Capabilities
Overall our mission is to provide a helping hand to key leaders on major projects – be these power, utility, transport, other capital investments or change programmes. There are many roles we can play with our clients, but most often we work for one or more senior officers who have a concern or gap in their capabilities.
AM Project Advisors Ltd (AMPAL) delivers advice and assistance to complex programmes. We help you make them happen and address challenges when they emerge. We help you deliver.
We provide the “voice of experience”, injecting pace and practical experience into the core of a client’s leadership and/or programme team – whether at CEO/EMT, Investment/Audit Committee divisional director, portfolio/change manager, programme director, programme management or through programme support.
Working with your team, we can help you establish the whole programme management solution, with support provided at all levels from the leadership team downwards. Or we can provide self-contained specialist support such as an integrated Investment Portfolio Office, or an independent Programme Assurance Review. Our CEO also provides advice and assistance on project structuring and financing and in helping clients engage effectively with government and the supplier market and in preparing for engagement with funders and other advisors
- Clarity of objectives – the vital first step. Effective programme management depends on knowing what the objectives are and why, understanding what has to be done and by whom and the possible consequences. AMPAL helps clients define and deliver programmes by ensuring that they are clear about the objectives and the implications, by creating plans that are grounded in practical reality and by providing support where it is needed most – right at the heart of complex programmes. One aspect of our work is our work to prepare business/investment cases and delivery plans for their programmes and projects. For example, prior to joining AMPAL our CEO led the preparation of a delivery plan (including commercial strategy) for the largest proposed highway and estuary crossing project in the UK.
- Building deliverable plans and schedules you can control - Many say "we have a plan and schedule", but on examination it turns out they really only have series of aspirational targets. Their planning has been very limited and is fully of hoped for solutions and their schedules are at best summarised by the term "high level". Their organisations are not fully committed to delivering their parts of the schedule and their is no visible control. We work with responsible leaders to establish robust governance for dring the achievement of outcomes, establishing a fit for purpose planning, scheduling and controls environment; and monitoring and reporting processes. This requires the establishment of a PMO and/or Control Centre Organisation and hands on engagement with all involved with the project across the business/project and its key suppliers. Establishment of key work-streams to deliver the "work" and organizational responsibilities are important first steps. As is providing detailed planning assistance to leaders and their teams responsible for delivering workstreams and the "packages of work" within them.
- Using the right PPM tools for the right job. There are numerous programme and project management (PPM) tools developed in business schools and consulting practices – many of them are brilliant. None of them work all the time. At AMPAL we will work with you to select the right tool (policies, processes and procedures) to deliver the outcomes you need and assist you to establish the capabilities you need to be effective. Most important of all, we follow simple, comprehensive portfolio, PPM disciplines when delivering programmes. For example, prior to joining AMPAL our CEO led the preparation of an integrated plan (including commercial/financial strategy) and PPM arrangements for one the largest power investments in the UK that brought together the efforts of staff seconded from shareholder entities, specialists hired in and suppliers and integrated these with government stakeholders and funders. We expect that you will have your prefered scheduling tool and resources (schedulers) deployed across your business - we will help you ensure these are effective to deliver the outcomes you and we need to deliver the outcomes you desire.
- Staying in control – at all times. We help our clients set up simple, effective, timely governance regimes that are both appropriate and really work. Far too often we see overly complex PPM arrangements deployed too early in the development of project and programmes – these often deplete creative energy and are seen as heavy handed administration, when actually what is needed at an early stage is collaborative discovery of options and agreement of a common vision and set of objectives and a framework for working that helps project teams and leaders have the clarity they both need without overly burdensome administrative processes. PPM arrangements and the associated controls need to evolve over time as the project or programme evolves and governance requirements have to tighten. Our risk and benefit management techniques promote a forward-thinking culture across any programme. Supported by our experienced Portfolio, Programme and Project Management Office (PMO) we put clients in control of even the most complex programme.
- Stakeholders – managed with insight. We work with you to develop a clear, straightforward stakeholder management plan. We base this on our practical experience, identifying those that can influence the programme (for better or worse), levels of authority, their connectivity and their willingness to engage. We bring focus, priority and order to this vital area, creating momentum and getting people onto the same page. Our CEO has significant experience working with Government Stakeholders (particularly responsible departments, finance ministries, and key assurance bodies), the funding market and their key advisors and with supplier markets – be this transport, energy, utilities, real estate and housing, healthcare, defence and aerospace, or research our CEO has been engaged to assist clients in developing and delivering both innovative approaches to delivery and funding or to assist key stakeholders to ensure that they understand the projects they are engaged in.
- Portfolio, Programme and Project Assurance. It’s vital to be sure your programme is on track, or to have early warning if not so you can take action. Our team has worked for all manner of companies and governments, reviewing the most challenging programmes and projects at all stages from the strategic business case through to assessing benefits and impact post completion. You can trust us to get to the heart of any issue and to work with you developing remedial “back on track” plans. Our CEO has undertaken a wide range of assurance and independent reviews of projects and programmes. For example, prior to joining AMPAL our CEO led an independent review of a multiple billion GBP transport upgrade programme on behalf of the client’s Investment Board – his review led to the objectives for the programme being changed and programme being restructured and placed onto a much more sustainable track, than had been proposed by the project leadership based on the objectives they had been given prior to the review. These changes were implemented with the full support of both key stakeholders and the project team.