APAC PMO Manager

Reporting to the APAC Leadership Team, this role is responsible for leading the regional PMO function, overseeing a portfolio of strategic and transformational initiatives, and embedding project management excellence across APAC. The APAC PMO Manager will ensure initiatives are prioritised, governed and executed in alignment with regional objectives, global strategy and business priorities. A critical aspect of this role is enabling timely and flawless execution, one of CooperVision's key commitments to customers, employees and stakeholders. The successful candidate will establish the governance, discipline, accountability and cross-functional alignment required to consistently deliver strategic initiatives on time, within scope and with the highest standards of quality and execution excellence. The role requires a leader who can operate effectively at both strategic and operational levels, translating business strategy into actionable plans while maintaining close oversight of execution. Acting as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, the APAC PMO Manager will influence decision-making, facilitate executive alignment, remove organisational barriers and drive accountability across complex, matrixed teams. This position serves as the PMO lead for key regional governance forums and transformation initiatives, including Fit-for-the-Future programmes, the APAC Commercial Operations Lead Team (COLT), the APAC Compliance Committee and strategic planning processes. The role will also champion continuous improvement, helping the organisation build capabilities, increase agility and accelerate sustainable business growth. PMO Leadership & Governance • Lead and continuously evolve the APAC PMO function, establishing best-in-class project and portfolio management standards, methodologies and governance practices. • Provide oversight of the regional strategic project portfolio, ensuring alignment with APAC commercial priorities and global business strategy. • Develop and maintain PMO governance frameworks, reporting structures, risk management processes and escalation pathways. • Establish meaningful performance metrics, project KPIs and executive dashboards to provide visibility of project health, business impact and strategic outcomes. • Drive project prioritisation, resource allocation and investment decisions across the strategic portfolio. Strategic Program & Transformation Management • Lead the planning, execution and delivery of key regional transformation initiatives, ensuring objectives are delivered on time, within scope and within budget. • Partner with business leaders to define project objectives, success measures, business cases and implementation roadmaps. • Monitor project progress, risks, dependencies and benefits realisation, proactively resolving barriers to successful execution. • Conduct strategic reviews of major initiatives and provide data-driven recommendations to senior leadership. • Champion change management and adoption activities to ensure sustainable business outcomes. Executive Stakeholder Management • Serve as a trusted advisor to the APAC Region President and leadership team on strategic initiatives and organisational priorities. • Support the Region President with high-priority adhoc projects, executive follow-up actions and strategic business reviews. • Facilitate executive governance forums, ensuring effective decision-making, accountability and follow-through. • Build strong partnerships with regional and global stakeholders to align priorities, manage competing demands and drive execution. Portfolio Prioritisation & Commercial Planning • Lead the APAC Commercial Intake Process, assessing new initiatives, business requests and investment opportunities to ensure alignment with regional and global priorities. • Facilitate cross-functional prioritisation discussions through governance forums including COLT, Long Range Planning (LRP) and other leadership planning processes. • Partner with regional functional leaders to ensure project portfolios and resource deployment support strategic business objectives. • Ensure strategic initiatives are appropriately scoped, resourced and governed to maximise business value. Continuous Improvement & Capability Building • Identify opportunities to improve business processes, project delivery effectiveness and organisational efficiency. • Evaluate and recommend project management tools, systems and reporting solutions to enhance PMO capability and maturity. • Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and delivery excellence across the organisation. • Coach and support project leaders and teams in applying project management best practices. Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities • Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to translate strategy into executable plans. • Proven ability to lead and influence without direct authority in complex matrix organisations. • Exceptional stakeholder management and executive communication skills. • Demonstrated capability in portfolio management, program governance and organisational transformation. • Highly organised, analytical and outcomes-focused, with strong attention to detail. • Comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous and evolving business environments. • Strong commercial mindset with an understanding of key business and operational processes. • Skilled in balancing strategic priorities with operational execution. • Culturally agile, with the ability to adapt leadership style across diverse APAC markets. • Lean Six Sigma, PMO, PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent project management certification preferred. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; additional Asian language capabilities (Chinese, Japanese or Korean) would be advantageous. Experience • 8+ years' experience in project management, program management, PMO leadership, management consulting, transformation or related disciplines. • Proven track record leading large-scale strategic and transformational initiatives delivering measurable business outcomes. • Experience managing complex project portfolios across multiple countries and functions. • Demonstrated success influencing senior executives and coordinating matrix teams to achieve common objectives. • Experience establishing governance frameworks, portfolio prioritisation processes and PMO best practices. • Strong experience in organisational change management and business transformation. Education • Bachelor's degree in Business, Commerce, Management, Engineering or a related discipline. • MBA or postgraduate qualification highly regarded. • PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma or equivalent certification desirable. Work Environment • Office based role • Regional and international travel as required