Head of Portfolio Management Office

Salary details: £ - £

Are you an experienced portfolio, programme or transformation leader who thrives in a complex and dynamic environment? Are you passionate about driving organisational change, strengthening governance, and helping senior leaders make the best strategic decisions? If so, this could be the role for you.

Derbyshire County Council is seeking a Head of Portfolio Management Office (PMO) to lead our corporate Portfolio Management Office and ensure our investment in projects and programmes delivers maximum value for our residents and communities.

About the role

As the Head of PMO, you will provide strategic leadership, insight and assurance across the Council’s entire portfolio of projects and programmes. You will:

• Lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary PMO team.
• Provide assurance to senior leaders on delivery, risks, issues, dependencies and benefits realisation.
• Maintain oversight of the Council-wide project pipeline, using robust data and insight to inform decisions on prioritisation and sequencing.
• Develop and embed best practice portfolio management aligned to Management of Portfolios (MoP) and P3M3 maturity principles.
• Establish and monitor portfolio controls, governance arrangements, stage gates and investment pathways.
• Produce high-quality analysis and reporting to support the Portfolio Direction Group (PDG), Elected Members, Directors and delivery teams.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement across the Council’s project and programme community.

This is a pivotal leadership role that shapes how the Council invests its resources, manages risk, and delivers strategic outcomes.

About you

We’re looking for a confident, influential and values-driven leader who can build strong relationships across organisational boundaries. You will bring:

• Significant experience leading a corporate or enterprise PMO.
• Strong portfolio, programme and project management expertise, including governance, assurance, business cases and risk management.
• A track record of leading high-performing teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to translate complex information into clear, actionable insight.
• Strategic thinking, sound judgement and the ability to drive change in a complex political environment.
• A recognised portfolio or programme management qualification (e.g. MoP, MSP, P3O).
• (Desirable) Experience in local government or the wider public sector.

Support & Benefits:

• Generous Annual Leave Scheme (34 days): Ensuring a healthy work-life balance.
• Flexi Time Scheme: Up to two days flexi leave every four weeks (pro rata for part-time employees), subject to service needs.
• Local Government Pension Scheme: Providing financial security.
• Wellbeing Support Framework: Includes OH physician services, physiotherapy, CBT, and in-house counselling.
• Employee Wellbeing Support: Fast track physiotherapy, confidential psychological support services, Employee Assistance Programme, and “Wisdom” app.
• Training and Development: Opportunities for professional qualifications and ongoing training.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Promoting a healthy lifestyle.
• Electric/Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme: Encouraging environmentally friendly commuting options.
• Our Derbyshire Rewards: a package of benefits and discounts.
• & much more

Please look at the attached job and person profile for further detail about the role.

How to Apply:

Submit your CV and a supporting statement. Your supporting statement should outline the reasons for your interest and your skills, knowledge, and experience, taking account of the requirements set out in the job and person profile for the role and not exceed more than 2 sides of A4. 

If you would like to have an informal chat about this role, get in touch with emily.wilding@derbyshire.gov.uk

Provisional Interview Date: week commencing 13th April 2026

Apply now and take the first step towards a fulfilling career with us! By joining Derbyshire County Council you will have access to a range of amazing rewards and employee benefits, including our generous annual leave scheme, excellent local government pension and fantastic employee discounts. To discover more detail about the rewards and benefits available to you, click here

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Important: Derbyshire County Council holds a sponsorship licence, but this role does not offer visa sponsorship. Please apply only if you already have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship, as applications that do not meet this requirement will be rejected.

We welcome applications from individuals who share our values — being Collaborative, Innovative, Empowered and Accountable. These values describe who we are and what we stand for as a council. They help shape our culture, encourage consistent behaviour and guide how we work together to make a positive difference for both our employees and the residents we serve.