Interim Head of Project Management Office (12 months Maternity Cover)

Who We Are

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping is a not-for-profit, independent R&D center working to accelerate the decarbonization of the global maritime industry. In close collaboration with partners across shipping, energy, academia, and authorities, we develop pathways, test new technologies, and de-risk critical components of the transition.

We value the diversity of our talent in all its forms, and we see diversity as a genuine source of strength for building high-performing teams and welcome international candidates who are willing to relocate to join our mission.

The Opportunity

Our Head of PMO is going on maternity leave from September 2025 and we are therefore looking for a driven interim Head of PMO who can move our project management initiatives forward into 2026. This is a unique opportunity to lead a function that drives our project management excellence and supports our mission well into 2026. 

As Head of PMO, you will lead the Project Management Office under the Data, Insights & Analytics Unit reporting to the Chief Technology and Analytics Officer. In addition, you will collaborate closely with colleagues from all parts of the Center. You will engage with cross-disciplinary stakeholders both internally and externally, creating a workday where you get an opportunity to continuously interact with and gain new knowledge from experts representing the full energy and maritime value chain.

Projects are the main means through which the Center creates impact to accelerating the maritime decarbonization transition. The PMO team provides the governance framework within which the projects are implemented. As the Head of PMO you will therefore contribute immensely to creating impact by staging the value creation through adopting the project management framework.

The PMO Team is a team dedicated to the project management discipline where our focus is delivering projects effectively and fostering a learning culture between project managers to share best practices and continuously improving the project delivery and project quality in the Center.

Our office is located in Nordhavn/Copenhagen - Denmark, and the position is timebound with start date on 1st September 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter and an end date on 31st August 2026

What you’ll do

• Lead the PMO, currently with one direct report and drive the strategic development of project management practices across the organization.
• Support the roll out and implementation of the Center’s updated project management framework (PMO Handbook), initiated summer 2025. You will play a key role in embedding these changes by leading targeted communication and training initiatives across the Center.  
• Oversee the implementation and maintenance of the PMO’s new Quality Management Framework, ensuring it is effectively adopted through tailored training and support.  
• Provide core PMO services including guidance on applying the PMO Handbook and advisory support on quality management, risk management, stakeholder management and other essential project delivery areas.  
• Actively contribute to enhancing project management capabilities across the Center and advancing project management as a professional discipline.
• Lead the Center’s Project Managers Network, building functional capacity with project management and creating a forum for sharing lessons learned, fostering continuous skills development, and building a strong learning culture among project managers.

Who you are

In our line of work, where many projects are the first of their kind, it is imperative to have a personality that is driven and solution-oriented. Innovation and pioneering new paths require an unwavering determination to overcome unprecedented challenges. A proactive mindset, combined with a relentless pursuit of creative solutions, is essential to navigate the complexities and uncertainties inherent in our work. Only with such a dynamic and resilient approach can we transform novel ideas into successful realities, pushing the boundaries of what is possible hence we are looking for a Head of PMO who possesses a combination of interpersonal and strategic skills able to effectively convey information, build relationships, and contribute to the overall success of the Center projects. 

To succeed in this role, you must combine a strategic mindset with a pragmatic, structured, and efficient approach. Ideally, you recognize yourself in the following description:   

• Bachelor's or master's degree in business administration, engineering, project management, or related field is required
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a PMO is desired
• Minimum 5 additional years in positions related to Project Management is an advantage
• Excellent communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively at all levels of the organization and within a cross-disciplinary context.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to anticipate future challenges and opportunities and develop proactive solutions.
• Extensive experience in stakeholder management and relationship building, both internally and externally.
• Experience in Quality Management is a strong advantage.
• Experience in facilitating project management training sessions is an advantage 
• Experience from the shipping industry, energy sector, regulatory and/or similar sectors relevant to the Center work is an advantage
• Experience working with theory of change and impact focused projects is an advantage
• Literacy in English.

Why Join Us

You will join an amazing team of engaged, skilled, ambitious, people working with great determination. You will work with some of the world's largest corporations across the globe and across the maritime ecosystem and expand your network tremendously.

Additionally, you will be part of a multicultural, dynamic, and mission-driven workplace with great learning opportunities. You will work at the very front of the green transition, adding meaningful contributions to a safer and more sustainable future not only for shipping, but for the planet.

Work is more than a job to us. We are deeply motivated by the opportunity to drive a sustainable transition towards a greener future for shipping and combine our deep specialist competencies to create an industry-wide impact. A journey you can join.

Through this diverse workforce, you can expect:

• An international, talented team of mission-driven colleagues
• An innovative and collaborative workplace with room for growth and development
• A caring and social work environment who succeed together
• Opportunity to expand your knowledge base and get responsibility for both large and small tasks

Ready to Apply?

We deeply value diversity in all its forms and see it as a true strength in building high-performing teams. We warmly welcome international candidates who are open to relocating to be part of our mission. As this role necessitates in-office presence for the majority of the work week, we are not considering hybrid work arrangements.

We will conduct interviews with relevant candidates on an ongoing basis and complete the recruitment process when the right candidate is found.  

Any information sent to us will be treated with full confidentiality and in accordance with current GDPR legislation.