Jobbeschreibung
The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.
Do you enjoy leading teams, driving operational excellence, and making a real impact in a fast-moving, international environment? Would you consider a career where your project management expertise shapes the future of UK-German trade relations? If so, we want to hear from you!
We are now recruiting for the Team Lead of the Project Management Office (PMO) at the UK's Department for Business & Trade (DBT) in Berlin.
Who are we?
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is a ministerial department of the UK Government, with its number one objective to promote growth. The DBT Germany team is one of the largest in the DBT Europe Region (around 200 staff), working closely with colleagues across departments to accelerate economic growth by improving market access for business and boosting exports and investment. In Germany, DBT is made up of sector-focused teams, with cross-cutting support from the PMO, the Strategic Communications Team, and the Trade Policy and Market Access team.
The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality, and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.
Main purpose of role
As Team Lead of the PMO, you will lead the development and delivery of our Project Management Office to ensure robust governance, streamlined processes, and effective oversight across all projects. You will embed best practice in planning, resource allocation, and performance monitoring, enabling greater transparency, faster decision-making, and improved delivery outcomes aligned with DBT's strategic objectives.
What You'll Do
- Lead a small team (up to 3 staff), fostering high performance and collaboration.
- Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of the Project Management Office (PMO), ensuring robust governance and alignment with DBT's strategic objectives.
- Implement standardized project management frameworks, processes, and tools to drive consistency, transparency, and efficiency across all projects.
- Oversee portfolio management, ensuring prioritization of projects based on strategic impact, resource availability, and risk considerations.
- Monitor and report on project performance, providing senior leadership with actionable insights and recommendations for improved delivery outcomes.
- Champion best practice in project management, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and capability development across teams.
- Engage and influence senior stakeholders, ensuring alignment and buy-in for PMO initiatives across the organization.
- Lead and mentor the PMO team, building a high-performing unit that delivers measurable impact and supports DBT's mission globally.
- Oversee procurement and budget management, ensuring compliance and value for money.
What You'll Love About This Role
- The chance to make a tangible difference to the UK's economic success in Germany.
- The opportunity to shape and lead a high-performing PMO, driving innovation and efficiency.
- A collaborative, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
- The ability to develop your career within the UK Civil Service, with exposure to senior stakeholders and high-profile projects.
Why Join Us?
- Be at the heart of UK-German trade relations, supporting projects that matter on a national and international scale.
- Work in a diverse, supportive, and high-performing team at the British Embassy in Berlin.
- Enjoy excellent opportunities for personal and professional development, including mentoring, coaching, job shadowing, and secondments.
- Benefit from a strong learning and development offer, dedicated L&D days, and a healthy work-life balance.
- Flexible working arrangements and entitlement to time-off-in-lieu for extra hours worked.
Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity!
Our Ideal Candidate shows:
- Proficiency in English and German (both written and spoken, minimum of C1 level for CEFR framework*);
- Extensive senior-level experience in establishing and leading Project Management Offices or similar governance functions, with a proven track record of delivering complex, multi-stakeholder projects successfully;
- Strong expertise in project governance, portfolio management, and resource planning, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy and objectives;
- Demonstrated ability to design and implement standardized processes, tools, and reporting frameworks that drive efficiency and transparency;
- Proven leadership capabilities, with meaningful experience managing, developing, and mentoring high-performing teams;
- Exceptional interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to engage senior stakeholders and drive consensus across diverse functions;
- Strong understanding and proven experience of budgeting, forecasting and budget monitoring, including procurement processes.
Nice to have:
- Prior experience working in international or government environments, ideally within trade, investment, or economic development contexts;
- Demonstrated success in delivering measurable improvements in project delivery performance, cost efficiency, and risk management.
This is a full time (37,5 hours a week), fixed-term 2 year contract with the possibility of becoming a permanent contract subject to performance and funding. Salary € 68,556. - rising to a maximum of approx. € 77,009. - gross per annum after a qualifying period in addition to performance related pay (salary is not negotiable). Candidate must have pre-existing work authorisation in Germany in order to apply.
Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local German employment law. The successful candidate will be subject to professional background check, security clearance and 6 months probationary period.
Visa/work permit requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Germany and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country.
Start date is an indicative target start date.
Equal employment
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity. We particularly encourage applications from candidates with protected characteristics. DBT Europe Network want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us, regardless of their background.
Europe DBT network and the British Embassy in Germany are a rewarding and exciting place to work, offering:
- Scope for personal and professional development: Excellent networks and opportunities for support, including mentoring, coaching, job shadowing and secondments;
- Strong offer for learning and development, including dedicated L&D days;
- An equal, diverse and engaged workplace;
- Work-life balance.
Learning & Development
The British Embassy has a strong ethos of Learning and Development, including our Learning and Development Week. In addition, there will be many opportunities to attend external seminars and events on relevant issues. This is in addition to the induction programme offered to all Embassy's staff.
The British Embassy offers learning and development opportunities throughout the year and invites you to join committee led forums where you may have an interest and can help shape the organisations objectives.
The successful applicant will be encouraged to be actively involved in the corporate life of the British Embassy, contributing to the wider objectives of the British Government's Germany network and supporting the Embassy's positive working environment.
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