Head of Project Management

Job description

The Head of Project Management (HPM) is responsible for establishing, managing, and continuously improving the organization’s project management framework, governance standards, methodologies, and delivery practices. The role ensures that all projects are delivered on time, within scope, within budget, and aligned with strategic business objectives.

The Head of Project Management provides leadership across project portfolios, oversees project managers and implementation teams, manages project risks and reporting, and drives operational excellence in project execution.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement the organization’s PM strategy, policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Align project delivery with organizational goals and strategic priorities.
• Establish project management standards, tools, templates, and best practices.
• Provide executive leadership with portfolio-level reporting and project performance insights.
• Drive a culture of accountability, performance, and continuous improvement across all projects.

Project Portfolio Management

• Oversee the planning, execution, monitoring, and successful delivery of all organizational projects.
• Prioritize projects based on strategic importance, resources, timelines, and business impact.
• Ensure proper project scheduling, budgeting, resource allocation, and risk management.
• Monitor project performance using KPIs, dashboards, and reporting frameworks.
• Manage project dependencies, escalations, and change control processes.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead, mentor, and supervise project managers, coordinators, and implementation teams.
• Build project management capability across the organization.
• Conduct performance evaluations and support professional development initiatives.
• Foster collaboration between technical, operational, and business teams.

Governance, Risk, and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with project governance standards and organizational policies.
• Identify and mitigate project risks and operational bottlenecks.
• Establish quality assurance and project audit mechanisms.
• Ensure proper documentation, reporting, and project closure procedures.

Stakeholder Management

• Engage internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful project outcomes.
• Provide regular project updates to executive management and clients.
• Manage vendor, consultant, and partner relationships where applicable.
• Facilitate project steering committee meetings and governance reviews.

Financial and Resource Management

• Oversee project budgets, forecasting, and cost control measures.
• Ensure efficient utilization of project resources.
• Support procurement and contract management processes related to projects.
• Track project financial performance and ensure value realization.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in project management, Business Administration, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field.
• Master’s degree in business administration (MBA) or related field is an added advantage.
• Professional certification such as PMP, PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent is required.
• Minimum of 8–10 years’ experience in project management, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven experience managing large-scale, multi-disciplinary projects and project portfolios.
• Experience in ICT, systems implementation, software development, infrastructure, or enterprise transformation projects is an added advantage.

Key Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent project planning and organizational abilities.
• Strong understanding of project management methodologies and frameworks.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Financial management and budgeting skills.
• Risk management and decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines.
• Proficiency in project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Jira, Trello, Asana, or equivalent