Shifting from a Central PMO to a Strategy and Portfolio Management Office

Thursday, October 01, 2026 | 9:30AM–10:30AM MT
Session Type: Poster Session
Delivery Format: Poster Session
Over the last year, the UCR Information Technology Solutions (ITS) project management office has undergone a significant realignment. We have transitioned from a centralized PMO with all organizational project managers reporting into the department to a significantly more decentralized structure with all project managers reporting to the specific divisional leadership. The remaining PMO staff transitioned to a more strategically focused ITS Strategy and Portfolio Management Office. We will discuss the approach taken to ensure a smooth transition of the project management personnel and the operational priorities to the various ITS divisions. We will deep dive into the new strategic focus of the Strategy and Portfolio Management Office, including a specific focus on IT Governance & Strategic Planning, Portfolio Planning & Intelligence, Strategic Initiative Orchestration, and developing a Center of Excellence (CoE) for the IT organization. We will present lessons learned that focus on the successes and areas for improvement that can be actively incorporated into a similar undertaking at other organizations.

Presenters

  • Kathleen Rondeau-Taylor

    Executive Director, Strategic Portfolio Office, University of California, Riverside

  • Patrick Wagman

    Associate Director, Portfolio Management Office, University of California, Riverside