PMO Conference 2019 \\ A Career in PMOs to Executive Management- MSc and DBA (Doctorate) in PMOs: The Missing Link – Dr Robert Joslin

PMOs reputations greatly vary as does the impact they make in their organisations. The qualifications of PMO team members and PMO managers also vary from PMO to PMO, but what is consistent is lack of senior executives that came from PMO backgrounds. Earning a bachelor degree has long been the starting point in many people’s careers, but with the competition for professional positions, especially the impact of ‘role mobility’, greatly increases the pressure on individuals to differentiate themselves. Professions today, consider an MSc or higher as the differentiator that once was reserved for a BSc.

In most, if not all professions career paths exist but PMOs are unfortunately special in that there has never been a recognised profession. Perhaps in part due to the lack of the word ‘management’ after the word PMO. PMOs are not just about the entity but the Management of PMOs. Earning the status of a profession requires meeting approx 30 criteria to varying levels. Over 20 criteria are associated with being part of a professional association and 18 of the 30 criteria can be directly or indirectly influenced by graduate degrees (MSc/DBA) in the field of the profession.

This presentation shows the importance of making PMOs a profession and couple this with a graduate education in the field of PMOs, strategy and leadership will increase the opportunities of PMO professionals being candidates for the next generation C level.

Takeaways:

• People in PMOs have the opportunity to help be part of developing an industry recognised PMO profession
• The opportunity to make a real career in PMO Management and beyond to executive and C-level management
• An insight into the types of topics covered in MSc and DBA

Presentation Slides