Project management (PMO) support for a local authority
The council had faced challenges with audits which had identified weaknesses in process and controls.
Background
We were engaged in conducting a structured review of finance processes and organisation design, which included assessing the robustness of processes and controls, documenting process hand-offs and identifying inefficiencies.
As part of an additional project phase, We were asked to provide PMO support to oversee the implementation of improvements as part of a finance transformation programme. We developed the PMO framework which included over twelve workstreams with bespoke initiatives, which were designed to achieve the workstream and overall objectives of the transformation programme. The PMO framework used our programme management toolkits, which were tailored to meet the specific needs of the client.
The PMO structure aimed to provide oversight and control to senior management of ongoing projects, costs and resources. It was also designed to improve collaboration and ways of working to ensure that culture change was embedded across the organisation.
Approach
Our project management experience and toolkit enabled the PMO structure to be implemented quickly and efficiently. This approach included:
- Identifying an appropriate steering committee, workstream leads and key stakeholders responsible for overseeing workstream initiatives
- Assigning clear roles and responsibilities for the steering committee, PMO and workstream leads
- Establishing programme guiding principles, workstream objectives and initiatives
- Developing initiative plans including key milestones and resourcing requirements which were signed off by the steering committee
- Developing a communications strategy in partnership with internal client change management teams to support embedding cultural change
- Providing regular status updates of project progress, risks and escalation to the steering committee.
This approach included engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to improve existing siloed ways of working and ensuring that all interdependencies were considered.
Outcome
Workstream initiatives were focused on their specific objectives and improvement opportunities e.g. process or systems specific. The overarching PMO structure provided benefits to improve wider organisational challenges identified in the initial review. These outcomes included:
- Transformation programme linked to overall strategy, feeding improvements into sourcing a new ERP system
- Milestone plans which considered resourcing requirements, interdependencies and sequencing of initiatives
- Execution of actions through monitoring against plans and holding people to account with the steering committee in place for escalations
- Clear oversight of project statuses for senior management, highlighting and mitigating risks
- Improved collaboration by identifying interdependencies and engaging key stakeholders through a clear communication plan
The PMO supported the implementation of an improved control environment with more efficient processes and improved communication resulting in meaningful cultural change
Our tools and solutions
Our approach to change management, while rooted in current academic research, is also founded upon practical change techniques and tools that help drive sustainable change. We also conduct leading-edge research such as Board Leadership of Corporate Culture in Europe in association with Board Agenda and INSEAD, which highlighted the mismatch between words and actions at the board level on cultural change.
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