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PPM and Careers
Mainstreaming Programme and Project Management
PPM competencies are critical to successful delivery and we need mainstream civil servants to be proficient in policy-making and delivery. It is becoming more and more evident that there are disproportionate skills in operational and policy compared with delivery skills. The PPM specialism is one factor in promoting the inclusion of those delivery skills into the mainstream.
The Successful Delivery Skills team is working jointly with CDG on the Professional Skills for Government (PSG) initiave which was launched in October 2004 by the Cabinet Office. PSG aims to develop and improve the Civil Service, and ensure that staff have the right skills and expertise to enable their departments to provide their services effectively, and the relevant skills and expertise which can be used to develop their careers.
Project Managers and Programme Managers
Throughout these pages when we say 'Project Manager' we refer to client project managers as defined in the Successful Delivery Toolkit (broadly as in PRINCE2 and Managing Successful Programmes-MSP) and project sponsor in Achieving Excellence in Construction; Team Manager as defined in PRINCE2 and the equivalent of deputy/assistant project sponsor in Achieving Excellence.Similarly, we mean the definition of programme manager as shown in the toolkit and MSP. For the reader's convenience we will only refer to Project Manager, Team Manager and Programme Manager in the text. Such terms as Project or Programme Director are excluded as they are covered in the roles of Project Manager and Programme Manager respectively.
The maturity of information on Project Management far exceeds that for Programme Management.OGC is contributing to research into Programme Management roles and to work on the bodies of knowledge. The PPM specialism will also contribute to this research.
The role of the Senior Responsible Owner is not included in these Career Path Principles as it is being addressed separately in a new workstream within the OGC Skills Development Centre.
Potential Career Paths in Programme and Project Management
There are no centrally advised routes for developing careers in programme and project management.There are, however, some elementary principles that are relevant.The OGC Gateway™ Risk Potential Assessment (RPA) (MS Excel, 346KB) provides a method of classifying projects as 'high', 'medium' or 'low' risk and Mission Critical; Highly Desirable and Desirable prioritisations via Prioritisation Categories. The development of career paths and associated measurement of achievement and recognition of qualifications is a major task for the specialism.
Career Principles
The career principles are based on six elementary principles for occupying a management role, in programme and project management.These will be linked with the Professional Skills for Government Career Gateways as they are developed.These will ensure greater consistency in requirements at particular career stages: at promotion to the equivalent of Grade 7 level across Departments; entry to the SCS; and SCS Pay Band 3 - usually Board level in a Department.
The specialism principles are functional rather than linked to grades:
Career Principle #1
Logical Progression
Progression through Low to Medium Risk to High Risk project management is ideal (Start Small Start Real).
In the ideal world a first-time project manager will have graduated to a low risk project from team member then team manager roles. In management terms progress to medium risk projects would normally be after a number of low risk projects in the Project Manager role and/or occupying Team Manager roles in medium or high-risk projects. Generally, projects can be differentiated by their size, their complexity, and/or their inherent risk.It is better to gain experience on projects that are at the small/unimportant/safe end of the spectrum before tackling those are big/complex and risky.
(Note: This does not imply that all team members are at level 1 (see Principle #5)
Career Principle #2
Equivalence & Inclusiveness
An Individual may have a career progression in project management or team management roles.Equally, progress may take place in team or management roles in a project support office.
Project support is an excellent learning environment for project team membership, project management or programme support.Project Managers may make good Programme or Project Support Office Managers or sub-specialist technical roles.
Career Principle #3
Business before programme, business after project
As the drivers behind programme management are more business-focused rather than the day-to-day management of the product delivery, it is advisable to have some general business experience before entering a programme role.
Programme roles include both programme managers and business change managers.
Programme Managers may progress from a project background.Project Managers who aspire to Programme roles should spend some time in business roles before becoming Programme Managers.
Programme Managers may also emerge from the business in which case PPM education and training is relevant.
It is not essential, but it is beneficial, for Programme Managers to have occupied a formal Project Manager role, but some deeper education/training and understanding of PPM is necessary.This could include mentoring early on by an experienced Programme Manager.
Business Change Managers must have experience of the organisation's business.PPM education and training is relevant.
Experience in the business is an excellent way of accruing wider competencies - making PPM a valid 'anchor' for further advancement.
Career Principle #4
Progression based on experience
To be able to fulfil a programme management role it is not necessary to have project management experience or to have occupied a formal Project Manager role(although this will be beneficial).However, to be able to organise and run substantial programmes some knowledge of project management fundamentals as well as programme management skills will be necessary.Knowledge may be gained from formal PPM education & training and mentoring (ideally early on) by an experienced Programme Manager.
Career Principle #5
Expert blossoming
Many project managers may positively progress their careers by extending their expertise laterally.
Not all Project Managers have the aptitude or appetite for the relatively small number of mission-critical or high-risk project management roles.They may, however, perform well in a Team Manager or support role in that environment or in a broad range of project environments.
PPM careers may progress into a broader range of expertise into:
- PPM Support
- Technical/specialist role (e.g. Risk Manager)
- Gateway Review Team Leader
- PPM Mentor
- PPM Consultant
- PPM Trainer
- Project Management in other application areas (ICT, Policy, Construction.)
Career Principle #6
Early Fast Stream Options
Fast stream entrants to the Civil Service should gain project experience while being groomed for senior management positions or particular specialist roles.The first few years should expose them to a wide range of job activities and work areas.In essence, a Fast Streamer is a policy adviser, project leader, expert, liaison officer and much more!Further experience in delivery may be achieved through programme or project management roles (using any of the other five principles) and future experience as Senior Responsible Owners.
There are many very interesting and challenging roles in projects and programmes throughout government that should uplift the profile of delivery as a mainstream career option.
© Crown Copyright 2008
Page last updated: 2008-10-20
