PPM - grade 8

Experiences

Activities and responsibilities likely to be required when working at this level

• Autonomously managing concurrent projects end-to-end to a high quality of delivery.
• Managing the development of, and facilitating, meetings and workshops.
• Selecting and engaging project resources to deliver the plan.
• Line management of people and teams as required.
• Anticipating/pre-empting and resolving complex and critical project blockages.
• Using independent judgement to maintain project progress and fulfil requirements.
• Managing and responding to changes in project scope; writing coherent proposals/business case/papers as appropriate.
• Integrating narrative and data as evidence, and to make cases for change.
• Bringing diverse people together in a single direction.
• Motivating and influencing teams and stakeholders across UCL and wider communities.
• Budget planning and management.
• Managing suppliers / 3rd party activities to deliver as appropriate.
• Understanding of the basic operating model of universities and the higher education landscape.
• Represent PPM in wider communities; challenge existing strategies, processes and practices, and innovate for improvements.
• Specialist knowledge/ experience in the relevant area and/or ability to quickly translate complex concepts in order to identify key issues in areas that may be unfamiliar.

Personal and professional development

Development options to consider when working towards this level

Learning on the job

• Manage concurrent projects involving some level of complexity and stakeholder management.
• Initiate and produce key project documentation e.g. Project Plan Project Initiation Documentation, Project Reports etc. 
• Leading a PPM CoP project.

Learning from others  

• Work with an internal or external mentor to support your development.
• Join the PPM CoP as a core member.
• Join and contribute to Specialist Interest Groups.

Formal learning

• PRINCE2, Agile, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices (P3O).
• Change Management.
• Mastering advanced project management skills e.g. stakeholder management (influencing and communicating).
• Risk and issue management.
• Line management development.

* You may wish to explore the listed formal training themes / topics on LinkedIn Learning.

Transferable skills and competencies

UCL uses the Universal Competency Framework (UCF) to discuss transferable skills. Find out more details on the framework.

Deciding and initiating action

• Making decisions.
• Taking responsibility.
• Acting with Confidence.
• Acting on own initiative.
• Taking action.
• Taking calculated risks.

Presenting and communicating information

• Speaking fluently.
• Explaining concepts and opinions.
• Articulating key points of an argument. Presenting and public speaking.
• Projecting credibility.
• Responding to an audience.

Developing results and setting customer expectations

• Focusing on customer needs and satisfaction.
• Setting high standards for quality.
• Monitoring and maintaining quality.
• Working systematically.
• Managing quality processes.
• Maintaining productivity levels.
• Driving projects to success.

UCL Ways of Working

These describe expected behaviours in line with UCL culture and values.  For Ways of Working indicators and steps to development please refer to the Ways of Working website.