First, it is important to note that the term PMO refers to both a department (Project Management Office) and a professional (Project Management Officer). What is the role of the latter?
Today's companies, especially the larger ones, are often juggling hundreds of projects, all the while having to ensure that deadlines and profitability are met. This is where the PMO comes in, in charge of managing the projects as a whole.
From a strategic position, the Product Management Officer has a transversal vision of all projects and portfolios, in order to guarantee their operational and economic alignment with the general objectives of the organization.
They must therefore be able to:
- coordinate projects,
- prioritize projects,
- support the business teams as best as possible in order to always satisfy the company's vision.
At the same time, the PMO role is to monitor the progress and performance of projects, in order to provide management and report on their status as required.
☝️ Depending on the structure and its size, the Project Management Officer may be in direct contact with the project teams, devops team, or work through project managers such as the product owners and the project leaders.