Portfolio management office – implementing change delivery

The aim of the Portfolio Management Office (PMO) is to:

• provide a united approach to change delivery across all departments
• provide consistent governance and prioritisation of initiatives
• ensure the workforce is aware of the benefits realisation and return on investment (ROI)
• provide sufficient alignment of change activities with strategic objectives
• prevent resourcing inefficiencies and duplication of efforts

The overarching aim is to provide centralised oversight to enable all change initiatives to be strategically aligned, evidence-based, and outcome-focused.

The intended outcomes of the PMO are to:

• increase the number of projects delivered on time and within budget
• shorten the cycle times for repetitive tasks and improve adherence to key milestones
• reduce the number of delays and overruns, particularly with capital-funded projects
• improve resourcing allocation across the project portfolio
• improve the visibility of return on investments for each project 

Leicestershire Police established the Portfolio Management Office (PMO) in response to increasing organisational complexity, financial constraints, and the demand for innovation.

PMO proof of concept 

In 2024, the force launched the PMO proof of concept. The initial purpose was to deploy project officers to support project management across the force and oversee the portfolios delivered by the business units. After feedback from the business units, the PMO was refined to better address capacity challenges, as teams struggled to balance their core duties with project delivery. This shift involved assessing the scale of support required and the full extent of project activity being requested across the organisation.

Implementation

Following the proof of concept, the PMO was formally introduced in April 2025. The PMO operates as the sole entity within the Change Team. This streamlined structure enables the PMO to lead on key workstreams with dedicated resources and clear management. The PMO consists of the following roles:

• head of change
• enterprise architect
• senior programme manager
• programme manager
• nine project managers
• two graduate project officers
• business improvement officer
• business analyst 

The PMO serves as the central hub for coordinating transformational change, productivity, and efficiency across the force. Leicestershire Police developed a PMO Strategy 2025–2030 to support the roll out and is aligned to the force management statement (FMS) as well as the force’s pledge. This is to ensure that every initiative contributes to a more capable, responsive, and sustainable organisation. The strategy also supports the force’s five strategic priorities:

• enhancing service and standards by improving the quality and consistency of service across departments
• empower individuals and support wellbeing, by ensuring that the workforce has the right skills, support, and development opportunities
• leveraging technology using tools such as Power BI, Microsoft 365 Copilot and AI to improve decision making and operational agility
• reduce demand through internal and external partnership working to manage demand and deliver shared outcomes

The PMO collaborates with departmental leads and reports to the Corporate Delivery Board under Operation Forefront governance (organisational change programme aimed at shifting the force towards a preventative approach to crime). It is supported by a performance framework that includes quantitative key performance indicators (KPIs) such as the number of active workstream and qualitative measures such as stakeholder satisfaction.

A prioritisation methodology has been introduced using a scoring matrix to assess urgency, complexity, and desirability. This is now applied to all new work requests and business cases.

The implementation of the PMO remains in the early stages. A live Power BI dashboard is in development to visualise PMO performance indicators. A real-time version is already available, showing project progress, risks, issues, and key milestones. It is accessible to all ranks from sergeant upwards, supporting transparency and effective information sharing across the organisation.

Training

The force received Praxis training from an accredited training consultancy company. The training was delivered in a group setting to all the project management staff on Microsoft Teams. The training provided an overview of project management and the Praxis framework. The group-based sessions provided a collaborative environment for delegates to share real experiences, complete the training in a short amount of time and reduce overall travel costs.

Unlike PRINCE2, which typically requires re-registration or renewal every three to five years, Praxis qualifications do not expire. Once you pass the foundation or practitioner level, your certification remains valid indefinitely. There is no requirement to retake exams or re-register to maintain your status.

The training cost £1,100 + VAT per person and was funded by the force’s training budget. 

The PMO is integral to supporting Leicestershire Police’s planning and budgeting cycle, which actively influences chief officers decision-making.

The PMO now includes over 40 activities such as capital-funded projects under Blueprint 2025–2030, Operation Innovate (prevention directorate organisational change program) and the Force Management Statements (FMS) assessment. 

What went well

• all project management staff have been formally trained in the Praxis framework, ensuring consistency and capability across the team
• transformational change is a standing item at the executive board, with reports escalated from Layer Boards when issues arise
• the PMO centralising key insights and outcomes and there is plans to expand this using a Power BI dashboard
• a number of best-practice templates and how-to guides is in development, with a clear roadmap for implementation

Recommendations

• Is it essential to invest in training and adopt a recognised framework such as Praxis to ensure all project managers are trained to use the software.
• Implementing tools such as Power BI dashboards ensures that projects data such risks, budgets and dependencies are available in live accessible logs.
• Using standardised reporting templates including lessons learned, budget status, and actions reduced the chance of information being missed.
• It is useful to create a resource and skills matrix to map out PMO and project team capabilities to support strategic resourcing and the identification of gaps.

• Implement a lessons logs from the outset and ensure it is updated regularly. Within each log entry the following information should be included:

  - project name

  - owner

  - dependencies

  - date added

• Design processes and tools that can grow with the organisation, especially as project volume and complexity increases.