Building a project management office (PMO) from scratch

A supplier delivering pumping station infrastructure on a major UK programme, needed a full project management office (PMO) built from the ground up.
The 11 roles included project managers, a planner, project controllers, purchasing and operations, and customer support. Contract lengths ran from 4 weeks to 24 months, with turnaround of 48 hours to 2 weeks. Most roles were hybrid, based in the Midlands.

In a fiercely competitive market, including the end client and other suppliers recruiting for similar roles. They required a specialist provider who embeds recruiting candidates based on their motivations, which is our USP. 

Our approach

• Defining success: For the heavy civils Project Manager, we agreed the must-haves with the hiring manager. These were site and contractor management, health and safety, NEC contract awareness, programme control and stakeholder management. We also agreed the desirables, such as rail experience, advanced scheduling tools and knowledge of the client's internal processes.
  
  
• Result of that split: The client judged candidates on what the role needed, not on an idealised CV. They still made the hire on time and on budget.
  
  
• Sourcing: 70% of candidates came from passive search, our database and referrals. 30% came from direct job board applications.
  
  
• Assessment: We used structured interviews and our six-point match: location, salary, can do the job, wants the job, real reason for leaving and commitment. Third-party testing covered project management, communication, problem solving and behaviours.
  
  
• Aftercare: We contacted contractors at weeks 1, 4, 8 and 12, and the hiring manager gave feedback through an automated survey.

Results

• All 11 roles are still live as ongoing contracts.
• 3 CVs per interview
• Average 6 hours to shortlist
• 2–5 working days to fill
• 100% offer acceptance
• 0% candidate withdrawal
• 100% assignment completion
• Hiring manager satisfaction of 10/10

Lesson learned: Separate the true non-negotiables from title-based preferences. A short 10–20 minute call with the hiring manager often turned a CV rejection into a successful hire.

Match motivationally, we filtered out a technically strong Civil QMS candidate. They had a poor attitude to teamwork, and you doubted they would stay for the whole contract.

This approach supports our 0% candidate withdrawal and 100% offer acceptance. 

For more information on how we approach building teams, contact our Client Engagement Director, Alice Walker-Savings: alice.walker-savings@risetechnical.com