Project Management officer

Full Job Description

3 months contract with a Local Authority Job Summary: • The Project Management Officer plays a critical role within the Council ensuring that projects are planned, executed, and completed effectively, and that they contribute to the community's strategic objectives.• The role involves working closely with stakeholders including senior leaders, managers, and project participants to ensure successful project delivery. Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample): • To demonstrate understanding of the Council’s Customer Care Standards and ensure that these standards are met to deliver the Council vision of ‘putting our residents first’.• No direct supervisory responsibility however may be requirement to establish and coordinate meetings and task and finish groups, and to assist in induction and training of peers and new employees.• Project Planning and Execution• Develop and implement project management strategies and plans aligned with the government's strategic goals and priorities.• Work collaboratively with project leads and relevant stakeholders to create detailed project plans.• Engage and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure project buy-in and alignment.• Provide guidance and training to project teams on best practices for project management.• Facilitate workshops and meetings to ensure stakeholder commitment to project objectives.• Develop and implement mechanisms for tracking and reporting on project progress, ensuring transparency and accountability.• Regularly review project progress to ensure that objectives are being met and identify any issues or risks to project success.• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on the status of projects across the portfolio.• Continuously evaluate and improve project management processes and methodologies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.• Lead lessons learned sessions to capture insights and best practices from completed projects and apply them to future initiatives.• Stay abreast of industry trends and developments in project management and incorporate relevant innovations into the local government's practices.• Maintain knowledge of the Council’s plans, priorities, risks, opportunities and programmes, alongside the Teams Plan and understanding of own contribution to ensure delivery of these plans.• To demonstrate cost-consciousness and identify any cost-effective changes to own way of working.• To identify and suggest any improvements to current ways of working to deliver a more efficient and effective service for customers.• Primary contact will be with other officers within the Council, Members, and service users / residents and their representative bodies.• Complete other reasonable tasks to fulfil role purpose or as instructed by management.• Delivery of the agreed Personal Performance Appraisal Objectives. Skills/Experience: • Evidence you have continuously evaluated and improved programme and project methodologies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.• Collaborative working, ability to capture insights and best practices from completed projects and apply them to future initiatives.• Proven track record of successfully delivering results in complex project environments.• Demonstrable experience of best practices in project development and delivery and relevant tools and methodologies.• Strategic Thinking: Ability to understand and align projects with broader organisational goals and objectives.• Stay abreast of industry trends and developments in project management and incorporate relevant innovations into the local government's practices.• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical skills.• Stakeholder Management: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to engage and influence stakeholders effectively.• Project Management: Solid understanding of project management principles and practices.• Financial literacy: skilled understanding of financial and extra-financial data, information and risks, including budget development, forecasting and monitoring• Strong IT skills and the ability to proficiently use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Visio.• Proven ability to manage a range of projects through to completion• Proven written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with good negotiation and influencing skills and the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners/professionals.• Continuous Improvement: Commitment to continuous improvement and learning.• Putting Our Residents First'. Delivers the Customer Care Promise; is welcoming, helpful & polite. Engages, empathises and takes ownership. Gives clear information about service standards and timescales. Treats all customers and colleagues with dignity and respect.• Aware of Local Government purpose & Nolan principles including integrity, openness and honesty. Adopts a 'One Council' perspective on service delivery.• Plans, prioritise & organises workload to meet deadlines. Is quality orientated and accepts responsibility for outcomes (positive and negative).• Considers financial implications of service delivery. Cost-conscious, aware of budgetary controls and escalates decisions where appropriate.• Engages with Council's vision and priorities and takes 'One Council' view. Actively listens and contributes to team meetings and decisions.• Takes responsibility for own development and wellbeing. Encourages constructive feedback and is self-aware of own strengths, wellbeing and development needs. Actively participates in learning activities and applies new knowledge and skills in the workplace.• Solution focused, challenges existing practices and suggests new ways of doing things. Willing to try new things, accepts responsibility and learns from own mistakes.• Remains positive and engages with change and service improvement. Remains open-minded to new ideas. Additional Information: • Degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent experience.• Professional certification in project management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, AGILE) is highly desirable.