A01 – Appoint the sponsor

This is a draft of the manual for review. If you have any comments, please email them to info@omimo.org. Please check back for the final version.

What

The first management activity is to appoint a senior manager as the program sponsor. The sponsor is the highest role in the program, and the program manager reports to the sponsor.

The sponsor is

• accountable for the justification, outcomes, and benefits of the program;
• responsible for making high-level decisions for the program; and
• responsible for making sure the program is properly funded and resourced.

Why

Having a program manager is not enough, and the sponsor’s role is necessary because

• program managers have to be focused on collaboration, facilitation, conflict resolution, and other day-to-day work, which don’t leave them enough time and attention to direct the high-level aspects of the program; and
• program managers may not have enough organizational power
  • to be able to get resources for the program, and
  • to have enough strategic information to properly make high-level decisions for the program.

Who

Since the sponsor is the highest role in the program, they should be appointed from a higher position outside the program, such as the portfolio management system.

When P5.express is used for portfolio management, the program sponsor must be a member of the portfolio board. That way, the sponsor is aware of all the investments in the organization and, therefore, capable of making better high-level decisions for the program.

How

The program sponsor must be a high-level manager in the organization, such as a director. This is necessary because their organizational power is necessary for getting resources for the program. Moreover, their high position in the organization provides them with the strategic information they need for the high-level decisions of the program.

The sponsor should have a special interest in the program so that they can champion it in the organization. Usually, the sponsor manages a department or business area that has the most to do with the outcomes of the program, and that’s why they want to champion it. However, the sponsor should not hesitate to cancel the program if it becomes unjustifiable.

External projects done by your suppliers will appoint sponsors from their organizations, whereas for the internal projects, the program sponsor and program manager will appoint their project sponsors from their organization or hire someone for that purpose. In small programs, the program sponsor can also be the sponsor of the internal projects defined under it, but it’s best to avoid it if possible so that the program sponsor can focus on the program without distraction.

Project sponsors will be appointed throughout the program as new projects are defined in the Monthly Initiation activities of the program and not during this activity.

When possible, it’s a good idea not to have a single person as the sponsor for all programs in the organization because a healthy level of competition among sponsors can be helpful to all.

Sponsors don’t have to spend a lot of time on the program, but they still need to be involved and dedicate some portion of their time to the program.