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Digital portfolio manager

Find out what a digital portfolio manager in government does and the skills you need to do the role at each level.

Published 28 February 2024

What a digital portfolio manager does

A digital portfolio manager co-ordinates and manages a group , or ‘portfolio’, of digital projects. In this role, you will use an iterative and flexible approach to help define governance processes for this portfolio.

Digital portfolio manager role levels

There are 4 digital portfolio manager role levels, from digital portfolio analyst to head of portolio.

The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.

1. Digital portfolio analyst

A digital portfolio analyst supports the tracking, analysis and delivery of outcomes across a portfolio of digital projects. This role level may be called ‘associate digital portfolio manager’ in your organisation.

At this role level, you will:

  • help ensure standards are being met
  • help teams to follow governance and assurance processes

As you will be learning basic portfolio management skills, you will report to a more senior portfolio manager.

Skill Description

Agile working

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of Agile methodology and the ways to apply the principles in practice
  • take an open-minded approach
  • explain why iteration is important
  • iterate quickly

Communicating analysis and insight

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the appropriate media to communicate findings
  • shape and share communications relevant to the audience
  • give tactical recommendations

Governance and assurance

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand technical governance
  • participate in the assurance of a service

Planning

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the importance of planning and forecasting
  • show an awareness of the different ways to develop a plan

Stakeholder relationship management

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify important stakeholders and communicate with them clearly and regularly
  • tailor communication to stakeholders' needs and work with them to build relationships, while also meeting user needs
  • build and reach consensus
  • work to improve stakeholder relationships, using evidence to explain decisions made

Strategic thinking

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • explain the strategic context of your work and why it is important
  • support strategic planning in an administrative capacity

2. Digital portfolio manager

A digital portfolio manager helps to co-ordinate and manage a portfolio of digital projects.

At this role level, you will:

  • help to create environments that enable teams to deliver
  • support the prioritisation of a group of projects and programmes
  • help teams to follow governance and delivery processes
  • help stakeholders understand the performance of work and any related risks
  • support more senior portfolio managers and leadership in making improvements
Skill Description

Agile working

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of Agile methodology and the ways to apply the principles in practice
  • take an open-minded approach
  • explain why iteration is important
  • iterate quickly

Communicating analysis and insight

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the appropriate media to communicate findings
  • shape and share communications relevant to the audience
  • give tactical recommendations

Governance and assurance

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand how governance works and what governance is required
  • take responsibility for the assurance of a service and know what risks need to be managed

Planning

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the importance of planning and forecasting
  • show an awareness of the different ways to develop a plan

Stakeholder relationship management

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify important stakeholders and communicate with them clearly and regularly
  • tailor communication to stakeholders' needs and work with them to build relationships, while also meeting user needs
  • build and reach consensus
  • work to improve stakeholder relationships, using evidence to explain decisions made

Strategic thinking

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • explain the strategic context of your work and why it is important
  • support strategic planning in an administrative capacity

3. Senior digital portfolio manager

A senior digital portfolio manager is responsible for co-ordinating and managing a portfolio of digital projects.

At this role level, you will:

  • track, analyse and help deliver outcomes in your portfolio
  • give guidance and deal with issues to help teams to deliver faster
  • manage governance and assurance processes, and ensure standards are met
  • provide information to stakeholders on work performance and related risks
Skill Description

Agile working

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of Agile methodology and the ways to apply the principles in practice
  • take an open-minded approach
  • explain why iteration is important
  • iterate quickly

Communicating analysis and insight

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • turn complex data into compelling, clear and actionable stories
  • share data communication skills with the team and across government
  • present analysis and visualisations in clear ways to communicate complex messages
  • communicate negative and positive information to stakeholders
  • give tactical and strategic recommendations

Governance and assurance

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • evolve and define governance
  • take responsibility for working with and supporting other staff in wider governance
  • assure services across sets of services
  • use tools such as standards, guardrails and principles to effectively govern delivery

Planning

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the environment and prioritise the most important or high value tasks
  • use data to inform planning
  • manage complex internal and external dependencies
  • provide delivery confidence
  • remove blockers or impediments that affect plans and can develop a plan for difficult situations
  • ensure that teams plan appropriately for their capacity

Stakeholder relationship management

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • influence stakeholders and manage relationships effectively
  • build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders

Strategic thinking

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • work within a strategic context and communicate how activities meet strategic goals
  • contribute to the development of strategy and policies

4. Head of portolio

A head of portfolio leads a team of digital portfolio managers. You will ensure the portfolio of digital projects delivers the best possible outcomes.

At this role level, you will:

  • lead the tracking and governing of digital projects
  • ensure the right controls are used
  • address risks and deal with, or escalate, issues
  • provide leaders with insights into the portfolio's future so they can make informed decisions
  • build and lead a diverse, skilled and motivated team of digital portfolio managers
  • ensure the portfolio team is meeting the needs of the organisation
  • support the professional development of the portfolio community, including line management and coaching
Skill Description

Agile working

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of Agile methodology and the ways to apply the principles in practice
  • take an open-minded approach
  • explain why iteration is important
  • iterate quickly

Communicating analysis and insight

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • communicate relevant, compelling stories using the most appropriate medium
  • make complex recommendations at a tactical and strategic level
  • present analysis and visualisations in clear ways to communicate complex messages
  • communicate negative and positive information to stakeholders

Governance and assurance

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • evolve and define governance
  • take responsibility for working with and supporting other staff in wider governance
  • assure services across sets of services
  • use tools such as standards, guardrails and principles to effectively govern delivery

Planning

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the environment and prioritise the most important or high value tasks
  • use data to inform planning
  • manage complex internal and external dependencies
  • provide delivery confidence
  • remove blockers or impediments that affect plans and can develop a plan for difficult situations
  • ensure that teams plan appropriately for their capacity

Stakeholder relationship management

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • direct the strategy towards stakeholder relationships
  • set stakeholder objectives and recommend that they’re met
  • influence important senior stakeholders and provide mediation

Strategic thinking

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • define strategies and policies, providing guidance to others on working in the strategic context
  • evaluate current strategies to ensure business requirements are being met and exceeded where possible
Role Shared skills
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Stakeholder relationship management

Strategic thinking

Data governance manager

Communicating analysis and insight

Stakeholder relationship management

Strategic thinking

Technical writer

Agile working

Stakeholder relationship management

Strategic thinking

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Stakeholder relationship management

Strategic thinking

Graphic designer

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Strategic thinking

Updates

Published 28 February 2024

Last updated 28 February 2024

28 February 2024

  • First published