The Role of the Utilities Program Manager

The Utilities Program Manager

The role of a program manager in Utilities has complexities worth exploring as part of a role clarification or ‘swim-lane’ discussion. At a very high level, the objective of the program manager is simple. Utilities hire program managers to improve the likelihood that their various programs will be delivered as intended. That has parallels with another business endeavor, which is building construction.

In the construction business there are architects who design buildings, construction and project managers who guide the construction process and all the various trades who perform the construction.

The primary role of the architect is to design the building to meet the needs of the client funding the project. Therefore, the architect’s main focus is on the end product. If architects could snap their fingers and make their buildings magically appear, most would be happy to just skip over the messiness of the construction process.

On the other hand, the role of the construction manager is to guide the construction process to achieve the architect’s vision. Unlike the architect, the construction manager can’t avoid the messiness of the construction process.

In Utilities, Asset Management are like architects. Asset Management’s role is to develop and secure funding for programs that support the Utilities’ goals. Portfolio Management groups and the various program managers are like construction managers in the building industry, their role is the guide the process to deliver the programs and projects to achieve their individual and collective objectives.

This simple analogy is useful because it clarifies some of what the different roles should be expected to do as well of thing that are outside their swim lanes.

For instance, if a construction manager does not like the look of a building, that does not mean they are entitled to change it. The role of the construction manager is to respect the architect’s vision and build the building efficiently, even if they think it’s hideous.

However, that does not mean that architects hold all the decision making rights. The construction manager and the building trades have obligations to respect regulation and building codes and may be constrained by budgets and schedules. Therefore, architects don’t get to do whatever they want.

The answer is that ‘collaboration’ between architects and construction managers is essential. However, it is helped by understanding how to work through situations where something has to give.

Shared Resources – A Critical Distinction

When program and project manager’s roles are being discussed, a critical difference is that the role changes when the PM has authority over the deployment of resources, or not.

One option for program or project management is to set up the project as a ‘standalone’ undertaking, assign a person to the role of PM and provide them with the authority over the resources needed to complete the project. Under this model, the PM has the authority to bring on the resources they need to complete the different phases of the project and they can let resources go when they are no longer needed. Under this operating model:

• The PM can be held accountable for delivering the project.
• The PM monitors progress and move resources around as needed to complete the project.
• The PM is the single point of accountability for decisions on the project.

Standalone projects or programs are not the norm in Utilities. In Utilities, it is more common to see projects and programs sharing the various resources needed to complete the work such as: engineering, design, and field execution crews. Under this model, program managers are expected to monitor and ‘guide’ the program towards the program goals, but the PM does not have the authority to ‘direct’ resources to work on their project or programs and not work on other programs. Under this model:

The PM cannot be held individually accountable for delivering the work because they do not have the authority to deploy resources as they see fit.

The PM monitors progress and is the primary point of contact for information on the status of the program or project, but they are not the single point of accountability for all decisions affecting the work. A PM should know if they have lost resources on their program to higher priority work, should be able to report that fact, but may not be able to change it.

The PM guides the advancement of the program or project work. In some cases, that means they make decisions, but in other cases they are limited to making recommendations that others are accountable to accept or reject.

Something Has to Give

A requirement that shapes the role of the program manager, is that they must bridge the gap between strategic goals and the reality on the ground. A good example is the cheap, fast, quality triangle. The idea is that somebody may want all three (cheap, fast, quality) but th