Portfolio and Program Manager (CoW)

Sphera is a leading global provider of enterprise software and services that enables companies to manage and optimize their environmental, health, safety and sustainability. Our mission is to create a safer, more sustainable and productive world.

Sphera is a portfolio company of Blackstone, a U.S.-based alternative asset investment company that focuses on private equity, technology and innovation, and more. Blackstone businesses succeed through strong partnerships, a personalized approach and a commitment to exceptional performance with uncompromising integrity. Sphera and Blackstone are leaders in the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) space.

We are guided by our core values of Customer Centricity, Accountability, Bias to Action, Innovation, and Collaboration. These values help us recruit the right talent to join our rapidly expanding team of around the globe. It is important to us that each and every Spherion is not only eager to challenge themselves and knows how to get work done but is an awesome addition to our company culture.

The Portfolio/Programme Manager will be an integral part of the ORM Professional Services team. In this role you will be accountable for the planning, execution, and delivery of the portfolio of projects within one of three product lines (Control of Work, Master Data Management or Advanced Risk Assessment). You will acquire a deep understanding of Sphera’s systems and capabilities to provide solutions to a variety of business and technical challenges.  

This position is a senior and commercial role within the Professional Services team. The Portfolio/Programme Manager will own the successful delivery of all projects within the assigned portfolio, reporting progress, issues and risks to senior stakeholders internally and with Sphera’s customers where required. The role will require pro-active management in the prioritization of projects and resources in support of Sphera’s business objectives. Managing resource forecasts, the utilization of the teams and the fiscal/budget health of the overall portfolio of project is an essential part of this role.  

The Portfolio/Programme Manager is the single escalation point and overall accountable person for their assigned portfolio of projects. This role reports directly into the VP of Client Services for Operational Risk Management, and can require reporting and communication through to Sphera’s Executive Leadership Team on occasion.  

The Portfolio/Programme Manager, along with other colleagues and peers, will also be actively involved in supporting pre-sales activities in support of proposal and scope of work document creation (note: this is not a sales role). 
 

Responsibilities 

• Effectively manage execution of the portfolio of projects, including resources, forecasting, scheduling, budgeting & governance. 

• Ensure profitability of all projects within assigned portfolio (budgets, commercial controls). 

• Provide regular programme reporting to key stakeholders including customers, senior management, and executives. 

• Ensure excellence in portfolio project delivery with consistent application of best practice principles and in line with Sphera’s project implementation methodologies. 

• Ensure project & programme revenue forecasting accuracy, actively managing risks and seeking to identify recovery options. 

• Oversee and ensure all project status materials are compiled and completed in a timely fashion. Document and distribute project and activity status on regular basis. 

• Provide guidance and support to assigned project managers as relates to execution of the assigned portfolio. 

• Coordinating the portfolio of projects and their interdependencies; 

• Managing and utilizing resources across projects; 

• Manage project escalations, both internal and client based. 

• Support the maintenance of project management methodologies, policies and procedures; instil continuous improvement practices on teams. 

• Maintain an attitude of commitment and exhibit responsibility for the needs of portfolio projects and external customers. 

• Identify risks, perform risk analysis, effectively manage risks; proactively raise prioritization and scheduling trade-off decisions, escalating and identifying alternate options as appropriate; establish & follow Risk Management processes. 

• Work with other Portfolio/Programme Managers to identify risks and opportunities across multiple projects within the department 

• Assess existing processes and identify opportunity for improvement. 

Qualifications: 

•   Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or similar 
• 7+ years’ experience as project manager, delivering complex system integrated business application projects.  
• Programme & Portfolio management experience; experience managing or providing guidance to experienced project managers. 

• Experience managing the fiscal portfolio KPI’s within a consulting/Professional Services software delivery model  

• PMP or PRINCE2 practitioner level certified with current credentials. 

• Ideally has MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) certified. 

• Deep knowledge of the software development lifecycle from requirements gathering to post-implementation customer support and customer adoption. 

• Experience presenting to executive level leaders. 

• Strong organizational skills as well as the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities, assignments, and roles. 

• Self-motivated; able to work independently while coordinating activities with cross-divisional teams. 

• Team player; able to communicate with technical and business experts at all levels of the organization. 

• Excellent MS Office experience (Project, Power Point, Excel, Visio). 

• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to think strategically. 

• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.

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Sphera is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the job and the general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.