Project Officer
Grade E - £29,540 to £32,597 per annum
Permanent
37 hours per week
The Project Officer will play a critical role in supporting the delivery of key projects within the organisation by ensuring effective planning, coordination, and execution. The successful candidate will collaborate with various teams, monitor project progress, and provide administrative and operational support.
Key Responsibilities/Skills:
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Support to the Project Managers and Business Analyst within the Programme Management Office (PMO) in the delivery of corporate, digital and transformational projects.
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Support for the ongoing design and management of the Councils’ project management toolkit and portfolio of projects and programmes
Project Administration:
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Provide comprehensive project support and coordination to the PMO team members (project managers and business analyst)
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Lead in the organisation of project meetings, including taking accurate minutes and ensuring appropriate follow-up actions are taken where requested.
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Co-ordinate project activities, supporting the scheduling of workshops, meetings, and team sessions.
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Manage project documentation effectively, effective use of SharePoint ensuring records such as project plans, reports, and meeting minutes are shared, maintained and updated in a timely manner.
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Assist project managers with system testing exercises (UAT) and liaise with third-party suppliers to report feedback. This includes organising UAT and training sessions, booking rooms and equipment, and managing attendance registers.
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Raise purchase orders, process invoices and keep track of project budgets where necessary
Project Tracking & Reporting including corporate performance reporting:
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Track and monitor project progress, ensuring alignment with timelines, deliverables, and budgets, while assisting with the tracking of KPIs and other relevant metrics.
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Maintain project timelines, ensuring tasks are completed on schedule.
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Assist in the preparation, update, and maintenance of project plans and timelines using project management tools such as MS Project, ensuring consistency and accuracy throughout the project lifecycle.
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Track and monitor corporate quarterly performance monitoring using tools such as PowerBi
Risk & Issue Management:
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Support the identification, recording and management of project risks, issues, and dependencies.
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Escalate any risks, delays, or issues to the project manager promptly for resolution.
Stakeholder Management:
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Support project managers with stakeholder engagement and maintaining relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
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Coordinate and organise meetings, ensuring that all stakeholders are kept informed about project progress.
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To work in partnership with colleagues across the Council, to the values and principles of the organisation
Other Support Duties:
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Providing ad-hoc support across various departments, including the Digital Team, and other service areas.
Essential Criteria:
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Proven experience in a project support or coordination role
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Familiarity with project management methodologies, such as PRINCE2.
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Experience in project administration, including tracking progress and reporting.
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Strong communication skills, both digital and in person.
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Excellent organisational and self-management skills.
Skills:
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Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise your workload and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels.
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Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and project management tools (MS Project).
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Problem-solving skills and a proactive attitude toward identifying and addressing challenges.
Education:
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Diploma/NVQ or similar qualification in Business Administration, Project Management
Personal Attributes:
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Problem-solving skills and a proactive attitude toward identifying and addressing challenges.
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Strong attention to detail and the ability to work under pressure.
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A team player with a collaborative and positive approach to work.
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Adaptable and able to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Desirable Criteria:
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Willingness and commitment to undertake training and development in areas that will result in increased performance of the individual, the team, and the Service
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Experience of working in a changing environment
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Experience of carrying out the administration of data and systems
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Experience of working in a project related environment
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Experience of working in a role where conflicting priorities are a daily challenge to be overcome
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Experience of working in Local Government
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A clear and demonstrable understanding of the Local Government context.
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Business analysis and process improvement experience including technical ability to use software such as MS Visio and PowerBi
What we can offer you
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A competitive salary
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Support for your continuous professional development
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Generous Leave Allowance
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Free Parking
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Local Government Pension Scheme
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Flexible working/Hybrid working to support your work-life balance
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Family Friendly Packages
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A comprehensive benefits package, find out more on our website www.havant.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers
Living Our Values
At Havant Borough Council, our values shape how we work, make decisions and serve our communities. We're looking for people who demonstrate our values every day:
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Ambitious: we want to be the best for our Borough, our communities, and partners; We are performance driven.
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Accountable: we take personal responsibility for our decisions; we are one team.
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Collaborative: we develop strong, productive relationships.
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Agile: we are responsive to change; we evolve our ways of working.
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H’avant Garde: we are solutions-focused, and we learn continuously.
If these values describe you, we would love to hear in your covering letter how you demonstrated them in your career and experience.
If you would like to discuss the role, please contact Nicola Hope, Senior Project Manager on 023 9244 6067 or email [email protected]
To Apply
Please click apply and complete the short application process (3-4) minutes. Please ensure you attach your CV and a covering letter, when completing your application on our recruitment platform Hireful – www.havant.gov.uk/jobs-us-apply-now. We will not be able to progress your application further unless you provide a covering letter detailing how you meet the essential and desirable criteria in the role profile.
Closing date for receipt of applications is midnight on 11th September 2026 and interviews will be held on 29th and 30th September 2026.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. We would encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.
Due to the current employment climate, we are receiving a high number of applicants for each post and as such may not be able to acknowledge receipt of your application. You will however be notified as to whether you made the shortlist soon after the closing date.
We want our workforce to reflect our diverse local communities, therefore, we encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. www.havant.gov.uk/our-organisation/equality-and-diversity
The council is an inclusive employer and appoints on merit. We are a Disability Confident Employer and have a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for Veterans.
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff members to share this commitment.
Havant Borough Council is a Category 1 Responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. All employees of the Authority will be expected to support any necessary actions required during an emergency response.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
As part of Local Government Reorganisation, current plans will see us combine with Portsmouth City Council and the district and borough councils of Fareham, Gosport and parts of East Hampshire and Winchester district councils to form a new, larger unitary authority for South East Hampshire.
We are working towards an implementation date of 1 April 2028, known as vesting day, subject to Parliamentary approval. Until then, we remain focused on maintaining continuity, supporting our workforce, and continuing to deliver excellent services to our residents throughout the transition to the new unitary authority.
This is an exciting time to join us, offering the opportunity to contribute to organisational transformation, develop your career, and help shape future services for our communities.
More information about Local Government Reorganisation can be found on our website:
Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) | Havant Borough Council
