of external organisations across Government. To thrive in this role, you'll be a confident and personable professional with the ability to communicate at all levels.
You'll be joining a fantastic team with varied and exciting work on offer, with great training and career development opportunities.
What do we offer?27 days leave (increasing with length of service) plus 8 bank holidaysFlexible working (options such as compressed hours)Hybrid working modelActive wellbeing and inclusion networksExcellent pensionNHS Car lease schemeAccess to a wide range of benefits and discounts!
Main duties of the job
- Project Planning: Take ownership for developing and implementing a programme of regular facilitated reviews of project and programme plans with key stakeholders, sharing knowledge and planning expertise across the Portfolio Change Plan. The post holder will be a true planning and resourcing champion, advocating the benefits of defining comprehensive plans that outline key tasks, milestones and timelines.
- People and Leadership: Communicate and build commitment to a shared vision and standards for project plan development and management, ensuring accountability and use of best practice planning techniques via NHSBSA Project Management and Portfolio Delivery Frameworks. The post holder will drive the personal development of PMD colleagues by knowledge sharing and contributing to planning and resourcing skill bite content in conjunction with the NHSBSA Portfolio Directorate Academy.
- Project Performance and Controls: Monitor and analyse planning information, reporting progress and slippage while highlighting areas of risk and opportunity in conjunction with the Portfolio Office Risk and Issues Specialist. The post holder will validate the accuracy of plans against project objectives and contribute to lessons learnt sessions to enhance the quality and content of future planning and management.
About us
Here at the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), what we do matters.
We manage the NHS Pension scheme, process prescription payments and much more. Our services are used by NHS organisations, contractors and the public: we take pride in being part of something so meaningful, that touches millions of lives.
Just as we design our services around the needs of our customers, we place our people at the heart of our organisation. That's why when you join us, you'll be empowered and given the right support to help your career grow.
As one of the UK's Best Big Companies to work for, we're all connected to our values: Collaborative, Adventurous, Reliable and Energetic. We care about our people, our purpose, and your progress.
We strive to offer a fantastic colleague experience, where every voice is heard, and every colleague is supported and respected. Wellbeing, diversity and inclusion is at the centre of this, so when you join us, you can connect with our Lived Experience Networks who help us to bring our authentic selves to work.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and circumstances. We are committed and proud to be a flexible employer and will endeavour to offer a working pattern that suits you wherever possible, whether that be hybrid working, flexible hours, job sharing and more.
Ready to join us on our journey to be a catalyst for better health? Apply today and see where the NHSBSA can take you.
We are people connected to care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
In this role, you are accountable for
1. Project Planning
- Develop and implement a programme of regular facilitated reviews of programme and project plans with key programme and project stakeholders and leading on the use of project planning technique.
- Work as a key member of the Portfolio Office and Assurance Team, sharing knowledge and expertise of project planning across the portfolio change plan.
- Lead on the timely and accurate reporting of plan assurance to Programme and Project Boards to which assigned, NHSBSA Leadership Team and governance forums (i.e. LT, Portfolio Board, PPAG and PRBs) and external forums (i.e. DHSC Portfolio Office, Cabinet Office etc), as appropriate.
- Report the outcomes of reviews to all relevant stakeholders, confirms their understanding and acceptance, and agreeing resulting actions.
- Undertake review and quality assurance of project plans identifying improvement actions and acting as a coach/mentor/critical friend.
- Provide constructive challenge and recommendations to programme and project managers, as well as senior managers in the organisation and other key stakeholders to ensure accurate project information is provided to enable quality outputs to be produced, enabling effective decision making at a senior level and assisting in driving delivery of the Portfolio Change Plan.
- Challenge and test project assumptions to ensure that plans are realistic and achievable.
- Develop breakdown structures, quality criteria, product descriptions and monitoring strategy.
- Support the project manager to identify options to optimise delivery through resource smoothing, resource levelling and rescheduling of activities.
- Develop comprehensive project plans outlining tasks, milestones, and timelines.
- Collaborate with project stakeholders to gather requirements and establish project scope.
- Create and maintain project schedules, ensuring alignment with NHSBSA priorities.
- Expert User in Microsoft Project.
- Accountable for the quality and integrity of project plans and schedule analysis in terms of time, cost and resources.
- Compile reports to ensure project manager and team has up to date and accurate information.
- Lead on planning activities to support delivery of the business case benefits and outcomes.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency gains within project planning.
- Identify areas where data quality could be improved and highlighting risks to both programmes and projects; working with Professional Development Leads to drive up standards and improve project management culture;
2. People and Leadership
- Communicate and build commitment to a shared vision and standards for project plan development and management, ensuring accountability and championing the use of best practice via NHSBSA project management framework and portfolio delivery framework.
- Building excellent internal and external network within the healthcare family, wider government and other organisation to share working practices and drive best practice for plan management.
- Drive development of colleagues in PMD via leading by example, knowledge sharing, training, mentoring and contribution to Portfolio Academy.
- Providing expert advice for team members and the project community.
- Escalating and challenging Leadership Team members, as appropriate on planning and scheduling matters.
- Be accountable for own personal development needs in order to be fully equipped to meet future organisational needs.
- Supporting capability building and the use of best practice in planning and reporting.
3. Resources
- Identify and plan for wider resource requirements for projects.
- Coordinate with departmental resources and external partners to allocate resources effectively.
- Monitor resource utilization and identify opportunities for optimization.
4. Stakeholder Management
- Develop constructive and productive working relationships with programme and project managers to support cross-programme and project management collaboration.
- Positively challenge programme stakeholders and senior managers and consult to provide advice on assurance matters, particularly where programmes and projects are not tracking to plan.
- Engage in debate, negotiate and influence to resolve issues, remove blockers that delay delivery, and differences between stakeholders and challenge assumptions.
- Ensure that stakeholder responsibilities and needs are understood and addressed in reporting arrangements.
- Facilitate communication and collaboration among project stakeholders.
- Organize and lead regular project planning meetings to keep stakeholders informed and engaged.
5. Project Performance and Controls
- Monitor and analyse information, reporting progress, slippage and highlighting areas of risk and opportunity.
- Compile reports to ensure project manager and team has up to date and accurate information.
- Track project performance to ensure project data accuracy on a weekly and monthly basis.
- Identify potential risks and issues that may impact project delivery.
- Develop risk mitigation strategies and work with the project team to implement them.
- Contribute to lessons learned sessions to enhance future project planning and management.
- Verify the maintenance and accuracy of project plans, ensuring that they reflect the project objectives, are updated in a timely manner and communicated at all relevant levels.
6. Guidance and Support
- Developing and delivery project planning training and awareness material to stakeholders, as appropriate.
- Recognised as an authority for planning related activity, providing expert guidance and support.
- Provide expert advice on planning processes throughout the lifecycle of the project.
- Set knowledge and information processes that conforms with the organisations standards.
- Ensure projects comply with relevant policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
- Ensure learning from experience is disseminated across the Portfolio Management Directorate and wider organisation.
- Working with the PMD leadership to develop and share good practice and techniques with the Portfolio Management Directorate and the wider change community.
- Develop and deliver training and guidance on all aspects of planning to stakeholders at all levels within the organisation, ensuring use of the PPM Tool for recording programme and project delivery.
- Contribute to portfolio maturity assessment across the NHSBSA.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to - Provide peer support and mentoring to PMD colleagues to support capability development.
- Actively contribute to the portfolio delivery, portfolio office, assurance and planning professions within, and outside, the NHSBSA.
- Undertake additional duties and responsibilities in line with the purpose of your role and as agreed by your line manager.
- Demonstrate NHSBSA values and core capabilities in all aspects of your work.
- Encourage an environment where your own and colleagues safety and well-being is promoted.
- Contribute to a culture which values diversity and inclusion.
- Follow NHSBSA policies, procedures, and protocols as they apply to your role.
Working relationships Responsible to:
Portfolio Office Manager
Key relationships and connections:
- Chief Portfolio Officer
- Head of Portfolio Planning and Assurance
- Portfolio Office and Assurance Manager
- PMD Management Team
- Senior Portfolio Business Partners
- Portfolio Office and Assurance team colleagues (Office Manager, Insight and Reporting and Risk Specialists, Analysts, Administrator)
- Programme and Project Managers, Coordinators and Support Officers, Business Analysts
- NHSBSA Leadership Team
- Heads of Service, Senior Managers and Business Partners across the NHSBSA
- Performance and Benefits Lead
- Portfolio Finance Business Partner
- Internal and external stakeholders (eg DHSC Portfolio Office)
Job description
Job responsibilities
In this role, you are accountable for
1. Project Planning
- Develop and implement a programme of regular facilitated reviews of programme and project plans with key programme and project stakeholders and leading on the use of project planning technique.
- Work as a key member of the Portfolio Office and Assurance Team, sharing knowledge and expertise of project planning across the portfolio change plan.
- Lead on the timely and accurate reporting of plan assurance to Programme and Project Boards to which assigned, NHSBSA Leadership Team and governance forums (i.e. LT, Portfolio Board, PPAG and PRBs) and external forums (i.e. DHSC Portfolio Office, Cabinet Office etc), as appropriate.
- Report the outcomes of reviews to all relevant stakeholders, confirms their understanding and acceptance, and agreeing resulting actions.
- Undertake review and quality assurance of project plans identifying improvement actions and acting as a coach/mentor/critical friend.
- Provide constructive challenge and recommendations to programme and project managers, as well as senior managers in the organisation and other key stakeholders to ensure accurate project information is provided to enable quality outputs to be produced, enabling effective decision making at a senior level and assisting in driving delivery of the Portfolio Change Plan.
- Challenge and test project assumptions to ensure that plans are realistic and achievable.
- Develop breakdown structures, quality criteria, product descriptions and monitoring strategy.
- Support the project manager to identify options to optimise delivery through resource smoothing, resource levelling and rescheduling of activities.
- Develop comprehensive project plans outlining tasks, milestones, and timelines.
- Collaborate with project stakeholders to gather requirements and establish project scope.
- Create and maintain project schedules, ensuring alignment with NHSBSA priorities.
- Expert User in Microsoft Project.
- Accountable for the quality and integrity of project plans and schedule analysis in terms of time, cost and resources.
- Compile reports to ensure project manager and team has up to date and accurate information.
- Lead on planning activities to support delivery of the business case benefits and outcomes.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency gains within project planning.
- Identify areas where data quality could be improved and highlighting risks to both programmes and projects; working with Professional Development Leads to drive up standards and improve project management culture;
2. People and Leadership
- Communicate and build commitment to a shared vision and standards for project plan development and management, ensuring accountability and championing the use of best practice via NHSBSA project management framework and portfolio delivery framework.
- Building excellent internal and external network within the healthcare family, wider government and other organisation to share working practices and drive best practice for plan management.
- Drive development of colleagues in PMD via leading by example, knowledge sharing, training, mentoring and contribution to Portfolio Academy.
- Providing expert advice for team members and the project community.
- Escalating and challenging Leadership Team members, as appropriate on planning and scheduling matters.
- Be accountable for own personal development needs in order to be fully equipped to meet future organisational needs.
- Supporting capability building and the use of best practice in planning and reporting.
3. Resources
- Identify and plan for wider resource requirements for projects.
- Coordinate with departmental resources and external partners to allocate resources effectively.
- Monitor resource utilization and identify opportunities for optimization.
4. Stakeholder Management
- Develop constructive and productive working relationships with programme and project managers to support cross-programme and project management collaboration.
- Positively challenge programme stakeholders and senior managers and consult to provide advice on assurance matters, particularly where programmes and projects are not tracking to plan.
- Engage in debate, negotiate and influence to resolve issues, remove blockers that delay delivery, and differences between stakeholders and challenge assumptions.
- Ensure that stakeholder responsibilities and needs are understood and addressed in reporting arrangements.
- Facilitate communication and collaboration among project stakeholders.
- Organize and lead regular project planning meetings to keep stakeholders informed and engaged.
5. Project Performance and Controls
- Monitor and analyse information, reporting progress, slippage and highlighting areas of risk and opportunity.
- Compile reports to ensure project manager and team has up to date and accurate information.
- Track project performance to ensure project data accuracy on a weekly and monthly basis.
- Identify potential risks and issues that may impact project delivery.
- Develop risk mitigation strategies and work with the project team to implement them.
- Contribute to lessons learned sessions to enhance future project planning and management.
- Verify the maintenance and accuracy of project plans, ensuring that they reflect the project objectives, are updated in a timely manner and communicated at all relevant levels.
6. Guidance and Support
- Developing and delivery project planning training and awareness material to stakeholders, as appropriate.
- Recognised as an authority for planning related activity, providing expert guidance and support.
- Provide expert advice on planning processes throughout the lifecycle of the project.
- Set knowledge and information processes that conforms with the organisations standards.
- Ensure projects comply with relevant policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
- Ensure learning from experience is disseminated across the Portfolio Management Directorate and wider organisation.
- Working with the PMD leadership to develop and share good practice and techniques with the Portfolio Management Directorate and the wider change community.
- Develop and deliver training and guidance on all aspects of planning to stakeholders at all levels within the organisation, ensuring use of the PPM Tool for recording programme and project delivery.
- Contribute to portfolio maturity assessment across the NHSBSA.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to - Provide peer support and mentoring to PMD colleagues to support capability development.
- Actively contribute to the portfolio delivery, portfolio office, assurance and planning professions within, and outside, the NHSBSA.
- Undertake additional duties and responsibilities in line with the purpose of your role and as agreed by your line manager.
- Demonstrate NHSBSA values and core capabilities in all aspects of your work.
- Encourage an environment where your own and colleagues safety and well-being is promoted.
- Contribute to a culture which values diversity and inclusion.
- Follow NHSBSA policies, procedures, and protocols as they apply to your role.
Working relationships Responsible to:
Portfolio Office Manager
Key relationships and connections:
- Chief Portfolio Officer
- Head of Portfolio Planning and Assurance
- Portfolio Office and Assurance Manager
- PMD Management Team
- Senior Portfolio Business Partners
- Portfolio Office and Assurance team colleagues (Office Manager, Insight and Reporting and Risk Specialists, Analysts, Administrator)
- Programme and Project Managers, Coordinators and Support Officers, Business Analysts
- NHSBSA Leadership Team
- Heads of Service, Senior Managers and Business Partners across the NHSBSA
- Performance and Benefits Lead
- Portfolio Finance Business Partner
- Internal and external stakeholders (eg DHSC Portfolio Office)
Person Specification
Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Knowledge in collaborating with colleagues to realise delivery of a change project/programme
- Ability to constructively challenge, influence, change and impact decisions
- Able to use initiative and determine priorities and reprioritise planned work for self and others
- Seeks to establish best practice methods and continuously improve team
- Ability to engage, motivate and coach colleagues
- Strong communication, negotiation and conflict resolution skills
Desirable
- Acts as a role model, using motivational skills to inspire others
- Ability to foresee potential challenges and explore alternative options
Experience
Essential
- Extensive project planning experience or appropriate experience from a different area within a project environment
- Significant experience of senior stakeholder management, influencing, collaborating and appropriately challenging leadership
- Successful track record in portfolio or programme management with multi-year cost profiles, often in range of >£10m using recognised methodologies
- Experience of dependency, risks and issues management
Desirable
- Worked in the NHS or other large organisation
- Experience/knowledge of UK Government financial controls
- Experience of formal mentoring, coaching and development of colleagues
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree qualification or significant equivalent experience in project and programme planning
- Formal project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, AMP, Agile PM)
Desirable
- Qualified in e.g. Management of Portfolios Practitioner, Managing Successful Programmes Practitioner, APM Registered Project Professional, P3O Practitioner
- Formal qualification in a change/project related discipline (e.g. Change management, Better Business cases)
Person Specification
Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Knowledge in collaborating with colleagues to realise delivery of a change project/programme
- Ability to constructively challenge, influence, change and impact decisions
- Able to use initiative and determine priorities and reprioritise planned work for self and others
- Seeks to establish best practice methods and continuously improve team
- Ability to engage, motivate and coach colleagues
- Strong communication, negotiation and conflict resolution skills
Desirable
- Acts as a role model, using motivational skills to inspire others
- Ability to foresee potential challenges and explore alternative options
Experience
Essential
- Extensive project planning experience or appropriate experience from a different area within a project environment
- Significant experience of senior stakeholder management, influencing, collaborating and appropriately challenging leadership
- Successful track record in portfolio or programme management with multi-year cost profiles, often in range of >£10m using recognised methodologies
- Experience of dependency, risks and issues management
Desirable
- Worked in the NHS or other large organisation
- Experience/knowledge of UK Government financial controls
- Experience of formal mentoring, coaching and development of colleagues
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree qualification or significant equivalent experience in project and programme planning
- Formal project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, AMP, Agile PM)
Desirable
- Qualified in e.g. Management of Portfolios Practitioner, Managing Successful Programmes Practitioner, APM Registered Project Professional, P3O Practitioner
- Formal qualification in a change/project related discipline (e.g. Change management, Better Business cases)
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
