PMO Planning Support Officer

PMO Planning Support Officer 

Salary: Band C £28,498 gross per annum (A Specialist Allowance of up to £1,000 per annum is also available for this role)

Hours: Full-Time (We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants)

Contract Type: Open-Ended

Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington

As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y.

Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers, and business development team explore the unknown and turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. Whether it’s sending probes into space or finding new ways to treat cancer, everyone here plays a vital role in making a positive difference to society. 

Come and discover how much you can achieve when you’re surrounded by world-leading experts, encouraged to constantly learn, and empowered to explore your curiosity. 

About Us

The Hartree Centre is within the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and part of UK Research and Innovation. We are funded by UK Government to support businesses and the public sector on their digital journey, so we can grow the economy, create skilled jobs and keep the UK at the forefront of digital innovation.

We help organisations with an appetite for change, who are ready to innovate and create useful solutions to explore and adopt advanced digital technologies, including high performance computing (HPC), data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). We are home to some of the most advanced computing, data and AI technologies in the UK and form an important part of the UK’s research and innovation ecosystem alongside our global network of academic research communities and technology partners.

With the help of our experts and technologies, UK organisations can enhance products and processes more quickly than using conventional R&D methods, adopt new digital technologies, upskill their staff and expand into new markets. 

Reasons our staff enjoy working for us:

• We’re based at Sci-Tech Daresbury – a lively and dynamic campus bringing together SMEs and leading industry-academic collaborations located in a picturesque, semi-rural location with easy access to canal-side and woodland walking.
• We are less than two miles from the M56 motorway with public transport links and access to Warrington and Runcorn national rail stations. Advice on all aspects of travel to site including car sharing is available at: https://www.sci-techdaresbury.com/the-campus/travel-hub/.
• Additionally, we have staff based at our Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (Harwell Campus) and our offices at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh.
• 30 days annual leave plus 10.5 public and privilege days.
• Options for flexible or hybrid working patterns are available.
• Excellent defined average salary pension.
• There are different active sport and social groups across the campuses with access to on-site gyms for staff
• Personal development is key. You will work with your line manager to develop your own Learning and Development plan each year.
• We value collaborative working across STFC and with our external collaborators such as IBM Research, The University of Liverpool’s Virtual Engineering Centre, Atos, NVIDIA, Unilever, the Met Office and many more.
• Diversity and inclusion are important to us. UKRI has a corporate policy on Equality and Diversity which is supported by a Diversity Forum and implementation group.
• For more information on the rest of our employee benefits, take a look at: http://www.stfccareers.co.uk/why-join/rewards-and-benefits/.

About the Role

This role will be positioned within the Hartree Centre Programme Management Office (PMO). The role holder will work closely with the PMO Budget and Planning Manager and other members of the PMO to ensure the seamless planning of staff and machine resources across the centre. The role will involve planning future resource allocations, understanding actual resource spend against forecast and identifying exceptions for further action. In addition, the role will support other key staff by establishing resource plans and reconciling differences between Programme Management Office (PMO) and Group Leader (GL) views.

Key Responsibilities

• Communicate regularly with a range of Group Leads and Project Managers to identify and address any issues relating to staff under or over allocation. Collaborate with key stakeholders to offer solutions to these issues in a timely manner.
• Work with PMO colleagues to produce a weekly “single source of truth” people-centric resourcing plan for all staff in the Hartree Centre to maintain an accurate understanding of current and planned work
• Monitor and maintain the Hartree Centre Resource email inbox; responding to queries in a timely manner.
• Provide training to new starters on how to fill in weekly timesheets.
• Work with staff who have missing time bookings and ensure completion so there is a full and accurate resource picture across the Centre.
• Produce a series of plan views tailored to the specific needs of the ADO, GLs and the PMO on a scheduled basis.
• Produce a weekly exception forecast highlighting projected over or under-allocation of staff effort.
• Produce a weekly utilisation forecast highlighting system usage and over or under-allocation of capacity.
• Work to find efficiencies and drive operational improvements in current processes.
• Maintain specific areas of the Hartree Centre portfolio management tool, such as addition of new starters to correct teams and removal of any leavers to ensure a correct and accurate resource profile across the centre.
• Have responsibility for maintaining accurate resource forecasts for non-project budgets across financial years.

Person Specification

The below criteria will be assessed at Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I):

• Proven detail-focussed experience in a project coordination, planning or resourcing role. (S)
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills. Able to communicate effectively with staff at all levels in the organisation, including delivering presentations when required. (I)
• Possesses a strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office and especially adept at using Microsoft Excel. (S)
• Proactive and innovative approach to problem solving – ability to ‘think outside the box’ and propose alternative solutions to resolve issues. (S&I)
• Able to make effective and sensible decisions on own initiative. Takes ownership of decisions and any corrective action needed. (I)
• Able to demonstrate a continuous improvement approach (S&I)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (S&I)

Join us and discover what’s possible!

About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 

As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We’re proud of the impact we make. And we’re committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You’ll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you’ll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you’ll discover just what a difference you can make when you’re equipped and inspired to excel.

We’re a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don’t, ask questions that others won’t, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it’s at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It’s very often ground-breaking. And it’s endlessly, irresistibly fascinating.

For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/ 

You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/ 

About UK Research Innovation (UKRI) 

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. 

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation. 

More information can be found at www.ukri.org. 

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

How we support EDI in the workforce 

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’. 

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. 

How to apply 

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application. 

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us. 

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