Application Guide

How to Apply for Fractional Programme Manager (PMO Setup & Delivery Team Enablement)

at Voice 21

🏢 About Voice 21

Voice 21 is the UK's national oracy charity, uniquely positioned to transform how speaking and listening skills are developed in education. Working with over 1,200 schools, they're shifting from rapid growth to organizational maturity, offering the chance to build infrastructure that directly impacts educational outcomes nationwide. This role combines the mission-driven environment of a charity with the strategic challenge of scaling operations.

About This Role

This fractional Programme Manager role involves designing and implementing a proportional PMO from scratch while enabling a newly formed delivery team (Project Manager, Systems Analyst, Digital Product Owner). You'll bridge strategic setup with hands-on delivery, directly supporting the Director of Operations to establish processes that support Voice 21's transition from rapid scale to sustainable maturity. Your work will directly impact how the organization manages its growing portfolio of school partnerships and cross-team initiatives.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve morning virtual stand-ups with the emerging delivery team to remove blockers, followed by designing PMO templates that balance rigor with simplicity. Afternoons could include portfolio review sessions with the Director of Operations and collaborative sessions to establish cross-team workflows, all while ensuring remote collaboration remains effective with occasional in-person planning in London.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Voice 21 Is Looking For

  • Has experience setting up PMOs in scaling organizations (preferably in education/charity sectors) with a focus on 'proportional' rather than bureaucratic approaches
  • Demonstrates success in enabling newly formed delivery teams through coaching, process design, and portfolio management in agile environments
  • Can show measurable impact in previous fractional/contract roles, particularly in 6-9 month engagements with clear outcomes
  • Balances strategic thinking with hands-on delivery, comfortable working 3-4 days weekly in a remote-first environment with occasional London meetings

📝 Tips for Applying to Voice 21

1

Quantify your impact in previous PMO setup roles - specifically mention how you made PMOs 'proportional' rather than bureaucratic

2

Highlight any education/charity sector experience, but if none, emphasize transferable skills in mission-driven environments

3

Address the 'fractional' nature directly - show you understand the intensity and focus required for 3-4 day/week contract work

4

Reference Voice 21's specific transition phase from 'rapid scale to organizational maturity' in your application

5

Prepare examples of enabling newly formed teams (like their emerging delivery team) rather than just managing established ones

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Specific examples of PMO setup in scaling organizations, emphasizing how you kept processes lightweight and effective', 'Experience enabling delivery teams through coaching and process design (not just managing them)', 'Evidence of impact in time-bound contracts (6-9 month engagements) with clear outcomes delivered', "Understanding of Voice 21's unique position as a national charity transitioning from rapid growth to maturity"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Voice 21's Oracy Framework and how it's implemented in schools (understand their core educational product)
  • → Their growth trajectory - from startup to 1,200+ schools in 5 years (review annual reports if available)
  • → The specific challenges of scaling charities in the UK education sector
  • → Current team structure mentioned (Director of Operations, emerging delivery team roles)

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 "Walk us through how you would design a 'proportional' PMO for an organization moving from rapid scale to maturity"
2 "How would you approach enabling our new delivery team (Project Manager, Systems Analyst, Digital Product Owner) in their first 90 days?"
3 "Share an example where you established portfolio-level delivery processes in a remote/hybrid environment"
4 "How do you balance strategic PMO design with hands-on delivery support in a fractional role?"
5 "What metrics would you propose to measure the success of the PMO and delivery team enablement at Voice 21?"
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Presenting overly bureaucratic PMO experience without emphasizing proportionality and agility
  • Focusing only on large corporate PMO experience without showing understanding of charity/scale-up constraints
  • Applying with generic project management experience but no specific PMO setup or team enablement examples

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Voice 21!

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