PM Practice Manager

The Apex Group was established in Bermuda in 2003 and is now one of the world’s largest fund administration and middle office solutions providers.

Our business is unique in its ability to reach globally, service locally and provide cross-jurisdictional services. With our clients at the heart of everything we do, our hard-working team has successfully delivered on an unprecedented growth and transformation journey, and we are now represented by over circa 13,000 employees across 112 offices worldwide.Your career with us should reflect your energy and passion.

That’s why, at Apex Group, we will do more than simply ‘empower’ you. We will work to supercharge your unique skills and experience.

Take the lead and we’ll give you the support you need to be at the top of your game. And we offer you the freedom to be a positive disrupter and turn big ideas into bold, industry-changing realities.

For our business, for clients, and for you

APEX FUND SERVICES JOB DESCRIPTION

Functional Title: Practice Manager – Project Management Practice

Department: PMO (Change Team)

Employment Type: Permanent

About Apex

Apex Group Ltd., established in Bermuda in 2003, is a global financial services provider. With 50 offices worldwide and 12,000 employees upon the close of announced acquisitions, Apex delivers an extensive range of services to asset managers, capital markets, private clients and family offices. The Group has continually improved and evolved its capabilities to offer a single-source solution through establishing the broadest range of services in the industry including fund services, digital onboarding and bank accounts, depositary, custody and super ManCo services, business services including HR and Payroll and a pioneering ESG Ratings and Advisory service for private companies.

We look to recruit bright, articulate, and numerate employees who are not afraid of a challenge. You are prepared to work hard, love what they do and be prepared to innovate.

Every employee plays a part in making Apex who we are today and the more that we grow, the more important that becomes. Whatever your career path or specialism Apex provides a global platform to allow you to thrive.

About the role

We are looking for a Practice Manager to join the Project Management (PM) Practice Team within our PMO/Change Management organisation, reporting to the Global Head of PM Practice Management. A critical capability within Apex’s PMO/Change function, responsible for building and leading a high-performing global project and programme delivery community.

Working closely with Portfolio Leads/Programme Directors, central PMO team, Business Analysis, Quality Assurance, Technology and business stakeholders, the Practice Manager will drive consistency, improve delivery maturity and strengthen confidence in Apex’s ability to deliver complex change.

This role within the team is specifically aligned to our Automation and AI Portfolio; a group of strategic initiatives targeted to deliver significant efficiency saving for Apex. This is a key partner role for the Programme Director, driving the maturity of a scaled agile delivery model and using Agile expertise to optimise individual and team performance.

The role will be part of the wider team setting the strategy and plan for the Practice, including capability management, resource planning, delivery standards, professional development and continuous improvement.

The Project Management Practice is a global team with colleagues located across several countries including the UK, Bulgaria, South Africa and India. Apex operates a global delivery model, requiring strong collaboration across regions, cultures and disciplines.

Key Responsibilities

1.Strategic Planning and Alignment

• •Contribute to the content and shaping of the PM practice management strategy and plan a key leadership role in engaging members and other key stakeholders in its execution.
• •Collaborating with partnering functions (Product, IT, FIT, Operations) to understand their strategy and plans to ensure the practice stays aligned with the direction of the wider organisation.
• •Play a key role in support of a Portfolio Lead/Programme director on new project intake - sizing and shaping new demand so that we price deals intelligently (leveraging learning from previous projects), drive optimisation of investment decisions and align demand with supply to avoid over-promising and under delivery.

2.Team Management

• •Professionally coach and develop c10 line reports (professional Scrum masters and project managers at various levels) in alignment with our competency framework to lift our capability.
• •Play a key role in defining our talent management strategy and plan; hiring intelligently and ensuring we have a pipeline of talent/clear succession plans for senior roles (Portfolio and Programme Directors).
• •Represent the leadership of the PMO/Change team as one of the more senior members based in one of our India offices.
• •Take ownership and accountability for driving improvements in staff satisfaction scores in response to themes picked up in regular surveys
• •Actively participate in lessons learned sessions to help improve Project Management process.

3.Project Management

• •Play a key role in shaping best practice in Agile (major) as well as waterfall and hybrid delivery method adoption; setting standards and driving quality into delivery.
• •Play a key role in gate reviews to identify the competency development needs of line reports and to share learning/your own professional skills and experience to help set their projects up for success.

4.Resourcing

• •Develop and implement resourcing strategies to ensure the department is adequately staffed to meet organizational needs.
• •Manage the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of the professionals, ensuring the acquisition of top talent and that their experience and skills stay aligned to strategic priorities.
• •Monitor and optimize resource allocation to ensure effective utilization of personnel and skills.

5.Compliance and Security

Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards related to IT and data security.

Qualifications and Skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).

Qualifications

· Appropriate professional qualifications such as SAFe, Scrum and or/ PMI certifications.

· Professional coaching qualifications would also be a preference

Skills & Experience

• •10+ overall delivery leadership experience, with a track record of successfully leading and managing Change professionals
• •8+ year’s experience in Agile delivery; progressing beyond a Scrum Master level role to either a Release Train Engineer/Manager of a team of Scrum Masters or operating as an agile coach.
• •Experienced in hiring and developing (coach and mentoring) industry professionals with a major on Scrum Master.
• •A preference for having work on Automation and AI initiatives
• •Expert in Agile delivery methods and frameworks and the use of associated tooling (e.g. Azure DevOps)
• •Experience in using other delivery methods (hybrid, waterfall)

• •Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate others.
• •Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• •Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; able to collaborate with stakeholders at all levels.
• •Expert project management knowledge (of methodologies and tools), skills and experience
• •Excellent organizational and time management skills, with a keen attention to detail.
• •Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and coordinate with globally dispersed technical and non-technical teams.

Personal Attributes

• •A passion for Agile delivery, people development and continuous improvement
• •Authentic leadership skills (engaging, trustworthy and inspiring)
• •Proactive and results-oriented, with a strong focus on achieving goals and objectives.