Project Management Office Director at The Wonderfield Group

About us

The Wonderfield Group has recently been purchased by Zensho Holdings, the leading food service company in Japan with a market cap of $5.5b and whose aim is to become the worlds largest food company, a position from which we can eradicate hunger and poverty from around the globe. We operate restaurants, factories, and thousands of sushi kiosks and have recently built a successful cut fruit business, Snowfruit. Combining this with the three businesses previously owned by Zensho, AFC, Sushi Circle and Sushi Take, results in annual sales of $2.5b and Ebitda in excess of $140m a year with an ambitious growth trajectory.

Our Purpose..

We Believe in Better Food For Everyone, The Japanese Way…

We continue to capitalise on consumer trends, spearheading category growth by bringing our proposition to more people around the world across more channels, in more locations, on more occasions and in more innovative ways. We are committed to purposeful progress and profit for the benefit of our people, our communities and our planet and we have a clear ESG strategy that delivers progress against nine UN sustainability development goals.

Our Values..

Own it

•  We are accountable and make no excuses.  

•  We always look to improve

•  We take the initiative and are courageous and confident

Care about it

•  We do the right thing, avoiding unnecessary shortcuts

•  We act with integrity and respect our communities, people and our planet

Make it Exceptional

•  We build relationships and make people smile

•  We say thank you

•  We’re positive and kind

Win Together

•  We’re open minded an inclusive

•  We communicate with clarity

•  We take time to look out for others and to celebrate the good stuff

Overview of the role

The PMO Director is responsible for establishing, leading, and managing the Project Management Office (PMO) at The Wonderfield Group. This role is pivotal in ensuring that our growing portfolio of projects is executed effectively, delivering measurable value and aligning with our strategic objectives. The PMO Director will develop and implement robust governance frameworks, standardise project management processes, and drive continuous improvement across the organisation.

The 3 best things about the role

• 1.       Strategic Leadership & Influence – This role places you at the heart of the organisation's strategic decision-making. You'll have a direct impact on shaping the PMO function, driving enterprise-wide programme alignment, and influencing the Executive Leadership Team on project prioritisation and resource allocation.
• 2.       Building & Leading a High-Performing PMO – You’ll be responsible for establishing and shaping the PMO from the ground up, implementing governance frameworks, and defining best practices. It’s a chance to build a high-impact function that standardises project execution and drives business transformation.
• Cross-Divisional & Global Impact – With oversight across divisions and markets, this role offers a rare opportunity to work on complex, large-scale projects with diverse teams. Your work will ensure that projects not only align with business objectives but also contribute to the company’s long-term growth and scalability.

Key Accountabilities

• 1.       Align the PMO strategy with the organisation’s overall goals and growth strategy. Leading the prioritisation process with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), ensuring projects are re-prioritised when business needs evolve. 
• 2.       Oversee integrated planning across Divisions and Group, identifying dependencies and impacts.
• 3.       Oversee the recruitment, development, and management of the PMO team.
• 4.       Implement standardised project management frameworks (e.g., PRINCE2, PMI’s PMBOK, Agile) and tools.
• 5.       Develop and enforce project governance standards to ensure consistent project delivery.
• 6.       Establish processes for continuous improvement and lessons learned across projects.
• 7.       Monitor project budgets, costs, and overall financial performance.
• 8.       Lead initiatives to build internal project management capabilities through targeted training and mentorship programmes.
• 9.       Manage organisational change initiatives to support successful project outcomes.
• 10.    Champion the adoption of project management best practices across the business.

Key measures of success

• 1.       Establish the PMO, including defining its structure, processes, and methodologies
• 2.       Develop and communicate the vision, mission, and strategic objectives of the PMO
• 3.       Create and maintain an enterprise-wide programme and project roadmap.
• 4.       Monitor and report on the performance of the project portfolio, including key performance indicators (KPIs) and project risks.

What you’ll need

• 1.       Experience in establishing and enforcing project governance frameworks, ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
• 2.       Proven ability to lead and inspire teams, managing multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• 3.       Strong ability to identify, assess, and mitigate risks across multiple projects and programmes.
• 4.       Demonstrated expertise in project management, with proven experience in translating organisational goals into actionable project strategies and influencing senior stakeholders in a global, multinational setting.
• 5.       Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• 6.       Proficiency in analysing complex data to drive informed decision-making and improve project performance.
• 7.       Strong stakeholder management, leading cross-functional change, influencing stakeholders, and ensuring adoption of new processes.
• 8.       Strong commercial acumen to manage supplier relationships and procurement processes.
• 9.       Experience in managing budgets, forecasting costs, and ensuring financial accountability in project execution.
• 10.    Familiarity with project management software (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana, Jira) and data visualisation (e.g., Power BI).

What's in it for you?

•        We’re committed to building inclusive Teams and giving our People the opportunity to grow their careers alongside us.

•        Annual bonus of 20% of salary.

•        Group Personal Pension: 4% of basic monthly salary (matched by Wonderfield)

•        Group Income Protection Scheme: up to 75% of your basic monthly salary after 26 weeks’ continuous absence from work due to serious injury or illness

•        Private Medical Cash Plan: including dental, GP access, physiotherapy, money back on contact lenses and 24/7 Employee Assistance Line                                             

•        For UK team members 50% off your food every time you dine with us at YO! Restaurants for you and 3 friends.