Head of PMO KSA – Central Asia

Location: Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaIn fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.We have been present in Saudi Arabia for 40 years and with over 600 employees to date, we are growing rapidly. Together we are delivering our signalling, control and train protection systems for the North –South Railway (NSR), the longest system of it’s kind in the world. Together we are key suppliers of In-flight entertainment and connectivity systems as well as air traffic management solutions in Saudi. We are making Saudi Arabia a safer place by securing the country’s critical infrastructure and e-security solutions that secure the country’s electronic payment systems. Thales has been selected to supply major electronic systems for air defence and the Group also supplied communication and optronic systems for the Army, the Saudi Arabia National Guards and the Air Force.

JOB OBJECTIVE

The missions of the KSA-CA Head PMO are the following:

Developing and leading the project/program management office (PMO): The PMO is a ‘Centre of Excellence’ that helps achieve better quality, consistency and oversight of projects across an enterprise by developing and maintaining project management methodologies, standards and tools
Establishing the organization’s approach to the full life cycle of projects: This includes everything from project planning, initiation, resourcing and execution to monitoring, control and completion.

Ensuring the PMO meets performance targets:

Align with the organization’s strategic objectives and adhere to best practices
Acting as a trusted strategic advisor: May work alongside business leaders to help determine which projects should be undertaken why and when, not just how.
There are four typical areas of focus for a PMO. The mandate and expertise of the Head of PMO the may vary, emphasizing one, or a combination of, the following four areas of focus:
Project management governance
Project management team leadership
Project tracking and monitoring
Project prioritization

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Management Governance:
Establish the PMO role and operating model
Set standards for project management capabilities, including certifications and qualifications for Project Managers, success measurement criteria, methodologies, tools to be used, etc.
Share project management and knowledge of industry best practices
Monitor compliance with policies and standards.

Project Management Team Leadership:
Establish the PMO organization structure, hiring and managing staffing requirements in line with project objectives
Oversee the delegation of work to Project Managers, Program Managers
Set annual performance targets for individuals and the team and conduct performance reviews.

Project Tracking & Monitoring:
Track and provide project status and audit reports
Manage the risk, issue and change resolution process, and work with other leaders to take corrective action as needed
Oversee Projects for the delivery on time, within scope and on budget.

Project Prioritization
Provide executive leaders with the information needed to assess which proposals have the highest potential value, impact and strategic alignment
Interface with executives to define project priorities and implementation opportunities and challenges, and keep them up-to-date with project risks and opportunities
Work closely with function to identify areas of improvement
Lead corporate/Regional performance initiatives
Harmonize Bids & Projects best practices within the region to increase competitiveness and improve profitability
Consolidate Workload forecasts within the region
Consolidate Regional reporting (Cash/Operational Milestones)

WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

10 years of experience of working on large scale and multi-countries Projects
5 years of experience in managing Project Management Office.
3 years of experience of running PMO teams on large multi-discipline and entities projects

QUALIFICATION, CERTIFICATION & EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Minimum a Bachelor Degree or equivalent in relevant field
10 years of managerial experience.
Formal PM Qualifications or equivalent level: APM Practitioner, IPMA Level B: Prince II Practitioner, PMP

PREFERRED SKILLS

Expert-level knowledge of project and change management and associated methodologies, techniques, processes and approaches (e.g. Project and Portfolio Management Methodology – PPM)
Budget, cost and profitability management skills
Knowledge of resource management
Credibility as a senior-level project leader
Strategic Thinking: Ability to juggle multiple goals and deadlines in the context of the big picture
Team Leadership & Development: Ability to mentor, coach and effectively transfer expertise to others
Facilitation, Negotiation & Problem Resolution Skills: Ability to build a strong network and relationships at executive levels with technology and solutions, customers and vendor groups
Resilience and resourcefulness
Digital mindset

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Great journeys start here, apply now!