What does a Team Lead Project Management Office do at noris?
„In my role as a manager, I see myself as a gardener: plants don’t grow if you pull on them.”
Interview Dominic Lindner
What does a Team Lead Project Management Office do?
As Team Lead of the Project Management Office (PMO) at noris network, my job is to successfully manage projects, in particular the reorganisation of IT services. I also see myself as a mediator in case of ambiguities in projects and my daily tasks include motivating and appreciative leadership of my team as well as creating an inspiring working environment.
In my role as a manager, I see myself as a gardener: plants don’t grow if you pull on them. Instead, I make sure that the project managers in my team have a good environment to grow successfully and that the projects can be completed on time, to quality and within budget.
In addition to leading my team, it is therefore my responsibility to define and implement sensible project management processes. For example, we have introduced a project management framework and also offer further training opportunities in the form of programmes for technical knowledge in the form of small 60-minute “learning snacks”. We therefore focus on both methodological and practical knowledge.
How did you get this job?
I was lucky enough to be on board as a project manager at noris network from the very beginning and to have experienced the development of the company at first hand. We grew from a single project manager to a proud team of project managers and finally to a dynamic cross-functional department.
In 2021, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime: to lead a huge restructuring project with 350 affected employees and to set up a completely new department for project management and technicians of all kinds. After the project was successfully completed, I wanted to continue this journey and I took over one of the newly formed teams in the new project department.
I love the challenges that come with managing projects and teams and I am grateful that I can constantly develop my skills in this position. It’s great to be part of a company that is continually changing and growing and I’m proud to play my part.
What skills are essential for this?
From a personal point of view, a good PMO manager is someone who is not only technically adept, but also has a knack for interpersonal relationships. After all, project management is also about motivating and coordinating people. And who knows, maybe the PMO manager is also the one who has the best coffee machine in the office – after all, the office grapevine should not be underestimated either.
Do you have any current projects and if so, which ones?
As Team Lead of the Project Management Office (PMO) at noris network, my focus is currently no longer on customer projects, but rather on leading my team and providing them with ongoing support. However, I am still involved in internal projects, which I approach with great enthusiasm.
I am committed to ensuring that our project teams are always up-to-date and have the necessary knowledge through organized learning programmes. I am also working on the introduction of a project management framework to ensure that every employee has the right tools to manage projects successfully.
Furthermore, I am also looking at new topics and exciting ideas on how internal project management can be mapped using fictitious currencies, for example. Maybe there will be a noris currency of our own one day – who knows! The organization of social events and the promotion of young talent in our department are also important tasks that I tackle with my team.
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But if we work together as a team, exchange ideas and support each other, we can master even the most difficult projects. And when we succeed in the end, it feels like winning an epic boss fight in a computer game!
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What matters most to you when implementing projects?
As a manager in an IT company, I know that when it comes to implementing projects, the most important thing is that everyone involved is passionate and committed and doesn’t just fulfil their duties. That’s why I myself always try to lead by example and share my enthusiasm for IT and the realization of projects.
But it’s also about everyone involved communicating clearly and keeping an eye on their tasks, similar to a game of chess. Everyone has to know their role in the project so that we can win in the end. And, of course, this also includes motivating and supporting each other when things get difficult. Because who hasn’t experienced this – sometimes it feels like trying to get a computer to work without a power cable, but together we can manage that too!
But if we work together as a team, share ideas and support each other, we can master even the most difficult projects. And when we succeed in the end, it feels like winning an epic boss fight in a computer game!
What makes your job so exciting for you and what motivates you?
What makes my job so exciting? Definitely the variety! Every day brings new challenges and I love being flexible and being able to react to different situations. It also motivates me immensely when I see how my employees develop and grow together as a team.
Thanks to my experience in organizational development, I know how important it is for departments to grow together into cross-functional teams in order to be successful together. That’s why it’s particularly motivating for me to see our team getting better and better and supporting each other. When we successfully complete our projects together, there is no better reason for me to be happy and motivated!
What do you like about your day-to-day work?
What I particularly appreciate about my day-to-day work as a team leader for project management is the fact that I am part of a team of other team leaders. In our department, there is not only myself as team leader, but also five others with whom I work closely. Together, we have a shared backlog and work on cross-departmental topics. I feel totally inspired knowing that I’m not working alone, but am part of a close-knit team that supports each other and gives everything together to achieve the best results. Because at the end of the day, only one thing counts: teamwork makes the dream work!
What has been your biggest success?
We’ve talked a lot about the project management framework in this interview, but there’s another topic that’s really close to my heart: We have built a super cool team of four working students who work completely autonomously and take on tasks from the entire department. Thanks to an ingenious backlog, the students can divide up the tasks perfectly, even if they often have different attendance times. The team now completes entire blocks of tasks for our department! I am extremely proud of this and am delighted that all four of them have already announced that they want to work full-time at noris network after their studies. I think it’s just great that we’re not only training our own junior staff, but have also formed a team out of them – instead of simply placing them in other teams individually.
What further development opportunities are on offer?
We really emphasise further development and training! We have developed a project management framework of over 100 pages and every project management employee received intensive training on the framework over 12 days. To obtain certification, all employees had to write a 30-page assignment and pass a written exam. In addition, 24 technical modules are available to better understand complex project topics, as well as internal seminars.
I myself am also currently taking part in a management programme, which comprises 6 pit stops of 2 days each and 3 individual coaching sessions. As a company, the way we manage is also very important to us. We don’t want to get caught up in micromanagement, but rather realize that leadership is a task that we perform in an appreciative and respectful manner.
