Portfolio Manager & PMO Lead

Allied Talent Partners (ATP), a Three Cairns Group initiative, is a mission-driven, not-for-profit talent marketplace focused on solving the human capital bottlenecks slowing down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, with an initial focus on Africa. ATP connects vetted, experienced, context-relevant professionals to high-impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development – strengthening local capacity and fuelling economic vitality. We specialize in fixed-term, deliverable-driven engagements – from interim leadership and generalist projects to niche technical expertise.

About the role

Our client is seeking a full-time Portfolio Manager & PMO Lead to establish, implement, and operate its project and portfolio management capability across a portfolio of utility-scale renewable energy projects progressing toward financial close. The role will create the governance, planning, controls, reporting, risk, and decision-management processes required for portfolio visibility and disciplined execution while directly managing selected priority projects. Technical, commercial, legal, permitting, financing, and investment decisions will remain with designated subject-matter experts and governance bodies.

The ideal candidate will identify primarily as a professional project, programme, portfolio, or PMO management practitioner and bring demonstrated experience establishing a PMO, leading multiple complex projects through financial close, and implementing effective project management systems and AI-enabled workflows. Renewable energy experience is advantageous but not essential.

Deliverables

• Establish and operate the client's project and portfolio management capability while directly managing selected priority projects through development and financial close.
• Implement the PMO operating model, including methodologies, governance frameworks, stage gates, standards, templates, procedures, decision routes, and delivery cadences.
• Maintain integrated portfolio plans, schedules, budgets, resource visibility, dependencies, risks, issues, actions, decisions, dashboards, and executive reporting.
• Drive selected projects toward lender-ready and financial close by coordinating specialist inputs, approvals, due diligence, conditions precedent, commercial arrangements, contracting, procurement strategies, financial models, and supporting documentation.
• Manage the transition from financial close into execution by ensuring delivery plans, governance, controls, contracts, schedules, budgets, reporting, and handovers are in place.
• Implement AI-enabled project and portfolio management systems and workflows that improve reporting, action tracking, knowledge management, portfolio analytics, and operational efficiency.
• Build project management capability by coaching project managers and coordinators while embedding consistent governance and controls across the portfolio.

Requirements

• Proven experience leading multiple projects through the full development lifecycle to financial close.
• Demonstrated experience establishing, transforming, or significantly improving a PMO, programme management office, portfolio management function, or project controls environment.
• Portfolio management experience across multiple concurrent projects with shared resources, governance structures, dependencies, and competing priorities.
• Experience managing integrated project and portfolio plans, schedules, budgets, governance, risks, controls, and executive reporting.
• Experience coordinating development, technical, commercial, legal, financing, investment, contracting, and external advisor workstreams.
• Experience implementing project management systems, workflow automation, or AI-enabled project management processes.
• Experience within renewable energy, infrastructure, engineering, power, or other capital project environments is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Professional project, programme, or portfolio management certification such as PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, MSP, PgMP, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of PMO design, portfolio governance, project controls, stage gates, resource planning, prioritisation, and executive reporting.
• Strong planning, scheduling, budgeting, governance, change control, risk management, issue management, and reporting capability.
• Ability to integrate multiple specialist workstreams while maintaining clear accountability.
• Experience implementing modern project and portfolio management platforms and AI-enabled workflow automation.

Skills

• Highly organised, disciplined, and delivery-focused.
• Strong influencing skills without relying on direct authority.
• Clear and concise communicator with excellent executive reporting capability.
• Collaborative and respectful of specialist expertise.
• Pragmatic, adaptable, and comfortable establishing structure within evolving organisations.
• Curious and enthusiastic about AI-enabled ways of working.

Additional Information

The preferred candidate identifies primarily as a professional project, programme, portfolio, or PMO management specialist rather than an engineering or technical specialist. Renewable energy experience is advantageous but secondary to demonstrated excellence in PMO leadership, portfolio management, governance, project controls, and organisational implementation. Preference will be given to South African nationals or permanent residents.

Schedule

Location: Johannesburg or Cape Town

Working Model: Flexible hybrid

Required Start Date: Immediately (negotiable)

Contract Period: Proposed 12-month fixed-term contract, with the option to convert to permanent employment subject to performance, fit, and business requirements.

Capacity Allocation: Full-time