Program Assurance Consultant

Program Assurance Consultant

As a Program Assurance Consultant, you will support and monitor assigned ProSidian Client Engagements in real time and provide an independent assessment, supports, and augments Engagement Team efforts to ensure its status, strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. The Program Assurance Consultant is expected to provide a systematic approach and support to measure the likelihood of success of a program and proposing improvements that will ensure success. For large programs assurance is generally independent. It may be undertaken by an external body or an internal department that reports independently from the program manager. In both cases it generally provides an independent view of the program status to the program board or executive. For smaller programs program assurance may be undertaken from within the program or report into a portfolio office or Engagement Team Lead. The key difference between program assurance and program quality management or audit, is that program assurance tends to look at the potential impact of the program's approach and add support with comprehensive skills and tool-sets to augment efforts and ensure success of the program or project. Key tasks in job description:

• Monitor the program or Engagement Team in real time and provide an independent assessment of its status, strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement.
• To undertake Transformation Program Assurance assignments providing an independent appraisal of the adequacy and effectiveness of transformation and project/program execution.
• The role will involve undertaking a number of activities on the Program including ad-hoc consultancy, training, performing independent quality reviews and interaction with senior stakeholders. This will ensure exposure to a wide range of the Group's activities and processes and provide an excellent opportunity for future progression within the group.
• There may also be an opportunity to review and work with other Engagement Team programs within the group that fall outside of the program umbrella.
• To work seamlessly with peer Program Assurance Managers under the direction of the Engagement Team Leads.
• Co-ordinate activities with our Engagement Team partner's, contractors, and collaborating partners to provide assurance over project deliverables, Client Performance Work Statements (PWS), and/or Statement OF Work (SOW)
• Support the ongoing development of the program assurance plan.
• Shadow program and Engagement Team deployments and provide input to stage gate assessments and other program key meetings.
• Build relationships with Engagement Team stakeholders, contractors, and collaborating partners to provide an independent view on the operation of the program including program governance, testing, training, management of business change, communications, data migrations.
• Provide advice and guidance on sound implementation principles.
• Carry out risk driven audit and assurance assignments on functional areas of the program as well as lead and carry out pre and post implementation reviews for deployments.
• Discuss and agree independent findings with responsible management focusing on areas of business risk, control weakness and operational efficiency.
• Preparation and agreement of summary reports of findings and recommendations.
• Undertake follow up reviews of significant recommendations to ascertain whether improvement actions have been implemented.
• Keep up to date with business developments (including acquisitions, new systems, new products and services, etc).
• Support the identification and pursuit of new business opportunities related to areas covered on client assignments

Program Assurance Consultants also:

• Perform internal and independent reviews and assessments for program performance, Provide support and augments Engagement Team efforts to ensure implementation of robust risk management to address potential problems before they occur.
• Perform independent technical assessments of the systems engineering, quality assurance, lessons learned, technologies, production, and programmatic practices (cost, schedule, performance, quality, risk).
• Systematically perform independent assessments, provides support, and augments Engagement Team efforts to ensure overall mission success.
• Monitor provide support, and augment Engagement Team efforts to ensure and measure program/process to determine effectiveness.
• Monitor and measures QA to assure implementation and determine effectiveness; and assures a supplier/contractor quality system, practice assurance, or process is defined and implemented.

The Program Assurance Consultant may either focus on program delivery, program solutions or both may have equal weight. Within major IT programs external assurance often focuses on program delivery and would concentrate on program plans and capability. Where assurance also covers the solution this would include the business processes, systems, infrastructure, service and hosting. Solution may also cover the approach to design, delivery and implementation.

Program Assurance Consultant tends to cover three separate styles of assurance: Continuous assurance throughout the life of the program; Point reviews or periodic reviews; focused reviews that concentrate on a particular aspect of a program. For very large programs all three would be undertaken with continuous assurance reporting to the program board on a regular basis, and point or focused reviews being undertaken at strategic points.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate should be considered an application subject matter expert in an area of specialty leverageable across all elements of federal government agencies to provide the full spectrum of services needed to integrate and implement successful government programs and projects in providing technical guidance and application capabilities. The role acts as liaison and bridging /facilitating communication and understanding between client management, technology partners, and process owners supporting reviews, assessments, improvements, and monitoring of sustainable business processes

• Bachelor's degree in business management, Computer Science, Information Technology, or other related field.
• Ability to collaborate in a team environment, working with multiple areas to drive solutions Ability to multitask and manage multiple small enhancements to large projects in a cross-functional setting.
• 3 years of Audit [CISA/CISM or A qualified accountant Ideal But not essential); Project/Program Management; Risk Management; Compliance; IT Effectiveness; Energy & Sustainability; Human Capital; Supplier Quality; Service Quality (SERVQUAL); IT; Business Analyst; or other related experience.
• Excellent communication, presentation, influencing, and reasoning skills to earn support of business leaders, technology leaders, colleagues and vendor representatives.
• Experience in requirements gathering techniques; ability to translate into solutions. Flexibility and adaptability to move quickly from broadly defined user and business requirements to solution frameworks.
• It would be beneficial to have an understanding of core Prosci ADKAR Model is a goal-oriented change management models and a general Project Management certifications- e.g. PRINCE 2, PMP, APMP.
• Knowledge of Business process design and controls.
• Proven track record in application development and implementation with demonstrated ability to define solutions in a complex business environment.
• Self-starter with the ability to quickly learn complex business processes.
• Six Sigma knowledge or Certification and Basic Project Management experience are desired.
• Standard knowledge of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office programs. Strong interpersonal, problem solving, and communication skills.
• Strong understanding of project management principles and good project organization practices.
• Track record of previous work on transformation programs preferably involving Private Companies, Fortune 1,000 Enterprises, and Government Agencies of all sizes.
• Works closely with business partners documenting business requirements.

Additional Information

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Teamwork ability to foster teamwork collaboratively as a participant, and effectively as a team leader
• Leadership ability to guide and lead colleagues on projects and initiatives
• Business Acumen understanding and insight into how organizations perform, including business processes, data, systems, and people
• Communication ability to effectively communicate to stakeholders of all levels orally and in writing
• Motivation persistent in pursuit of quality and optimal client and company solutions
• Agility ability to quickly understand and transition between different projects, concepts, initiatives, or work streams
• Judgment exercises prudence and insight in decision-making process while mindful of other stakeholders and long-term ramifications
• Organization ability to manage projects and activity, and prioritize tasks

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OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Business Tools understanding and proficiency with business tools and technology, including Microsoft Office. The ideal candidate is advanced with Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word, and proficient with Adobe Acrobat, data analytic tools, and Visio with the ability to quickly learn other tools as necessary.
• Commitment - to work with smart, interesting people with diverse backgrounds to solve the biggest challenges across private, public and social sectors
• Curiosity the ideal candidate exhibits an inquisitive nature and the ability to question the status quo among a community of people they enjoy and teams that work well together
• Humility exhibits grace in success and failure while doing meaningful work where skills have impact and make a difference
• Willingness - to constantly learn, share, and grow and to view the world as their classroom

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BENEFITS AND HIGHLIGHTS

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