Business Optimisation Project Management Office (PMO) Manager at Ecobank Nigeria

Job Title: Business Optimisation Project Management Office (PMO) Manager

Job Purpose

• The Business Optimisation PMO Manager will play a pivotal role in overseeing and driving projects/initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, align with the strategy of the bank, and will ensure the successful delivery of these strategic projects across the Group. 
• Reporting to the Chief Business Optimisation Officer & Head of Strategic Projects, the incumbent will lead the PMO for Business Optimisation and strategic initiatives, while also representing the Chief Business Optimisation Officer at the workstream level.
• He/she will ensure that the full impact of optimisation and transformation efforts are effectively captured, successfully executed and communicated across the Group.
• Additionally, the PMO Manager will establish and maintain standardized project management processes, methodologies, and best practices, providing guidance and support to project teams to ensure alignment with the Bank’s strategic objectives, and they will take ownership of the performance management systems and tools for capturing, tracking, and reporting on initiatives and projects throughout the Bank.

Job Context

• Establish and drive the strategic direction of the Project Management Office (PMO), ensuring effective prioritization, governance, and execution of assigned projects.
• Oversee project planning, monitoring, and delivery, while maintaining clear visibility and alignment of ongoing initiatives with the objectives of the bank.
• Provide leadership and direct support across various project dimensions to ensure projects are executed on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Report program and portfolio performance to executive management, ensuring transparency and enabling informed decision-making.

Key Responsibilities
PMO Framework & Governance:

• Define and implement the PMO framework, including governance processes, reporting structures, and performance metrics to ensure alignment with Ecobank’s strategic objectives.
• Develop and enforce project management standards and methodologies to drive consistency and best practices across all projects.
• Establish and manage approval processes, reporting standards, risk management practices, and a project selection and prioritization model to ensure relevance and strategic alignment.
• Drive weekly PMO cadence, ensuring process compliance and coordination of materials for Optimisation/ Transformation meetings and updates.
• Oversee the preparation and dissemination of updates for Optimisation, Transformation, and Strategic Project participants.
• Ensure timely and flawless preparation of materials/ reports for PMO meetings, SteerCo sessions, and Chief Optimisation Officer briefings.
• Produce internal communication documents highlighting key Optimisation progress and outcomes.
• Track and follow up on workstream actions from PMO meetings, collaborating with workstream sponsors and other relevant stakeholders to ensure timely execution.
• Establish (or liaise with consultants to establish) and manage the Benefits Realization Framework for all projects within the organization, to ensure value delivery for every expense.
• Act as a strategic advisor to senior management on project portfolio performance and recommendations

Project Oversight & Support:

• Manage Optimisation/Transformation initiatives pipeline progress.
• Monitor and report on the health and progress of the project portfolio, highlighting risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Serve as the overall enterprise Project Portfolio Manager and liaise with interfacing business units to review, select, sequence, and report change initiatives/projects to Executive Management.
• Be proactive in identifying roadblocks and engage individuals across the bank to eliminate them.
• Facilitate the speedy resolution/mitigation of all issues and risks encountered in the delivery of various projects.
• Troubleshoot critical project issues and implement corrective actions to maintain project health. 

PMO Tools Ownership:

• Use WAVE (or a similar tool) to track progress of initiatives through the pipeline at every stage.
• Become an expert in the functionality of WAVE (or a similar tool) for overall Optimisation/Transformation management and tracking.
• Champion the use of the PMO tool at every step of the Optimisation/Transformation/Strategic Project lifecycle.

Leadership & Team Management:

• Assume overall responsibility for the performance and delivery of the PMO’s mandate, while leading, motivating, coaching, and monitoring direct reports, business stakeholders, and other project resources.
• Conduct team talks and feedback sessions to ensure a smooth working experience for the PMO team.
• In alignment with the Programme Change Management team, drive change management and adoption of changes from completed projects and change initiatives.
• Build and support business cases for process enhancements and improvements.
• Ongoing management and continuous improvement of the PMO, while building project management capabilities to deliver large, complex projects across internal operations and strategic implementation.
• Prepare, defend, and manage the operational budget of the PMO.
• Coach, mentor, motivate, and supervise project team members and contractors, fostering accountability and collaboration.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the PMO.
• Provide guidance to project managers to ensure successful execution and delivery of projects within scope, time, and budget, while encouraging cross-functional collaboration.
• Be an enterprise change agent, driving forward continuous improvement and working closely with key stakeholders to mobilize and embed functional and cultural change.

Key Performance Indicators

• Percentage of projects delivered on time, within budget, and meeting quality expectations.
• Stakeholder feedback on project outcomes and communication.
• Project Cost Variance – planned and actual costs across projects.
• Percentage of projects delivered without major scope changes or scope creep
• Percentage of projects achieving the anticipated business value or ROI post-implementation.
• Amount saved through process efficiencies introduced by the PMO.
• Percentage of identified process improvement initiatives successfully implemented.

Requirements
Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Management, or a related field with a relevant Master’s Degree.
• Relevant certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, PgMP are an added advantage
• Minimum of 12 years of experience in project and portfolio management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-project portfolios in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in establishing and leading a PMO is highly desirable.
• Industry experience in consulting, banking, technology, or large-scale transformation projects is preferred.

Skills and Capabilities:

• Deep understanding of project and portfolio management methodologies, frameworks, and tools (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, PMBOK, etc.).
• Strong leadership skills.
• Strong knowledge of risk management, resource management, and financial budgeting principles.
• Familiarity with change management practices and stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Proficiency in project management software and tools (e.g., MS Project, Wave, Jira, Trello). 
• Ability to analyze data, translate findings into actionable insights, and present recommendations effectively
• Stakeholder Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Strong oral and written communication skills 
• Excellent interpersonal relationship
• Strategic Thinking.

Application Instructions:

The application deadline is on 17th December, 2024; 00:59. Therefore, qualified and interested candidates can “CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT APPLICATION” It is important to visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply successfully for this vacancy.

Official Job Website: https://www.ecobank.com/ng/personal-banking/countries