Senior PMO Analyst

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Senior PMO Analyst

6 month Fixed Term Contract

Manchester: £51,900 - £58,000

Smart hybrid Working

Are you ready to lead and transform the future of education?

Are you excited by driving change and delivering excellence in complex programme environments? Do you thrive in a dynamic setting where your expertise and leadership can make a significant impact? If so, we want you to be part of our journey!

As our Senior PMO Analyst, you’ll play a pivotal role in collaborating with the Programme Manager and the wider Programme Management team to ensure the successful delivery of two high-impact programmes. You will set up and mature our holistic PMO services, guiding the team in co-ordination, planning, control, reporting, analysis, and storytelling through data-driven insights.

What will I be doing?

• Lead and mentor: Leverage your extensive experience to coach and mentor the PMO team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and cross-skilling.

• Influence and innovate: Use your expertise to challenge and guide the direction of delivery, ensuring our strategic programmes are on track to meet their objectives.

• Shape the future: Be at the forefront of modernising our scanning and marking technologies, and innovating with AI in assessment processes.

• Collaborate and excel: Work closely with stakeholders at all levels, building strong relationships that drive success across the organisation.

What’s in it for me?

• Generous leave: For this 6 month fixed term contract you will have approximately 13 days leave allocation plus additional Christmas and New Year’s leave.

• Wellbeing support: Access the cycle-to-work scheme, onsite gym games and yoga rooms (in Manchester Office), subsidised eateries , and mental health resources.

• Pension: Benefit from up to 11.5% employer pension contributions.

• Flexible work: Enjoy a balanced 35-hour work week with flexible hours. Office attendance is approximately two days a week, with some travel between offices.

What will I need to succeed:

• Proven experience: At least 5 years as a successful PMO Analyst in a complex programme environment.

• Expert knowledge: Mastery in analysis techniques, project management tools, and Microsoft 365 applications.

• Critical skills: Strong analytical, facilitation, and communication skills with the ability to influence and drive decisions.

• Leadership: A track record of leading by example, inspiring teams, and driving continuous improvement.

This is not just another PMO role—it’s an opportunity to be a key player in programmes that are transforming the way we work and deliver value to our customers. You’ll be instrumental in modernising processes, embracing innovation, and mentoring the next generation of PMO professionals.

If you’re ready to make a real difference and grow with us, we’d love to hear from you!

How do I apply?

Upload your most recent CV and a cover letter to explain how your skills and experience match what we need to apply now.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and if the right person is found we may close the advert early so please apply sooner rather than later.

#PRO22

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Full Job Description

Summary

Purpose:
The main purpose of the role is to collaborate with the Programme manager and the programme management team in delivery of the programme’s objectives. Including set-up and maturing of holistic PMO services such as; co-ordination, planning, control, reporting, analysis, insights and storytelling through slides.
The Senior PMO Analyst will also be required to have strong people skills; such as utilising their knowledge and experience of best practice to coach and mentor other PMO team members as well as building credibility in order to challenge and influence the direction of delivery on the programme. The role will report to the Head of Delivery PMO and work closely with the emerging Delivery PMO team while being matrix managed by the programme manager. The role is for an initial 6 month FTC with the possibility of extension.Landscape:
The post holder will work across two programmes to improve quality for our customers, achieve efficiencies and diversify our offering. A major part of the business is processing over 12 million exam scripts at out scanning centre. The programme seeks to modernise our scanning and marking technologies and processes. The second programme concerns innovating with AI across our assessment processes and products. 
The organisation wide change hubs are now imbedded to support and enable this delivery, one of which is the Delivery PMO. It is evolving further to solidify and mature it’s service offering to these strategic programmes. This role will have primary responsibility to the programmes but also be expected to contribute to the delivery PMO maturity roadmap through coaching and mentoring of team members where appropriate.
Activities:
Responsible for developing, running and continuously improving and maturing the PMO services to the Future Scanning and Marking/ AI for Assessment programmes in line with the overall PMO approach to delivery services. This includes but is not limited to: planning & resource planning support, RAID management, dependency management, change control, resource planning, benefits tracking and reporting, insights & analysis.
Coach, mentor and advise other team members to build overall knowledge and expertise on PMO standards and best practice driving personal and professional development to facilitate cross skilling in the team, identify ways to continually improve team processes and ways of working.
Develop strong working relationships with colleagues at all levels by working collaboratively together using data analysis, trend analysis and modelling to help make business optimum decisions.
Work closely with Head of Delivery PMO to support the creation and execution of assurance processes and maturity of PMO services.
To build and foster strong working relationships with colleagues and key business stakeholders on the programme and throughout AQA.
Deputising for Head of PMO as and when required.
To be successful in this role, you will need to know:
Experience
At least 5 years’ experience as a successful PMO analyst in a complex programme environment, with evidence of delivering tasks to a high level of quality
Knowledge
An expert knowledge of analysis techniques and the ability to gather, analyse and produce accurate artefacts and management information in a way that tells a clear story and enables effective decision making
A strong understanding and application of project management tools and methodologies such as Microsoft Project for the Web
Strong Microsoft 365 skills with applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and Project
Proven success of stakeholder engagement and management
A broad understanding of business in either a commercial or an educational environment
Skills
Strong critical evaluation and analytical skills
Able to take initiative and proactively lead projects, influencing and challenging business leaders using expertise and the highly developed communication skills required to advise colleagues
Able to manage multiple objectives
Able to constructively challenge and manage conflict
Ability to operate autonomously, an inspiring self-starter demonstrating passion, energy and drive.
Able to identify and lead initiatives to continually improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the team and service offering
Demonstrable ability to produce and maintain high quality documentation with strong attention to detail
Demonstrates strong facilitation skills (eg running workshops) to produce desired outcomes
Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills in a variety of situations
Demonstrates resilience and calmness under pressure to meet tight deadlines in complex contexts
Receive and give feedback and learn from mistakes for continuous self-development
Ability to influence people at all levels, across the organisation and outside, including negotiating and successfully facilitating joint decision making
A proven ability to adapt to new methods, tools and procedures
Demonstrates proactive collaborative working across functional areas to deliver shared goals
Leadership skills
Ability to take ownership of both PMO and continuous improvement activities, delivering through self and others
Inspire and motivate team members and other colleagues
Ability to coach and mentor individuals to support individual development and wider departmental continuous improvement
Ability to lead by example to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a range of partners and stakeholders