Job description
Lead PMO excellence delivering secure pensions for Scotland’s key services
The Scottish Public Pensions Agency is an Agency of the Scottish Government. Our principal role is to administer the pensions for employees in the National Health Service, Teachers’, Police and Fire-fighters’ pension schemes in Scotland.
The Senior PMO Manager is responsible for ensuring the PMO delivers the critical services needed to guide SPPA portfolios, programmes and projects from inception to closure – by setting standards, co-ordinating and supporting delivery and providing assurance to SPPA SROs. In doing so, the postholder will lead the PMO and be a role model for portfolio, programme and project success across the SPPA.
Responsibilities
- Ensure appropriate governance arrangements are in place and are operating smoothly, with SROs and relevant groups receiving meaningful and timely reports which support effective decision making and delivery of measurable benefits and improvements.
- Act as a role model for portfolio, programme and project hygiene, providing support to project teams on planning, resource forecasting, change control, milestone management and risk, and issue and dependency identification and management. Ensure standardised documentation is accurate, high quality, relevant and timely.
- Develop a suitable library of tools and processes in areas such as RAID, quality and benefits management and work closely with project teams to embed high standards of portfolio, programme and project management across the SPPA. Provide constructive challenge to ensure delivery of milestones and achievement of outcomes.
- Lead and coordinate portfolio, programme and project assurance activities (e.g. Gateway and audit) and contribute to the management of related frameworks and standards.
- Support the Head of Operational Transformation (jobshare) in preparing timely and meaningful advice to the Chief Transformation Officer and Chief Operating Officer, ensuring emerging issues and risks are escalated as required.
- Build cohesion and resilience within the PMO, supporting the personal development of Band B team members and ensuring they contribute fully.
About Us
The Scottish Public Pensions Agency is an Agency of the Scottish Government. Our principal role is to administer the pensions for employees in the National Health Service, Teachers’, Police and Fire-fighters’ pension schemes in Scotland for over 640,000 key workers. The Agency administers these public service pension schemes on behalf of Scottish Ministers with an annual pension spend to over 200,000 pensioners to the value of more than £3.7 billion.
Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service observing the Civil Service Code and working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.
We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer .
As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules .
You can also find out more about careers at the SPPA here - SPPA Careers | SPPA (pensions.gov.scot )
Working Pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week. We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options, with two days minimum working on site at SPPA. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
Security Checks
Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).
You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website , or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide .
Sponsorship
Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.
Equality Statement
We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.
Further Information
Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website .
Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.
We will hold a reserve list for this post for 12 months.
Apply Before: 5th July 2026 (23:59)
Qualifications
Senior PMO Managers must have a professional level qualification, such as APM’s PMQ or Axelos’ P3O qualifications.
Success profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.
Experience:
Technical / Professional Skills:
Benefits Management - Expert - Benefits management is the ability to identify, quantify, map and track project benefits to justify investment in the project, and to provide assurance that the benefits identified can be realised.
Definition of Expert - You are required to have extensive knowledge and experience of performing in a Project Delivery capacity. By your expertise, you can improve processes and structures to reduce risk or support greater delivery, and could be expected to train and supervise the work of others, building their capability in the process.
Behaviours:
Find out more about what the different levels for the behaviours mean in our candidate guide .
How To Apply
Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1,000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation.
Sifting will commence from w/c 6th July 2026.
Assessments are scheduled for w/c 20th July 2026, however this may be subject to change.
Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.
