Let's look at five typical responsibilities of the Programme Manager throughout the programme life cycle.

Planning - The programme manager is responsible for planning the programme. This will start at the beginning of the programme by identifying a list of contributing projects and then having the project managers produce a plan and schedule for their work.

The programme manager takes the outputs from the projects and, in conjunction with the project managers, identifies the relationships between the project and their interdependencies.

This will result in a programme plan that can be put into action.

Monitoring and controlling the plan

The programme manager is responsible for ensuring that the projects produce their outputs on time, on cost to the appropriate standard. The programme manager will authorise the projects to proceed after each stage of work and will accept the completed products.

Any problems must be addressed and appropriate action taken. The programme manager must manage the inter-dependencies between the projects. This may include starting new projects, stopping projects and accelerating projects.

Managing communications

The programme manager must make sure that communications to the programme stakeholders is completed in a timely manner and that all information required is collated and issued. This not only includes external stakeholders but those within the programme team and the projects themselves.

The communications will most likely be distilled from the information being reported from the projects so it is important that the programme manager specifies his/her requirement for information at the start of each project (and each project phase).

Managing risks and issues

Risks at project level may well have knock on effects at programme level because they cause problems for other projects. As such it is important that the programme manager ensures that the project manager refers upwards all risks within the project that might affect the programme.

This enables the programme manager to assess these project risks along with any specifically programme related risks identified in the normal manner. The risk management process in terms of assessment and action is largely the same at both levels, although the impacts may be greater at programme level.

Benefits management

A key responsibility of the programme manager is to ensure that benefits are realised as a result of the outputs from the projects being implemented within the business. At the end of each phase of the programme the manager must make sure that the outputs are accepted by the business and a formal benefits realisation plan is in place. The programme manager must make sure that the benefits realisation plan is developed before the outputs are delivered.

Programme Management Challenges
Four challenges that an organisation will face when using programme management.

Risk management - Programmes are risky by nature and the organisation needs a process to manage risk at all levels throughout the organisation. The programme will probably be based on a need to undergo a strategic change within the organisation and this will result in a number of strategic risks being identified.

These risks will cascade down into the programme and the projects as the causes of the risks are challenged. For example, a delay in delivering a programme benefit could have serious consequences for the organisation. The reason for the delay needs to be understood and it is likely that the root cause and therefore the area that requires mitigation is actually within the project, e.g. a problem with a supplier.

The organisation must be able to see and manage this cascade. There must also be a process in place to escalate risks from the project to the programme to the strategic level. The whole process must be linked with the management of organisational risk within the organisation.

Resource allocation - Different programmes need different teams and within any organisation there will be finite resources and this will be especially true in specialist areas such as IT. The organisation requires a process by which it can forecast the demand for resources at project, programme and operational level over the period of the programme.

At the strategic level this must in essence cover a timeframe of at least 12 – 24 months, 9 – 18 months at programme level and 0 – 9 months at project level. The resource requirements must be rolled forward on a regular basis, perhaps quarterly.

There needs to be a process that will cater for exceptional demand and a clear route for escalation and decision making, with individuals clearly made responsible for these activities and decisions.

Decision making and empowerment. Decisions must be made at all levels within the programme and its strategic setting. Programme managers, sponsors and steering groups must be given the authority to make decisions within the programme.

These decisions will cover the commitment of people, materials and money. Without this level of empowerment delays will occur as decisions are sought and extra work will be created for managers within the programme who need to provide the supporting information. This will inevitably lead to delays, increased costs, and ultimately programme failure.

Change management - Too many programmes – too much change. This is perhaps one of the most serious challenges facing any organisation that has a series of programmes underway. This is especially the case when the changes are of a strategic nature and involve changes to way everybody in the business behaves and undertakes their daily tasks.

People are generally resistant to change and fearful of it. This means that the organisation must consider how the transition is managed from old to new such that the majority of the workforce is wholeheartedly behind the change initiatives. Organisations need to be aware of the effect of too many changes and may have to revise the portfolio if the best possible outcomes are to be achieved.