#159 | Navigating the Complex World of Enterprise Portfolio Management with Ryan Chaffey

The battle for PMO relevance has never been more challenging. In this essential conversation, we explore what it takes to make enterprise portfolio management successful beyond frameworks and templates. Our guest, Ryan Chaffey, Divisional Manager of the Enterprise PMO at Yarra Valley Water, brings a powerful perspective to the discussion, drawing on his extensive background in steering strategic planning, portfolio management, and governance frameworks across various industries, including Telecommunications, Financial Services, Entertainment, Education, and the Public Sector.

Ryan shares his journey from Chartered Accountant to PMO leader, explaining how his financial expertise, reinforced by his CPA and PMP certifications, naturally bridges the gap between strategy, finance, and delivery. We unpack his "Holy Trinity" concept of alignment, explore why organisations often struggle with benefits realisation (hint: 90% a cultural problem), and examine the political realities of project prioritisation and the essential role of psychological safety in governance frameworks.

Beyond his leadership at Yarra Valley Water, Ryan has spent three years leading the AIPM PMO Community of Practice, working to establish it as the premier PMO network in Australia, recognised for delivering high-quality professional development content. His wealth of experience in capital budgeting, strategic planning, and enterprise portfolio management shines through as we delve into practical insights, such as "Minimum Viable Governance," overcoming capability gaps in PPM tool rollouts, and building accountability systems that genuinely work. Whether you’re establishing a PMO, revitalising one, or seeking to connect portfolios to business outcomes better, this episode delivers real-world strategies you can apply immediately. Connect with Ryan Chaffey on LinkedIn to continue learning from his expertise across multiple transformation contexts.

In this episode, we discuss: 

• 0:00 Personal Life and Work Updates
• 14:03 Ryan's Journey to PMO Leadership
• 21:15 Communicating PMO Value to Executives
• 27:06 Turning Strategy into Actionable Programs
• 32:10 Benefits Realisation Challenges
• 38:49 Project Prioritisation and Governance
• 44:45 Stopping Proj

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Ryan Chafee
• 2:40 Journey from Finance to PMO Leadership
• 4:39 PMOs Across Different Industries
• 8:32 Translating Strategy into Actionable Programs
• 16:00 Benefits Realization and Cultural Challenges
• 20:59 Prioritization and Pipeline Management
• 25:02 Business vs Technology Roadmaps
• 31:15 Change Management and PMO Integration
• 33:20 PPM Tools: Common Pitfalls and Best Practices
• 39:46 Final Advice: Minimum Viable Governance