Portfolio Advisor

About the Role

The University of Canterbury invites applications for the position of Portfolio Advisor within its Digital Services team, based in Christchurch, New Zealand. This permanent role involves 37.5 hours per week and offers a salary in the range of NZD 108,459 to 130,000 annually, depending on skills and experience. The position entails providing expert guidance and assurance at the portfolio level to enhance the consistency, transparency, and quality of digital project delivery across the university.

Key Responsibilities

• Offer trusted counsel regarding delivery frameworks, governance structures, and decision-making processes.
• Examine essential project documentation to identify risks, missing elements, and dependencies.
• Lead focused assurance reviews and suggest actionable improvements.
• Maintain accurate, reliable, and decision-ready portfolio data.
• Analyze financial data to detect delivery risks, budget pressures, and critical decision points.
• Coordinate quarterly planning, capacity assessment, and prioritization activities within Digital Services.
• Guide teams on scoping, scheduling, dependency mapping, risk management, and realistic delivery commitments.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of five years’ substantial project delivery experience in complex project, programme, or portfolio settings, including governance, risk management, business cases, change control, stage gates, and reporting.
• Proven track record in reviewing project documentation, assessing risks, dependencies, and overall project health.
• Strong analytical abilities to evaluate delivery performance and readiness for key decisions.
• Experience providing advisory and constructive challenge to senior stakeholders.
• Familiarity with governance, planning, assurance, or decision-making frameworks.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of simplifying complex information for executive-level audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to identify opportunities for improvement and translate insights into actionable outcomes.
• Intermediate to advanced skills in Microsoft Excel; experience with SharePoint and enterprise P3M (Project, Programme, and Portfolio Management) tools is advantageous.
• Professional certifications such as PRINCE2, MSP, or PMP are desirable.
• A collaborative, proactive mindset combined with high ethical standards and alignment with University of Canterbury values.

Working Relationships

The Portfolio Advisor will collaborate extensively with Digital Services delivery managers, leads, digital leadership, business owners, project sponsors, and governance groups, fostering trusted relationships and providing insights and advice to improve delivery decisions.

Benefits and Perks

• Five weeks annual leave plus five additional university holidays annually.
• Employer superannuation contributions up to 6.75%.
• Flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.
• Opportunities for professional development and career growth.
• Supportive and inclusive work environment.
• Access to a wide range of retail discounts on shopping, entertainment, and travel.
• On-campus staff benefits including discounted membership to UC RecCentre and Staff Club, as well as onsite cafes and eateries.
• Enjoy working in Christchurch's revitalised and vibrant environment with access to university facilities.

Additional Information

The closing date for applications is 27 August 2025 (midnight NZ time). Early applications are encouraged as interviews may occur prior to the deadline. Applicants must hold New Zealand or Australian citizenship or permanent residency to be considered. Applications must include a cover letter and CV and be submitted via the University's careers website. Email applications are not accepted.