Job at a glance
Job Introduction Assurance Manager The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is seeking to appoint an experienced and strategic Assurance Manager to join our Corporate PMO team. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and shape the assurance function across our portfolio of projects and programmes, helping to ensure that our work is well-governed, deliverable and aligned with our priorities for the West of England.
Reporting directly to the Head of Corporate PMO, you will provide senior leadership and oversight across project and programme assurance. You will lead the development and continuous improvement of our assurance processes, including gateway reviews and project health checks, while providing constructive challenge and clear escalation where required. You will maintain a clear, evidence-based view of delivery confidence across the portfolio, identifying risks, trends and systemic issues to support timely and informed decision-making.
Working closely with senior leaders, project sponsors and delivery teams, you will help strengthen delivery and ensure that lessons are learned and embedded across the organisation. We're looking for someone with significant experience in PMO, assurance or governance who can operate confidently in a highly visible senior role. You'll be an excellent communicator and relationship builder, with the ability to provide independent challenge while working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels.
The role As our Assurance Manager, you will lead and own the portfolio-wide assurance function, ensuring consistent, proportionate and effective oversight across projects and programmes. Your key responsibilities will include: Leading and continuously improving the PMO assurance process, including gateway reviews and project health checks. Leading assurance activity at key decision points, ensuring projects are viable, affordable and deliverable.
Providing clear assurance outcomes, recommendations and escalation to support governance and decision-making. Maintaining a portfolio-wide view of delivery confidence, identifying risks, trends and systemic issues across projects and programmes. Providing independent challenge and oversight to ensure projects are well-governed and aligned with MCA priorities. Overseeing and quality assuring assurance activity across the Corporate PMO to ensure consistency, quality and robustness.
Acting as a senior escalation point for assurance findings and delivery concerns, working proactively with stakeholders to address issues. Providing oversight of portfolio-level risk management and ensuring risks are clearly identified, escalated and considered within assurance activity. Ensuring assurance activity considers intended outcomes, strategic alignment and value for money. Leading and supporting the coordination of gateway reviews and governance processes to ensure activity is timely, well-structured and aligned to PMO standards.
Ensuring assurance outputs, reporting and findings are clear, consistent and accessible to support leadership decision-making. Driving continuous improvement in assurance practices, embedding learning and strengthening delivery across the portfolio. Ensuring the consistent and proportionate application of PMO governance, controls and lifecycle standards. Acting as the MCA's client for projects delivered by external partners, providing clarity on MCA requirements and supporting successful delivery.
Line managing and developing Portfolio Leads and the Portfolio Coordinator, supporting their professional development and performance. About you We're looking for an experienced assurance, PMO or governance professional who can bring strategic oversight, sound judgement and a constructive approach to challenge. You will be comfortable working across a complex portfolio and able to see the bigger picture, identifying patterns, risks and opportunities to improve delivery performance.
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