The public sector client is looking to recruit a Programme Support Officer for a 6 month temporary contract, which is likely to be extended thereafter. The successful candidate will be able to work remotely throughout the assignment.

Knowledge
Essential
• Awareness of task management, workflow or collaboration tools.
• Awareness of project and programme management frameworks and practices, such as; risk management, planning, and benefits tracking.
• Awareness of product management and its role in delivering products and services.
• Awareness of user centred design approaches and relevant methodologies.
• Awareness of the Agile manifesto and agile principles, and how they can be used to help deliver products and services.
• Awareness of continuous improvement, and the importance of reducing waste and inefficiency.

Desirable
• Awareness of NHS and national development and policy initiatives.
• Awareness of health service terminology and information requirements.
• Knowledge of GDS Service Standards.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards (W3C).
• Knowledge of key concepts for agile development: agile lifecycles the mechanics of scrums, sprints and Kanban.
• Knowledge of how the principles of continuous improvement can be applied in practice, and an understanding of how continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma can be applied.
• Knowledge of management topics such as: leadership and change management, organisational development, managing multidisciplinary teams etc.
• Knowledge of design and/or development techniques for digital services – including methodologies (design & user research) / platforms (web, iOS, Chrome) / tools/ environments / languages/ technologies.
• Awareness of various software development lifecycles such as waterfall and agile.

Skills and Experience
Essential
Presenting & Communicating Information
• Ability to communicate complex business sensitive information which requires agreement or co-operation from internal and external stakeholders, using persuasive, motivational, negotiating and training skills as required.
• Experience of presenting complex, sensitive or contentious information to large groups internally and externally.
• Experience of utilising a broad range of communication techniques, to understand stakeholder needs and own and deal with enquiries, requests and complaints to ensure resolution.
• Ability to create a shared understanding and purpose, both internally and externally to the delivery teams and to those impacted by expected changes.
• Experience in leading workshops, meetings, and events with a variety of audiences.

Planning & Organising
• Substantial experience supporting and working in delivery teams across multiple stages in the delivery lifecycle.
• Strong administrative skills, with experience supporting complex administration support functions and teams within a change environment, e.g. external and government assurance and review meetings.
• Strong organisational and delivery management skills, including ability to handle multiple, potentially conflicting, delivery objectives simultaneously.
• Experience of tracking work against delivery plans, reviewing progress against milestones and targets, taking steps to resolve impediments to progress.

• Experience in defining delivery objectives and approaches; establishing expectations, timelines, backlogs, release plans, iterative roadmaps, development backlogs and business cases.
• Ability to professionally challenge late submissions of information, to ensure that timescales are managed and understood.

Writing & Reporting
• Experience of managing document management controls and processes across a number of large projects to ensure accurate reporting.
• Experience of maintaining libraries of documentation (e.g. a configuration log) including version control and document status.
• Proven ability to collate and communicate complex information within the scope of the role’s responsibilities, e.g. high-quality reports and information about delivery progress to a range of internal and external stakeholders in a variety of different formats, within challenging deadlines.
• Experience monitoring and reporting on delivery progress in a variety of ways including standard reporting tools (dashboards, highlight reports, internal tracking database and work package trackers) within the agreed timescales and to the organisation’s standards for larger projects.

Following Instructions & Procedures
• Follows relevant procedures and policies as defined by NHS Digital e.g. commercial/finance/HR procedures.
• Experience of applying structured techniques to complex problem solving and utilising appropriate toolsets to achieve the desired outcomes.

• Experience of analysing, tracking and prioritising outstanding actions for the delivery team, taking proactive steps to ensure new actions generated are captured efficiently and delivered against to maintain pace of delivery for larger projects.

Learning and researching
• Experience collecting, analysing and manipulating complex data and information, including investigating and documenting issues and solutions.
• Experience of identifying trends and relationships between data sets and identifying correct data and inputs to support problem solving.
• Experience of producing complex research from a variety of topics using multiple methods, in order to produce consolidated findings.
• Ability to identify, raise and action areas for improvement for the delivery team, and to apply improvement recommendations from others.

Working with People
• Significant experience building effective relationships outside of the delivery team (internal and external); particularly across hierarchy and organisational structures.
• Experience assisting in the identification of key internal and external stakeholders and analysis of their interests, requirements, levels of influence and impact.