The Programme Manager holds responsibility for ensuring that individual projects align with the overarching programme objectives during capability delivery. This role coordinates the interdependencies, monitors progress, and manages risks to ensure projects collectively deliver the intended outcomes.
The MSP Practitioner notes: "Programme manager is responsible for all tasks in delivering the capability.
This is a continual activity throughout the programme." This alignment ensures that outputs contribute directly to the transformational goals and benefit realization plan, avoiding scope creep or misaligned efforts.
While the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) provides strategic accountability and the Business Change Manager (BCM) focuses on benefits realization, the Programme Manager operationalizes these objectives through effective project oversight and control.
The Programme Office supports through administrative and coordination activities but does not have direct accountability for strategic alignment of projects.
Maintaining this alignment is critical for delivering business value and achieving programme success in complex transformational environments.
Topic 1, Programme Scenario - The Smart Meter Programme
Universal Utilities (UU) supplies electricity, gas, water and services to the residents and businesses of North City.
They have recently completed the rollout of smart metering services to electricity and gas customers and now wish to install smart metering for water.
A smart meter sends meter readings electronically to UU without the need for a meter reader to come to the premises. Smart meters come with displays so that customers can better understand and manage usage.
UU competes with other suppliers for the delivery of electricity and gas but is the sole supplier of water services to homes and businesses in North City.
As a result of the implementation of smart metering services across North City, UU is expecting to see benefits as a result of the following capabilities:
The ability to provide a single bill to customers for electricity, gas and water.
. The ability to add electricity and gas supply to those customers to whom they only currently supply water by providing a competitive package for all utilities.
. The ability to leverage existing sales teams, increasing sales but reducing costs.
. The ability to leverage existing maintenance and engineering teams by cross-training.
The ability to leverage existing research and development capability, enabling greater innovation at reduced costs.
. The ability to reduce costs by no longer needing to employ staff to visit premises and read water meters.
The ability to simplify HR processes by having unified employment contracts for all customer-facing staff.
. The ability to integrate all customer services into a single customer call centre service.
The extract from the benefits map below illustrates the high-level view of the benefits, as identified in the
'design
the outcomes' process.
This benefits map is intended to be correct, but is not complete, as it is only an extract.
Additional Information
The CEO of UU has been working in the Utility industry for over 30 years, initially starting their career as a meter reader. They would like to see the full benefits of the Smart Meter Programme realized before their retirement in 3 years' time.
The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) is the former CFO of a major bank and has recently been appointed as CFO to UU. They are keen to make their mark in UU and want to see an increase in profitability and share price from the reduced costs and increased sales.
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) has an engineering background within the utility industry and had overall responsibility for the delivery of the successful electricity and gas smart meter implementation programme which was recently completed 6 months ahead of schedule.
The Chief Research Officer (CRQ) is responsible for research and development into new products. They have a small number of engineers and other technicians who carry out the research and innovation. They were responsible for the development of the technology which enables water supply to be read using a smart meter.
The Human Resources (HR) Director is responsible for ensuring that the terms and conditions and working conditions are appropriate and in line with market expectations so that high-quality staff can be recruited and retained. They are an HR specialist and have a track record of working with organizations in rationalizing and simplifying staff structures and employment contracts.
The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is responsible for all internal IT matters including security, networks and applications as well as the communication technology which enables communication with smart meters remotely.
The Chief Engineering Officer (CEngO) is responsible for all the infrastructure that delivers water to customers in North City. The infrastructure is ageing and one of their major responsibilities is the reduction in losses through leakage from water mains. They are responsible for all the staff who service and manage the delivery of the utility infrastructure. This includes the current meter readers as well as staff who deal with routine and emergency responses to reported incidents.
The Finance Manager manages all the customer billing and accounting services. They are ambitious and have gained many qualifications in project and programme management. They report to the CFO but worked closely with the COO to help manage the financial aspects of the smart meter implementation programme.
The Call Centre Manager has worked at UU for 20 years within customer services and is responsible for the management of all the staff working in the call centre. The call centre was previously outsourced, but two years ago it was decided that this function would be brought back in-house - the Call Centre Manager was responsible for managing this successful project.
The Call Centre Supervisor joined UU five years ago as a graduate trainee and spent six months with each of the UU divisions. They then spent a year working in the portfolio office before being appointed to their current role 18 months ago. They worked closely with the COO as the call centre representative during the smart meter implementation, which allowed them to gain the confidence of the senior management team.
The Complaints Team Manager reports to the COO and is responsible for managing a team that responds to complaints made directly to UU or to the Industry regulator. The complaints team members are from the whole of UU, and each team member has experience in all aspects of the work of UU. They are responsible for ensuring that individual complaints are resolved, and also that any lessons learned are implemented across the organization.
The Chief Information Security Auditor reports to the CFO and is responsible for performing internal audits and testing of security controls. They conduct annual policy and process reviews across the whole of UU.
The Portfolio Office Manager manages a small team that develops and maintains the standards and templates for all programmes and projects across UU to use. It includes project and programme support staff as well some senior staff who are responsible for managing, delivering and auditing programme controls.
The Portfolio Management Office Assistant is a junior role providing a range of administrative and support functions for the Portfolio Management Office. They act as the initial point of contact for the PMO for all IT Services staff. They work closely with project managers and other staff within IT Services to ensure that projects are conducted according to the IT Services project methodology, and to assist in the preparation of project documents and meetings as required.
The Research Team Manager joined UU through the graduate trainee scheme but has undertaken additional programme and project management training. In their current role, they manage the research teams with responsibility for scheduling, and ensuring that the cost and resource budgets are met.
Web 'n' Go are a specialist external company providing expert digital services. The delivery of customer web- based portal services has been outsourced to them. These are needed to enable the single customer services call centre.
OEB Associates are a management consultancy that has worked with the CFO in their previous role at a major bank. The CFO has engaged them to undertake an independent review of UU to assist them in their aims of delivering an increase in profitability and share price.
