Make informed decisions across the projects that matter.
JMB provides project governance consultancy and project portfolio management support in Dubai and across the UAE.
We help leadership teams establish accountability, evaluate competing initiatives and understand the demands their projects place on the organization. Our work connects strategic priorities with the decisions, resources and oversight required for delivery.
See the portfolio. Understand the choices.
Individual projects can appear manageable while their combined demands exceed available capacity.
Shared resources, supplier dependencies and competing deadlines can affect several initiatives at once. Leadership needs a view of these connections to decide where to commit resources and when to intervene.
JMB helps bring project information into a consistent portfolio view, identifying the priorities, dependencies and decisions requiring attention.
Project governance consultancy
Define accountability
Establish who is responsible for delivery, who approves changes and who accepts the completed work.
We help clarify the responsibilities of sponsors, project managers, workstream leads and oversight groups, including where decisions should be escalated.
Establish decision authority
Define which decisions can be made within the project and which require executive or committee approval.
The framework can address changes to scope, budget, schedules, resources and delivery commitments, with agreed thresholds and approval routes.
Structure project reviews
Introduce review points appropriate to the size, complexity and risk of the initiative.
These can help assess whether a project is ready to proceed, whether its assumptions remain valid and what must be resolved before the next stage.
Improve management reporting
Give decision-makers a clear account of the delivery position.
We develop reporting that identifies progress, risks, dependencies and required decisions, with supporting information suited to the audience.
Project portfolio management
Build a consistent project register
Establish what is underway, what is proposed and who owns each initiative.
A portfolio register can bring together:
- Business objectives and expected outcomes.
- Project sponsors and delivery responsibilities.
- Scope, milestones and current status.
- Budget and resource requirements.
- Risks and dependencies.
- Outstanding approvals and decisions.
Prioritize initiatives
Agree how projects will be evaluated against your organization’s objectives and constraints.
Prioritization criteria can consider strategic alignment, business need, delivery risk, available capacity and dependencies. We help apply the criteria consistently and make the basis for decisions visible.
Assess capacity and dependencies
Understand where projects rely on the same people, suppliers, systems or operational teams.
We help identify competing commitments and sequencing requirements so leadership can assess what is achievable within the available resources.
Review the portfolio as conditions change
Priorities and assumptions can change during delivery.
JMB helps establish a review process for reassessing commitments, considering new proposals and determining whether existing initiatives should continue, change scope, be resequenced or pause.
What an engagement can deliver
Depending on your requirements, deliverables can include:
- A project governance framework.
- Sponsor and committee responsibilities.
- Approval and escalation arrangements.
- Project review and decision criteria.
- A consolidated project portfolio register.
- Prioritization criteria and an assessment approach.
- Portfolio reporting formats.
- A resource and dependency review.
- An implementation plan for the agreed improvements.
We define the scope and outputs before the engagement begins.
Governance for executives, corporates and family offices
JMB can support organizations overseeing several projects or business initiatives, including corporates and family offices.
The engagement focuses on the delivery portfolio: commitments, responsibilities, progress and resource requirements. We shape reporting around the decisions the relevant executives, owners or oversight groups need to make.
Strengthen an existing governance framework
If your organization already has project governance arrangements, JMB can review how effectively they operate.
A review can examine:
- Whether responsibilities are understood.
- How quickly decisions reach the appropriate authority.
- Whether reports reflect the actual delivery position.
- How changes and exceptions are managed.
- Whether portfolio priorities match available capacity.
- How project outcomes are reviewed after delivery.
We translate findings into a prioritized improvement plan.
Connect governance with your PMO
A project management office can coordinate the processes and information supporting governance.
JMB helps define the relationship between the PMO, project teams, sponsors and leadership. This establishes who prepares information, who monitors delivery and who makes decisions.
Where required, governance and portfolio work can form part of a wider PMO setup or improvement engagement.
Frequently asked questions
What is project governance?
Project governance defines how a project is directed and overseen. It establishes responsibilities, approval authority, review processes and escalation arrangements.
What is project portfolio management?
Project portfolio management coordinates the selection, prioritization and oversight of an organization’s projects. It helps leadership assess their combined demands and alignment with business objectives.
How does portfolio management differ from program management?
A program coordinates related projects to achieve connected outcomes. A portfolio can include different projects and programs selected and overseen according to organizational priorities.
Do we need a PMO before introducing project governance?
No. Governance responsibilities and decision arrangements can be established without a dedicated PMO. The appropriate structure depends on the organization and its delivery requirements.
Can JMB review our existing project portfolio?
Yes. We can assess an agreed set of projects, their priorities, delivery commitments, resources and dependencies, then recommend improvements.
Can you work with our existing reporting tools?
Yes. We consider your current tools and information sources when defining the engagement. Reporting requirements and any proposed changes are agreed with your organization.