Portfolio & Governance Analyst

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Location:
Brussels (on-site)
• Workload: Full-time
• Duration: Initial 3-month assignment, with possible extension Context Our client, a leading Belgian enterprise undergoing a significant digital transformation, is strengthening its Value Delivery Office within the Digital organization. The Value Delivery Office is responsible for managing Digital and IT investments and ensuring value delivery across the organization. Key activities include IT budget and portfolio governance, investment decision processes, efficiency management, strategic sourcing, partner governance, and performance tracking. The team works closely with senior business leaders, Finance, Digital and IT leadership, and technical domain experts to ensure investments are aligned with strategic objectives and deliver measurable value. Role Summary We are looking for an experienced Portfolio & Governance Analyst to support the Director of the Value Delivery Office in managing the Digital and IT governance framework, portfolio management cycle, and investment stage-gate process. The consultant will ensure that initiatives progress through governance gates with complete and high-quality decision-making materials, that governance forums are effectively prepared and followed up, and that portfolio information remains accurate and up to date. The role also plays an important part in the annual IT budget cycle, including budget forecasting, budget actualization, capacity planning, and preparation of next year's IT investment plan in collaboration with Finance, technical teams, and business stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities
Stage-Gate Process Management
• Coordinate the operational stage-gate process, including intake of new demands, planning of review sessions, and follow-up of decisions.
• Review and challenge submitted business cases, scope definitions, cost estimates, planning, risk assessments, and benefit analyses.
• Maintain governance logs, decision registers, and action trackers, ensuring timely follow-up and escalation when required.
• Identify and propose improvements to governance processes, templates, and evaluation criteria. Governance Support
• Prepare agendas, decision papers, and supporting documentation for portfolio and investment governance meetings.
• Capture meeting minutes, document decisions, and monitor follow-up actions.
• Manage the governance calendar and ensure appropriate stakeholder involvement throughout the process. Portfolio Management Support
• Maintain portfolio information, including project status, budget consumption, forecasts, milestones, dependencies, and risks.
• Produce portfolio reports and dashboards for senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Highlight deviations in scope, budget, timing, and expected business value.
• Support capacity and cost allocation analyses across operational activities, change initiatives, and innovation programs.
• Contribute to benefits realization tracking for approved initiatives. Budget Cycle & Capacity Planning
• Support and coordinate the annual IT budgeting process together with Finance.
• Set up planning calendars, templates, and data collection activities.
• Lead budget actualization activities, including reconciliation of actuals, commitments, invoices, accruals, and forecasts.
• Collaborate with department leads to translate portfolio priorities into future capacity planning requirements.
• Consolidate budget and resource requests, validate consistency, and identify risks, overlaps, or gaps.
• Prepare budget proposals, prioritization scenarios, and portfolio investment plans for decision-making. Required Experience
• 5 to 8 years of experience in:
• IT Portfolio Management
• PMO
• IT Governance
• IT Finance
• Business Controlling
• Experience within a large corporate or multi-entity environment.
• Hands-on experience supporting or managing stage-gate or investment governance processes.
• Proven participation in annual IT budgeting exercises, forecasting, and capacity planning. Skills & Qualifications Technical & Functional Skills
• Strong understanding of:
• Portfolio Management
• Programme Management
• Project Management methodologies
• IT financial structures (Run/Change, Capex/Opex)
• Advanced proficiency in:
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Experience with portfolio management platforms such as:
• Planview
• Clarity
• ServiceNow SPM
• Similar solutions
• Experience with Power BI or comparable reporting tools is considered an asset.
• Master's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• PMO, Portfolio Management (MoP, P3O), PMP or PRINCE2 certifications are advantageous. Languages
• Fluent English.
• Good command of either Dutch or French. Soft Skills
• Structured, organized, and detail-oriented.
• Reliable and proactive in following up on actions and commitments.
• Comfortable interacting with and constructively challenging senior stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to synthesize complex information into clear decision-making materials.
• Autonomous and capable of quickly adapting to existing governance structures and processes. Nice to Have
• Experience within logistics, transportation, or other large multi-business-unit organizations.
• Previous collaboration with Group Finance teams on IT budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning initiatives.