Programme Roles and Responsibilities

The role of the Programme Sponsor / Senior Responsible Owner (SRO)

Overview

The Programme Sponsor / Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) has overall accountability for the programme's delivery and success, and ensuring that objectives are met and expected benefits are realized. This includes making sure that the wider organization is fully able to utilize the new conditions resulting from the programme.

Specific responsibilities of the Programme Sponsor / SRO

The Programme Sponsor / SRO should perform the following key, high-level functions:

• provide clear leadership and direction throughout the programme;
• ensure agreement amongst stakeholders as to what the programme objectives and benefits are;
• ensure strategic fit of programme objectives and benefits;
• establish and communicate the vision for the programme;
• ensure that the programme meets its objectives and delivers projected benefits;
• obtain commitment from stakeholders to the delivery of the benefits;
• secure the necessary investment for the business change (including programme set up and delivery costs and transition activities to ensure that benefits are realized);
• monitor delivery of objectives and benefits, taking appropriate action where necessary to ensure their successful delivery;
• ensure the programme is subject to review and assurance at appropriate stages;
• ensure that, if appropriate, the programme is subject to independent third-party review at key decision points prior to submission to the Treasury Board for Expenditure Authority for the next stage / tranche;
• make certain that any recommendations or concerns from reviews are met or addressed before progressing to the next stage;
• make sure that the business case is controlled and that clear governance arrangements and audit trails are in place to take account of changes as the programme develops;
• hold accountability for the business case;
• ensure that the aims of the planned change continue to be aligned with the direction of the organization and establish a firm basis for the programme during its identification and definition;
• ensure that the programme has the requisite skills, resources and experience required to deliver the change. This includes:
  • developing a programme organizational structure,
  • appointing the Programme Manager,
  • establishing a Programme Board; and
  • approving the Business Change Managers appointed by the Sponsoring Group members
• put in place a coherent organizational structure with clear lines of authority; and
• ensure that required programme strategies and plans are developed and maintained.

The role of the Programme Manager

The Programme Manager is chiefly responsible, on behalf of the Programme Sponsor/Senior Responsible Officer (SRO), for:

• establishing programme governance,
• effectively coordinating the programme's projects and managing their inter-dependencies, including oversight of any risks or issues arising,
• driving the successful delivery of the new capabilities; and
• coordinating the new capability for the business to enable effective change and the realization of projected benefits.

In most programmes the Programme Manager works full-time on the programme and is the day-to-day manager of and representative for the programme. The role is essential for maintaining focus and momentum on the programme, and for ensuring the overall cohesiveness of the programme. The Programme Manager also plays a key role in developing and maintaining the programme environment to support the individual projects being delivered within the programme – this can be with the assistance of a Programme Management Office.

Specific responsibilities of the Programme Manager

The Programme Manager is responsible for:

• planning the programme and proactively monitoring its progress, resolving issues and initiating appropriate corrective action;
• defining the programme's governance arrangements;
• ensuring effective quality assurance and the overall integrity of the programme focusing inwardly on the internal consistency of the programme, and outwardly on its coherence with infrastructure planning, interfaces with other programmes and corporate, technical and specialist standards;
• managing the programme's budget on behalf of the Programme Sponsor/SRO, monitoring expenditure and costs against delivered and realized benefits throughout the programme;
• assisting with the appointment of individuals to project teams as required;
• ensuring the delivery of new products or services from projects meets the appropriate level of quality, is on time and within budget, and is in accordance with the programme plan and programme governance arrangements;
• ensuring the delivery of organizational capabilities from project deliverables;
• ensuring the correct allocation of common resources and skills within the programme's individual projects;
• managing third-party contributions to the programme;
• managing communications to and with all stakeholders;
• managing both the dependencies and the interfaces between projects;
• managing risks to the programme's successful outcome(s);
• working with the Business Change Manager(s) or equivalent on the transition to the new "business as usual" position;
• initiating extra activities and other management interventions wherever gaps in the programme are identified or issues arise; and
• the regular reporting of programme progress to the Programme Sponsor / SRO (and other oversight boards as per governance arrangements).

On large and complex programmes, it may be appropriate to appoint other individuals to support the Programme Manager for some of the particular responsibilities listed above, for example a Risk Manager, a Communications Manager and / or a Benefits Manager.

The role of the Business Change Manager (BCM)

Overview of role

The Business Change Manager (BCM) is responsible, on behalf of the Programme Sponsor / SRO, for defining the benefits, assessing progress towards realization and achieving measured improvements in business operations. This role is pivotal to ensuring that the changes resulting from a programme are transitioned into business operations. In programmes that affect a number of business operations, it is possible to appoint more than one BCM, with each one focusing on a specific business area impacted by the programme.

BCMs should come from relevant business areas to ensure that changes resulting from the programme are firmly embedded in the organization. BCMs are likely to have ongoing operational responsibilities within their area of business; consequently, their programme involvement needs to be captured as part of their "normal" responsibilities in order to enable changes stemming from the programme to be embedded in the organization.

Specific responsibilities of the Business Change Manager

The BCM is responsible for:

• identifying, defining and tracking the outcomes and benefits expected from the programme and identifying new benefits throughout the programme life cycle;
• working with the Programme Manager to identify projects that will contribute to achieving outcomes and delivering benefits;
• working with the Programme Manager to ensure that the work of the programme, including the scope of each project, covers what is required to deliver the products or services that will lead to operational benefits;
• obtaining assurance for the sponsoring group or SRO that the delivery of new capability is compatible with the realization of benefits;
• ensuring that maximum improvements are made in existing and new business operations as the outputs from projects are put into operational use;
• establishing and implementing the mechanisms by which benefits can be delivered and measured;
• leading the activities associated with benefits realization and ensuring that continued accrual of benefits can be achieved and measured after the programme has been completed;
• taking the lead on transition management, ensuring that business as usual is maintained during the transition and the changes are effectively integrated into the business;
• preparing affected business areas for transition to new ways of working; and
• initiating business assurance reviews to ensure that capabilities are being embedded and established.

The role of the Programme Management Office

The Programme Management Office supports the Programme Sponsor / SRO. It is the information hub responsible for coordinating communication and monitoring and control activities for the programme.

The role of the Executive Project Sponsor (a.k.a. Project Sponsor, Project Executive)

For projects within a programme, the Executive Project Sponsor role is accountable for the project's objectives and delivering the outputs to achieve the forecasted benefits. The Programme Sponsor/SRO is responsible for appointing the Executive Project Sponsor for each project during Defining a Programme or at the beginning of a new Tranche.