Large-Scale Program Management

Embed a FlexPoint team member to balance priorities and constraints across projects, ultimately delivering tangible business value

Driver

Large-scale programs go beyond specific project deliverables — they are typically about delivering a set of benefits to the organization, often stitching together multiple projects to do so.

They also take us beyond the project manager role: scope is more complex, interdependencies are likely numerous, and risks and issues have a way of compounding across workstreams.

If you’re facing a major transformation program and want help leading it, FlexPoint can help.

Outcome

Take back time to focus on your other priorities and gain confidence that your day-to-day program management is covered by an experienced leader.

Approach

Large-scale program management is multi-faceted, from leading people and managing scope through engaging with a variety of stakeholders.

We will focus on these key elements:

  • Providing program-level guidance on goals, roles, teams, and timeframes. Where are we going? Who’s doing what? When do we need to arrive? These questions seem simple at first glance, but there are a lot of details underneath the surface.

  • Coordinating scope and interdependencies. Deliverables across the program are intended to stitch together into the thing of value we’re after, and these dividing and connecting lines tend to get more complex as we understand them more. The program manager will create clarity, negotiate coverage, and share decisions with the larger group.

  • Managing budget and resourcing. While project managers are accountable for their piece of this pie, the program manager (and the executive sponsor, preferably) will take accountability for the program-wide budget. If resources are in contention across projects or between the program and everyday responsibilities, the program manager will help stakeholders work through the tradeoffs and get to a clear path forward. If budgets are being squeezed and we need to do more with less, the program manager will lead up the prioritization process to protect as much of the business goal as possible within the new constraints.

  • Managing risks and issues. The program manager will have a key role to play in advocating for the program at the organizational level to get the right efforts put toward risk mitigation and issue resolution. This may include formal escalation channels to leadership to put pressure on an underperforming vendor. It may look like facilitating a workshop with project managers and technical leaders throughout the program to identify the various risks to the program, with mitigation tactics put in place and monitored by the program manager.

  • Engaging with stakeholders. Much of the program manager’s day will be spent communicating with stakeholders, both to understand progress and challenges from them and to share program highlights with them. The program manager will provide a crucial liaison role to make sure that the various pieces of information — analysis, decisions, scope, and more — are shared with impacted stakeholders.

Interested in learning more?