Programme Control Officer

We are working with a public sector organisation who are looking for a Programme Control Officer to provide hands-on programme support within a live, well-governed infrastructure programme, focusing on maintaining delivery cadence, ensuring high-quality programme controls and reducing administrative overhead for the Programme Manager and Project Managers.
The role is focused on operating and enforcing established governance, with particular emphasis on RAID discipline, meeting effectiveness and proactive stakeholder coordination.

Duration: Initially 3 months (extendable)
Location: Primarily remote with occasional on-site attendance as required in Birmingham
Day Rate: £300/day plus agency fees
Start Date: ASAP

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Governance & Delivery Support

Support established governance forums (not set-up), including scheduling, agenda preparation, minute-taking and action tracking
Attend Programme Manager and Project Manager meetings to capture key outputs, risks and actions
Ensure governance cadence is maintained and adhered to across all workstreams
Proactively follow up on actions and ensure timely completion

RAID & Programme Controls (Critical Focus Area)

Own the maintenance and quality assurance of the programme-level RAID log and action trackers
Ensure all RAID entries are up to date, clearly articulated, and decision-ready
Work closely with PMs to ensure consistent quality and structure of RAID inputs
Challenge vague or incomplete entries and enforce quality standards
Proactively drive RAID updates across PMs, ensuring no gaps in weekly governance inputs
Track and manage dependencies across projects and workstreams

Reporting & Tracking

Consolidate PM inputs into programme-level reporting (highlight reports, dashboards) for the Programme Manager
Maintain and manage existing Excel-based trackers ensuring accuracy and completeness
Track delivery progress against milestones and highlight risks to delivery

Meeting & Coordination Support

Provide direct support to 1 Programme Manager (main) and 2 Project Managers
Take high-quality minutes (AI-assisted where appropriate, but reviewed and cleansed)
Act as a central coordination point across delivery teams and SMEs
Ensure timely submission of governance inputs

Artefact & Document Management

Maintain SharePoint and ensure artefacts are current, structured and version-controlled
Manage storage and accessibility of key programme documentation
RAID OPERATING MODEL (EXPECTATION OF THE ROLE)
The PCO/PSO will be responsible for running RAID as a disciplined weekly control process, not just maintaining the log.
Ownership Model

Project Managers (PMs): Own RAID content (risks, issues, mitigations, updates)
PCO / PSO: Own RAID management, quality, and governance discipline
Weekly Cadence

Pre-governance:
Chase PM updates
Review and challenge RAID entries
Ensure entries are complete and coherent
Ensure established governance is consistently applied, and adapt processes where required to support delivery
Governance meetings:
Capture updates, decisions, and escalations
Ensure key RAID items are clearly presented
Post-governance:
Update RAID logs and trackers
Track actions and follow-ups
Escalate gaps or non-compliance
Expectation

Maintain a single version of truth at programme level
Ensure RAID is accurate, current, and actionable
Drive consistency and proactive management across all workstreams
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Strong experience as a PCO / PSO within large IT infrastructure or transformation programmes
Proven experience supporting Programme Managers and multiple Project Managers directly
Strong understanding of RAID management as a governance discipline
Strong Excel skills (comfortable managing and maintaining complex trackers)
Experience working within established governance structures (delivery phase, not just setup)
Ability to operate in a fast-paced, delivery-focused environment
Excellent organisational, communication and stakeholder engagement skills
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE

Infrastructure, cloud, or security programme exposure
Public sector or highly governed environment experience
Familiarity with PRINCE2, MSP, or similar frameworks
DELIVERABLES

Accurate and high-quality programme RAID logs and trackers
Governance packs (agenda, minutes, actions)
Weekly reporting inputs and dashboards
Maintained and reliable programme artefacts and trackers

What you need to do now

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