Job Description

As Portfolio Benefits Manager, you will lead the Council's benefits realisation strategy, acting as both a strategic advisor and a subject matter expert. This isn't your typical project management role -- it requires a unique blend of strategic leadership, financial acumen, and influencing skills to ensure that every change initiative delivers measurable value.

In close collaboration with Senior Leaders, Finance, and the Programme Management Office, your key responsibilities will include:

Taking forward the high-level design for the benefits management framework and translating the intent into a set of operational processes with a clear RACI and implementation plan Embedding and maintaining a robust benefits realisation framework across the full project and programme lifecycle. Maintaining a clear, portfolio-wide benefits register to track and report progress, ensuring transparency and accountability. Developing tools, dashboards, and insights that enable evidence-based decision-making across the portfolio. Overseeing a change portfolio aimed at delivering approximately 40 million in annual savings. Ensuring alignment by maintaining the "golden thread" that links strategic objectives to delivery outcomes. Acting as a trusted advisor, offering insight and challenge to support prioritisation, confident decision-making, and the continuous realisation of benefits.

Specific accountabilities:

Develop method, process and tools to implement the benefits management framework that aligns with corporate strategy Ensure benefits realisation is embedded within the project and programme lifecycle, from business case development to post-implementation review. Support senior leadership and stakeholders through the benefits journey and in decision-making by providing insights into the benefits of projects and programmes: + Ensure the programmes and projects benefits align to and meet strategic objectives
+ Ensure appropriate scrutiny is applied in identifying the value and success measures programmes and projects aim to achieve
+ Ensure measurement and metrics are in place to track benefits to realisation
+ Ensure process and meetings support the value capture
+ Champion Benefits management at Senior level
+ Enable benefits reporting at Senior level and to aid regular programme and project reporting
+ Act as the e-Programme Management Office (PMO) Benefits Subject Matter Expert to establish processes for benefits tracking and reporting across the portfolio
+ Maintain a portfolio-level benefits register, ensuring clear accountability for benefits realisation.
+ Support directorates directly with managing the benefits associated with their portfolios through the provision of tools, data and dashboards to enable this.
Work closely with key finance colleagues to ensure transparent benefits tracking, particularly those supporting delivery of the Medium-Term Financial Plan Ensuring benefits identification, tracking and realisation supports and is aligned to, the business planning and delivery planning processes Promote a cu lture of continuous improvement in benefits management by sharing best practices and lessons learned

What You'll Need to Succeed:

We are looking for a strategic thinker and skilled communicator who can drive transformation at the portfolio level. To succeed in this role, you will bring:


A strong track record in benefits management within portfolio, programme, or project settings (public sector experience is highly advantageous). Experience of translating benefits management frameworks and theory into pragmatic operationally deliverable ways of working Expertise in delivery methodologies such as PRINCE2, MSP, Agile, or Change Management. Experience of designing and implementing changes to established norms that help ensure stakeholders are ready willing and able to adopt the new ways of working An ability to turn complex data into clear, actionable insights, empowering stakeholders at all levels to make informed decisions. Excellent collaboration skills -- you'll need to build and maintain strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders. Influencing skills to challenge and guide decision-makers, ensuring that benefits realisation stays on track.

Why Join Us?

You'll be part of an innovative team where your contributions will directly impact how the council delivers value to its community. In addition to the professional satisfaction of the work, Cornwall offers an exceptional lifestyle and a forward-thinking culture.


Impactful Work - Your efforts will contribute to projects that make a real difference to the lives of Cornwall's residents, helping to shape the future of the region. Innovative Culture - Be part of a forward-thinking, data-driven team that embraces continuous improvement and the latest thinking in benefits management. Relocation Support - Considering relocating to Cornwall? We offer an attractive relocation package to support eligible candidates in making the move. Flexible Working - We offer hybrid working options to ensure you have a great work-life balance. Exceptional Lifestyle - Work in one of the UK's most stunning locations, with coastlines, natural beauty, and a vibrant cultural heritage right on your doorstep.

What you'll get in return:

Cornwall Council's ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high performing Council and a learning organisation. We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff. This helps provide our employees with a greater work/life balance. Whilst still ensuring that service needs are met.


Our core employee rewards and benefits include:


a competitive salary. a defined benefit pension scheme, based on your career average earnings. This includes the option for extra voluntary contributions a generous annual leave entitlement with the potential to purchase additional leave. A national award-winning employee health and wellbeing programme Employee benefits scheme giving employees access to a wide range of discounts to local and national goods and services.

Additional Information:

Please note, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role


The full role profile is attached here


For more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Philip Train at Philip.Train@cornwall.gov.uk

Application Process

Please attach a supporting statement to your application, you can add your Education & Qualifications details manually using the application form timeline or you can upload your CV. Remember to demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points marked as 'Application' on the Role Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience, which clearly illustrates what you did and the effect it had. Guidance on how to complete your application can be found here - The application process .


Please note that applications cannot be edited after they have been submitted, please contact careers@cornwall.gov.uk if you have any queries or require assistance with your application.